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Godfather Part II question

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!, Nov 17, 2008.

  1. Killick

    Killick Well-Known Member

    As much as GIII sucked, I thank God they made it. As bereft of original material as H'wood is these days, someone else surely would have made it -- and I tremble at what sort of monstrocity THAT may have been. At least as things are, it at least stayed "in the family." Hate to think what, say, Michael Bay would have done to it.
     
  2. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    I always thought that there was a cool parallel between Michael's revenge on the heads of the Five Families and the killing of Fredo.

    Remember, Vito said that he wouldn't avenge Sonny's death as long as he was alive and he didn't. There is a deleted scene in I where Michael tells Vito that his promise doesn't extend after Vito death.

    Then in II, Michael does the exact same thing, acting as if Fredo is safe (if no longer a family insider) and then kills him after his mother dies.
     
  3. Dyno

    Dyno Well-Known Member

    I, too, try to pretend that Godfather III doesn't exist. But I think Connie knew that Fredo didn't drown. Just the tone of her voice when she says, "Poor Fredo. Drowned." Makes me think she knows that Michael had Fredo killed, but can't quite admit it.
     
  4. I also always had the sense that Connie really understood what happened to Fredo. After all, she's the one who calls for Anthony to get off the boat and into a waiting car, because "your father's taking you into the city." I think she is complicit in her brother's murder, but I also think she accepts Michael's decision.

    Why? For a few reasons. I think Connie was always searching for another father figure, especially after Vito died, and I think that Michael served that role. I was a little creeped out by their relationship in III, because it was a brother and sister living alone together and that was all they had. Some of my family members that were born of the same generation as Michael and Connie fictionally belong to had that same type of relationship and it always saddened me. All Michael and Connie have is each other, which, given who their father was, is terribly ironic and tragic.

    Plus, I think Connie knew of the real circumstances of Fredo's death given what she knows about Michael from Carlo's murder. She knew Michael had Carlo killed; he did the same thing to her husband as he did to Fredo. He did his father's trick---lure someone in, make them feel comfortable and then exact revenge---to both Carlo and Fredo. And I think Connie realizes that Michael had to do what he had to do---she condones the decision because she knows that Fredo is weak and helpless and because Michael killed Carlo, he would be a hypocrite if he didn't murder Fredo.
     
  5. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    I think you nailed it.
     
  6. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    She obviously knew about Carlo. Her speech to Michael in II about how he was staying strong for the family leads one to believe that she was OK with him doing what had to be done to Fredo.
     
  7. Captain_Kirk

    Captain_Kirk Well-Known Member

    Yep, Carlo serves as the precedent that basically let Connie know family members were not off limits.
     
  8. That long shot across the lake after the gunshot rings out is a genius piece of filmwork.
     
  9. Yeah but Carlo wasn't blood. He married in. And he was a shit bag.

    Yeah, I think Connie knew what was going on. She just didn't want to admit.
     
  10. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    Ah, that little farce you played with my sister. You think that could fool a Corleone?
     
  11. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    It fooled Sonny on the causeway
     
  12. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member


    Sonny was easily fooled . . .

    And since casting "Carlo" was the price of admission for the movie-producing
    powers that be, it was a blessing that he was offed as early as he was . . .
     
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