"That's my business" (Vito/Clemenza/Tessio in II)

Watching GFII for the umpteenth time recently, I was struck by a something that I hadn't been struck by before. When Vito is conferring with Clemena and Tessio, they ask him how he plans to convince Fanucci to take less than the full payment. He replies, "That's my business." I think this line, although fleeting, suggests that the following is going on:

1. Vito asks his friends for a more reasonable amount, with the understanding they'll always share and share alike.

2. Vito goes to Fanucci and breezily presents him with the underpayment. He hopes Fanucci will conclude that Vito has gotten the full amount from his friends but is skimming off the top. Maybe Fanucci will cut him in on the action, and Vito will secretly divvy up his cut with Tessio and Clemenza while continuing to underpay Fanucci.

3. Both insulted and impressed, Fanucci does in fact conclude that Vito is chiseling his friends. He promises to make Vito his protege but, knowing that someone with this much initiative will become a threat before long, decides to eliminate him.

4. Because Fanucci oversells the offer, however, Vito knows that one of them is a dead man.

Thoughts?

Good thoughtful post and interesting but I think you're giving Fanucci too much credit. He was a gavone and probably incapable of making such conclusions.

Anyway, welcome to the boards, pegorin!

I'd go with #3. Vito was cool and cunning. But I think this scene may beg the bigger question. When did Vito decide to kill Fanucci? At this meeting, before this meeting, after this meeting?

I believe that Vito decided to Kill Fanucci the moment he shook Vito down. And what triggered Vito's thought to kill Fanucci was the fact that Vito witnessed two young punks slash Fanucci's throat and there was never any sort of retaliation on Fanucci's part. This told Vito that Fanucci was a vulnerable man and probably a man that was not well liked because of the fact that no one extracted revenge on those kids for slashing his throat. The moment Fanucci confronted Vito, Vito knew that he was not going to let himself fall victim to another bloodsucking gangster the way that his family had fallen victim to one back in the old country. Vito decided that he had to put a stop to this man immedeatly, before he began dictating the way that Vito would live his own life. Vito was not going to allow that to happen to him or his family again. At the moment of the shakedown and the threats by Fanucci, I believe Vito made that decision to kill him.

I think you may be giving Fanucci too much credit. He was far too short sighted to be thinking that far down the line. He would have been very happy to go on shaking down the local merchants, bookmakers and thieves.

Welcome to the BB.

Welcome to the boards, Pegorin. Very thoughtful first post.

As DC pointed out, Vito had already decided to kill Fanucci before he dined with T&C. And I also agree with PB and SC that Fanucci wasn't smart enough, and was too arrogant, to see Vito as a threat to him.
So why did Vito say to his friends, "that's my business...just remember that I've done you a favor"? My guess is that he was putting them to the test. He knew that he was making a gigantic, irrevocable step--taking an enormous personal risk, as well as changing the course of his life. Even though he hadn't told T&C that he'd kill Fanucci, they were in it with him--if Fanucci rejected the offer, he might demand yet more as a punishment for the "affront," and might come after them. Would Vito's friends appreciate the gravity of what he was doing? Did they have faith in his capabilities and courage? Show appreciation? Stand by him? Or would they lose their nerve? Suspect Vito of pocketing their money and running? Try to knock down the $100 each to some lesser amount? Vito needed to know the answers before proceeding. When he said, "D'accord?" ("Agreed?"), and they agreed, T&C were taking as much an irrevocable step, in their own way, as Vito did.

I love the way Clemenza just stares at Vito after Vito says "Agreed?" Clemenza is like, 'wtf'

Great post!

However, I disagree with your interpretation.

I think Fanucci is smart enough to realize that Vito is a promising talent, but too arrogant and short-sighted to see Vito as a threat.

I also don't see Vito's reduction of the price from T & C as "share and share alike." On the contrary, the "That's my business" scene is a great preview of the older Vito - a man who, under the facade of friendship, respect, and loyalty, seeks to put people into his debt, and then wields absolute power over those who are. Rather than fostering communality with Tessio and Clemenza, he is setting himself apart from (and above) them.

I agree. Vito presages the Godfather Vito of the future.

By the way, the word is "cafone."

This sequence of scenes shows us Vito as the great Evaluator and Manipulator of people. It sets him apart and above T&C and Fanucci. We see the beginnings of his greatness. All this from a kid who was quarantined on Ellis Island.

He was quarantined for TB. I wonder if he donated to a cure for TB.

And another thing. In this day and age with all the talk about patriotism, etc., Vito inveighed against those who put their Country ahead of him.

That's a good point Olivant. Especially considering that most Italian immigrants were very patriotic.

This is a good thread. I think Vito telling them it was "his business" was a way for him to become the first among equals. Neither Tessio nor Clemenza knew how to handle this, and once Vito did, he became their Don, effectively replacing Fanucci in the neighborhood and rising above his colleagues.

Do you think Vito returned any money back to Clemenza and Tessio after he killed Fanucci?

Well, the novel says that they both avoided him for a couple of weeks. Also, I think it says he had the extra money that they gave him to give Fanucci.

Yes it is his very strategy to make people indebted to him and receive him as the Don. And it's a good chance to display his genius for underworld business.

A couple of things come to mind...

1. Vito asks "why does he bother other italians?(Vito being family man and very much into his heritage doesnt like this and it shows)
2. Vito see's Fanucci in action backstage chiseling for money.
3. Vito see's kids slash Fanucci
4. Vito NEVER feared the guy even BEFORE he knew what he was about
5. When Vito offered Fanucco less.. he was able to see how Fanucci worked. He was weak and stupid.
6. Fanucci to find some work for Vito... eh, why? when you can knock off the neighborhood bum and be boss yourself.
7. Fanucci squeezes and slaps Vito's face... the end. LOL

It's been a while since I've been on, hi everyone. He knew, first off, the Fanucci didn't have the muscle and didn't have the back up. He realized he had no real power and was a fraud, so he used the opportunity to get rid of a threat and take over. Afterall Vito, T&C were in their own little crime syndicate at the time, ripping off dresses and who knows what else. I vaguely remember a line from the book that Fanucci didn't show the right amount of strength and that a real "Don" would never back down as he was. He then realized he was full of it.

I remember the line, it was cus he wasn't strong with his first offer and said if they collected less, he would take less, kinda weak.