1974 The Godfather, Part II

1974 The Godfather, Part II


"There are many things my father taught me here in this room.  He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

Another great one.  Again, criminal that Al Pacino didn't win.  This is one of the best performances I have ever seen.

The movie focuses on Michael's leadership of the Corleone family, dealing with rival gangster, Hyman Roth (stupid first name, sorry), facing a Senate committee trying to prove that Michael is a criminal, and dealing with issues within his family (specifically his wife, Kay, his sister, Connie, and his brother, Fredo).

It is interspersed with scenes showing a young Vito Corleone (played as an adult by Robert DeNiro, who does a terrific job capturing the essence of Vito Corleone as originated by Marlon Brando).  It is revealed that Vito's last name was actually Andolini, and was changed to his place of birth, Corleone, when he arrived in New York.

Robert DeNiro as Vito Corleone.

The movie begins with Vito's father's murder in Sicily, and his subsequent flight to America, then shows his gradual descent into the criminal world, his ascent within its ranks, and his eventual revenge against his father's murderer ("My father's name was Antonio Andolini... and this is for you," Vito says, before brutally stabbing Don Ciccio dead).

There are two parts of the movie that have continuously confused me.

Frank Pentangeli recanting his statements against Michael Corleone.

One: When Pentangeli is supposed to testify against Michael, Michael arrives with Pentangeli's brother from Sicily, and the brother's appearance causes Pentangeli to change his mind about revealing the truth about the Corleone family:

Committee Chairman: We have here, finally, a witness that will further testify to Michael Corleone's rule over a criminal empire that controls all of the gambling in this country and perhaps in other countries.  This witness has had no buffer between himself and Michael Corleone.  He can corroborate our charges on enough counts for this committee to recommend a charge of perjury against Michael Corleone.  Senator.
Senator: Thank you, Chairman.  Mr. Pentangeli -Mr. Pentangeli, were you a member of the Corleone family?  Did you serve under Caporegime Peter Clemenza, under Vito Corleone -also known as "The Godfather?"
Pentangeli: I never knew no Godfather.  I have my own family, Senator.
Senator: Mr. Pentangeli, you are -you are contradicting a sworn statement you'd previously made to me and signed.  I ask you again. sir -- here and now under oath, were you at any time a member of a crime organization headed by Michael Corleone?
Pentangeli: I don't know nothing about that…Oh!  I was in the olive oil business with his father, but that was a long time ago, that's all.
Committee Chairman: We have a sworn affidavit.  We have it.  Your sworn affidavit that you murdered on the orders of Michael Corleone.  Do you deny that confession,?  And do you realize what will happen as a result of your denial?
Pentangeli: Look, the FBI guys, they promised me a deal.  So, so I made up a lot of stuff about Michael Corleone 'cause that's what they wanted.  But it was all lies.  Uh, everything.  And they kept saying Michael Corleone did this and Michael Corleone did that.  So, I said yeah sure -- why not?
Senator #2: Mr. Corleone, would you kindly identify for the committee the gentleman sitting to your left?
Tom Hagen: I can answer that.  His name is Vincenzo Pentangeli.
Senator #2: Is he related to the witness?
Tom Hagen: He is, I believe, his brother.
Senator Questadt: Will he come forward and be sworn, sir?
Tom Hagen: Sir, this man does not understand English.  He came at his own expense to aid his brother in his time of trouble.  He's not under subpoena and his reputation in his own country is impeccable.
Senator Questadt: Are you saying he knows nothing about these matters?
Tom Hagen: To my knowledge, nothing.
Committee Chairman: I'm gonna find out what the hell happened here.  Alright this committee is now adjourned.  The witness is excused.
Tom Hagen: Senator. Senator. This committee owes an apology!  This committee owes an apology -apology, Senator!

Why exactly does he change his mind?  Does his brother remind him of his loyalty to Michael?  Or is his brother's presence a veiled threat against his family?  Maybe the book explains it more.  After Michael is cleared, Kay remarks, "I suppose I always knew you were too smart to let any of them ever beat you."



Two: Vito goes to a mob boss, Fanucci, and convinces him to extort less money from him and his friends ("I make him an offer he don' refuse.  Don' worry.").  After successfully convincing him, he then sneaks into Fanucci;s house and promptly murders him.  So why exactly go through the whole negotiating him down effort if he was planning to murder him anyway?  Just to see if he could?

Any explanations would be helpful!

Addendum: Regarding the first question, some investigating has let me to believe that Pentangeli's brother's presence may have reminded him of "Omerta," which is, according to wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn, "a code of silence practiced by the Mafia; a refusal to give evidence to the police about criminal activities."

"You broke my heart.  You broke my heart!"

Michael shows a really cold-hearted side of himself when he has Fredo murdered.  In his defense, Fredo did give information leading to an assassination attempt on Michael's life, and this was devastating for him.  He tells Fredo: "I know it was you, Fredo.  You broke my heart.  You broke my heart!"  He cuts him off, letting him live until their mother dies, telling him, "Fredo, you're nothing to me now.  You're not a brother, you're not a friend.  I don't want to know you or what you do.  I don't want to see you at the hotels.  I don't want you near my house.  When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there.  You understand?"

But I don't think that Fredo really wanted Michael to die, and honestly, Fredo is a bit of a confused, damaged individual.  He felt shunned by his family, being the older brother and passed over for Michael, because nobody thinks much of him:

Fredo: I didn't know it was going to be a hit, Mike.  I swear to God, I didn't know it was gonna be a hit.  Johnny Ola bumped into me in Beverly Hills -said he said that he wanted to talk.  He said that you and Roth were in on a big deal together, and that there was something in it for me if I could help him out.  He said that you were being tough on the negotiations, but if they could get a little help and close the deal fast it'd be good for the family.
Michael:You believed that story?  You believed that?
Fredo: He said there was something in it for me...on my own.
Michael: I've always taken care of you, Fredo.
Fredo: Taken care of me?  You're my kid brother.  You take care of me?  Did you ever think about that.  Did you ever once think about that.?  Send Fredo off to do this, send Fredo off to do that.  Let Fredo take care of some Mickey Mouse nightclub somewhere.  Send Fredo to pick somebody up at the airport.  I'm your older brother, Mike, and I was stepped over!
Michael: That's the way Pop wanted it.
Fredo: It ain't the way I wanted it!  I can handle things!  I'm smart!  Not like everybody says... like dumb... I'm smart and I want respect!

Michael pretends to forgive Fredo at their mother's funeral.

And by that point, he really does seem to be a broken man.  He doesn't have any power, any influence.  He is just sort of living at the family compound, spending his time fishing.  He's a good uncle to Michael's kids.  He loves Michael, he loves Connie.  Connie pleads with him: "Michael, I hated you for so many years.  I think that I did things to myself, to hurt myself so that you'd know - that I could hurt you.  You were just being strong for all of us the way Papa was.  And I forgive you.  Can't you forgive Fredo?  He's so sweet and helpless without you.  You need me, Michael.  I want to take care of you now."  I don't think Michael should've had him killed.  But, as Tyler says, Michael does not forgive -he just pretends to, until the time is right to strike.  He doesn't allow such things to happen without seeking retribution, regardless of the circumstances.  It is callous and brutal, but it is also part of the source of his power.  People fear him, because they know that if they cross him, that's it.  No excuses, no second chances, no mercy.  It reminds me of what Messala said in Ben-Hur when he turned on his childhood best friend over a perceived betrayal: "By condemning without hesitation an old friend, I shall be feared."  Except, in this case, it is Michael's own brother.  As Michael says, "I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom.  Just my enemies."

Kay also shows her harsh side when she tells Michael that she didn't miscarry his baby, but had an abortion, and says "Oh, Michael.  Michael, you are blind.  It wasn't a miscarriage.  It was an abortion.  An abortion, Michael.  Just like our marriage is an abortion.  Something that's unholy and evil.  I didn't want your son, Michael!  I wouldn't bring another one of you sons into this world!  It was an abortion, Michael!  It was a son, Michael!  A son!  And I had it killed because this must all end!  I know now that it's over.  I knew it then.  There would be no way, Michael... no way you could ever forgive me not with this Sicilian thing that's been going on for 2,000 years."  I think she did the wrong thing.  She got what she wanted, she hurt Michael, she got revenge if that's what she wanted -she got out of the marriage -but she went too far.  It wasn't right.  He certainly punishes her by keeping their children from her.

I don't think that this movie is as good as the first, but it's still an incredible movie, and again, Pacino's performance was amazing.

Runner up for best picture: Young Frankenstein.  One of the best comedies of all time.