The Godfather II questions

[Brian Damage]

I've seen the Godfather II just the other day for about the 1,000,000th time, yet I still have questions.

1. Who exactly was Hyman Roth and why did he want to kill Michael?

2. Who was Frankie Pentangeli?

3. Why did Frankie Pentangeli kill himself?

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
I've seen the Godfather II just the other day for about the 1,000,000th time, yet I still have questions.



3. Why did Frankie Pentangeli kill himself?

Aw man, I haven't seen it yet and you just ruined it for me.

[Janice]

1. I don't know

2. I don't know

3. I don't know

Just wanted to make you think you had your answers.

I'm not sure, but I think it's either dlemond or TJL who are really into the Godfather movies.

I'll tell you this much. Godfather III sucked an egg.

[Brian Damage]

agreed Godfather III was hainous!

[TJL]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
I've seen the Godfather II just the other day for about the 1,000,000th time, yet I still have questions.

1. Who exactly was Hyman Roth and why did he want to kill Michael?

2. Who was Frankie Pentangeli?

3. Why did Frankie Pentangeli kill himself?

1. Hyman Roth was a gangster who grew up on the mean streets of New York and began his criminal career as an associate of young Vito Corleone when Vito was starting his Olive Oil "business." (In the Godfather special edition, there is a scene when young Vito (DeNiro) is introduced to a young Hyman Roth)
Roth became a powerful organized crime figure and ran his own empire seperate from the Corleone family, although Roth and Don Vito had a professional relationship and did business together.
Roth tried to make Michael think he wanted to be partners with him on the whole Cuba gambling venture, but he was just trying to lull Michael into a false state of security so he could kill him. I'm not really sure why Roth wanted to kill Michael, but I think it was revenge for the killing of Moe Green, a longtime friend of Roth.

2. Frank Pentangeli (Frankie Five Angels) was a capo under Pete Clamenza. Clamenza took over the Corleone family business in New York when Michael moved out west to become a "legitimate" businessman. When Clamenza died of a "heart attack," Frank was next in line fo succession, and took over the business.

3. Frank comitted suicide because he would have been killed by the Corleone family anyway. His protective custody was probably going to be taken away when he refused to testify against the Corleones, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he had some kind of "accident" if he went to a regular prison. When Tom Hagen visited him, he reminded Frank about the history of the mafia; how the heirarchy of the crime family was taken from the Roman armies, and if a Roman soldier did something dishonorable, they had no choice but to kill himself. I think Tom was telling him to take the easy way out, because it was only a matter of time before the order came from Michael to have him killed. Plus, Tom told Frank his family would be "taken care of" (left alone but helped out financially) if he killed himself.

[Pentimento]

Originally posted by TJL
I'm not really sure why Roth wanted to kill Michael, but I think it was revenge for the killing of Moe Green, a longtime friend of Roth.

That's the sense I got from him telling Michael about Greene having been his friend, since they were talking about retaliation and the attempt on Frankie's life at the time.

Also, after Michael avoided being killed by Roth, he found out from Fredo that one of the senators on the Congressional committee was on Roth's payroll and that Roth was responsible for Michael being brought before the committee.

As for Frankie's suicide, I think he was motivated more by the part about his family being safe and taken care of (he had illegitimate children who were being raised by his brother in Sicily) than by his own fear of being killed by Michael once he was out of protective custody. The only reason he abandoned his chance for revenge against Michael (for supposedly ordering the Rosato's attempted hit on him) and recanted his statement to the committee was because he saw his brother with Michael, and he feared for his family's safety.

[TJL]

Originally posted by Pentimento

As for Frankie's suicide, I think he was motivated more by the part about his family being safe and taken care of (he had illegitimate children who were being raised by his brother in Sicily) than by his own fear of being killed by Michael once he was out of protective custody.

True. Frank really had his back against the wall. At least he could make sure his family was never in danger again.

[TJL]

Originally posted by Pentimento
That's the sense I got from him telling Michael about Greene having been his friend, since they were talking about retaliation and the attempt on Frankie's life at the time.

I love Roth's little speech about his friend Moe Green, and how he accepted his murder as just "business," but you could tell by his emotions that he was pissed. His revenge against Michael was personal, not business.

[Janice]

Brian, I was obviously mistaken about TJL being a Godfather movie expert. He obviously doesn't know his stuff.

Very impressive TJL. Any thoughts on Godfather III?

[Brian Damage]

Thanks for the info on that

[TJL]

Originally posted by Janice
Very impressive TJL. Any thoughts on Godfather III?

It would have been better if Robert Duvall was in it!

[Janice]

Originally posted by TJL
It would have been better if Robert Duvall was in it!

Right, and it would have been nice if they hadn't turned Michael Corleone into an old and sickly whinebag.

[TJL]

Originally posted by Janice
Brian, I was obviously mistaken about TJL being a Godfather movie expert. He obviously doesn't know his stuff.

Very impressive TJL.

Next week, I'll be discussing the many fascinating aspects fo the "Police Academy" series.