Deleted scenes from Godfather Part II

[teelabrown]

Yesterday I watched an interesting video which showed some deleted scenes from The Godfather Part II. To me, it explains something puzzling about the movie. I could never figure out what Vito was up to when he met Don Fanucci in the coffee shop and offered him only $100 when Fanucci wanted $600.

The video shows some scenes in which, prior to the coffee shop meeting, Vito discovers that Fanucci isn’t the big tough guy with dangerous connections behind him like he seems. So retaliation from Fanucci’s goons isn’t something to worry about. The coffee shop scene is the last test to find out if Fanucci isn’t going to explode with violence when he’s short-changed on his extortion money. He doesn’t, and accepts the small amount rather mildly. Vito now knows that Fanucci is actually a weakling and that he can proceed with murdering him without fear. Not that he doesn’t carefully plan out and conceal the deed later on!

The video I watched is here, but the narrator really pads out the video with a lot of unnecessary blathering. I like seeing some more footage shot in that lovely style used throughout this movie. And seeing Fanucci get some payback is always fun.

[f.coli]

In the novel, he handed over $700, and Fanucci said that Vito still owed him $200. Vito said that he would have to pay him later, and Fanucci left it at that, because he had most of what he asked for. I don’t know why they would change that for the movie, but, since Puzo collaborated with Coppola on the screenplay, I suppose he was okay with the change.

In the first movie, Michael tells Kay that his father offered $10,000 to the bandleader to buy out Johnny Fontanne’s contract, then reduced it to $1,000 with a gun to the head. In the book, the amounts were $20,000 and then $10,000. Once again, the change is pointless, but Puzo and Coppola wrote the screenplay, so, whatever.

[Son_of_a_Rich]

The fact that he lived in fourth or fifth floor walkup should have been a clue.

[DPRK]

@teelabrown

The coffee shop scene is the last test to find out if Fanucci isn’t going to explode with violence when he’s short-changed on his extortion money. He doesn’t, and accepts the small amount rather mildly. Vito now knows that Fanucci is actually a weakling and that he can proceed with murdering him without fear.

	GENCO
		(Sicilian)
	What did I tell you.  The one who
	cut him was found in an alley.  And
	the family of the others paid
	Fanucci all their savings to make
	him forswear his vengeance.

		VITO
		(Sicilian)
		 (surprised)
	And he agreed?

		GENCO
		(Sicilian)
	He took the money.  Now he wants
	double from everybody in the
	neighborhood, including Papa.

Vito watches the heated, but inevitable transaction.

		VITO
		(Sicilian)
		 (almost to himself)
	A real mafioso doesn't sell his
	vengeance.

[...]

	VITO
		(Sicilian)
	Fanucci is not connected; he is
	alone.

		CLEMENZA
		(Sicilian)
		 (sarcastically)
	What?  You read it in the papers?

		VITO
		(Sicilian)
	This man informs to the police;
	this man allows his vengeance to be
	bought off... No, he is alone.