There have been several new Godfather threads, so I thought I would start a new one to ask the ultimate question…Godfather II…what the heck happened?
Specifically, what was the nature of the conspiracy against Michael, and how was Fredo mixed up in it?
Who killed the gunmen in Michael’s compound, and who opened the drapes?
Who ordered the hit on Frankie Five Angels?
OK, here is my take on it:
SPOILERS, SPOILERS, AND MORE SPOILERS
Fredo’s role was to set up secret meetings between Johnny Ola, on behalf of Hyman Roth, and Michael’s top capos Rocco Lampone and Al Neri, but NOT Tom Hagen. Fredo was telling the truth when he said he didn’t know it was a hit but that he knew they were putting together a deal behind Michael’s back.
At these meetings, Neri and Lampone were offered Michael’s Nevada interests in exchange for killing him. Al Neri turned down the offer but did not report it to Michael,taking a wait and see approach. Lampone, on the other hand, took the offer.
Michael’s drapes were opened by Rocco or his men, and the gunmen were killed by the same. Remember, when the attempted hit took place, Al Neri was in Vegas evicting Klingman (shown in the out-takes) so Rocco was in charge of security.
At the same time, the order is given by Rocco Lampone to the Rossatos to kill Frankie Five Angels and probably some of his top guys. This order is given at the behast of Hyman Roth, and is given in such a way that it appears to come from Michael himself…hence the “Michael Corleone sends his regards” comment made when Frankie is strangled. At the time Rocco gives the order, he is still a top ranking Corleone guy and probably the main contact with New York, since he used to have his own crew, so it appears as though he speaks for Michael. The Rossato brothers, ignorant of the real plot, believe that Michael has authorized the destuction of Frankie’s family. Why is this done? Word will get out that Michael has turned on his old New York associates. This will lead them to either join with the Rossato-Roth gang for their own survival, flip and give testimony to the Feds, or take revenge on Michael’s remaining New York interests themselves.
After the failed hit on Michael, he goes to both Roth and Frankie and blames the other for the hit. He knows that the innocent party will sit tight, but the guilty party is too far involved to stop now and will have to keep the plot in operation. When the attempted hit on Frankie takes place, Michael knows that Roth is behind it all.
This scenario gives added meaning to some of the later scenes. For instance, remember the scene in which the final elimination of Roth is discussed? Michael turns on Hagen pretty viciously for disagreeing with him, telling him he knows he has another job offer and inviting him to leave the family if he wants. However, there is a deeper meaning here…Michael is letting all of his top guys know that HE knows what other offers they have recieved. Notice that right after this exchange, it is ROCCO LAMPONE who immediately comes up with the plan to kill Roth, as Rocco realizes that the game is now up for him.
Rocco understands that the only way he can possibly get out of this, and the only way to maintain some semblence of honor, is to kill Roth.That is why he takes the suicide mission of killing Roth himself in the airport. Why else would a top Corleone guy directly carry out a mission where he had no chance of escaping? He could either die as a traitor, probably killed by Neri, or he could a least die as an honorable soldier taking revenge on the guy who started the whole mess? Presumably,he had a family and knew they would be cared for if he took the killing Roth option.
There was an unspoken understanding between Michael and Neri that Neri would get a pass if he killed Fredo, conveyed in the long, lingering look Michael gives Neri when he hugs Fredo at the funeral.
Poor Fredo. Although his role was less, he should have known better, and was a family member. No pass for him.
What did I miss?