Vito left unattended in the hospital

How come Sonny didn't send his men to protect the Don? Or those bodyguards sold out to Sollozzo? I was surprised that Sonny didn't know the Don was alone in the hospital.

Sonny's men were there, but McClusckey locked them up. He was paid to do so. And he removed all the policemen that were supposed to sit there.

I'm surprised at you JustMe.

According to the book, it was Tessio's men.

Sonny, I'm down at the hospital, I came down late. Sonny, there's nobody here. None of Tessio's people. No detectives at the door. The old man was completely unprotected.

Yes, Plaw is correct. Tessio's men were used. When the Don was shot, Sonny suspected that Clemenza could be involved, so he used Tessio's men to play it safe.


Don Cardi

I always thought that it was a little unusal for the hospital to be so empty. It was a NY City hospital, a big one, which would be busy anytime of night. I know Michael said he got there late, but how late? The only other person around was Enzo. And what was he doing there so late? Baker's get up early to make the bread.

I chalk it up to FCC taking artistic license to set the scene and make it more dramatic. It wouldn't have played out right if people were coming and going in the hospital.

Good point MC. It did make the scene that much more dramatic. I agree that the reasons you stated were why it was shot that way.

What also makes it believable is that we must remember that it took place in an era where hospital visitng hours were not a liberal as today. These days you can basically go to visit someone in a hospital from 10am in the morning to 8Pm at night.

Back then I would guess that hospital rules were very strict and visiting hours may have been limited to only a few hours per day.

As for Enzo showing up so late, his initial thinking may have been to try and keep a low profile and visit in the off hours. But once he sensed that trouble was near, he stepped up and paid tribute in his own way by hanging around to help Vito and Mike.

Don Cardi

Why so surprised?
Sonny was the acting Don of Corleone family at this time, so all Corleones' men, clemenza's or tessio's, were inevitably Sonny's by default. None of his capos had a separate family at that moment, he was everybody's boss. Any more questions?

I wonder if it was really that late when Enzo came to visit. This was taking place at Christmas time -- around the winter solstice, which are the shortest days of the year. It could have been dark as midnight by 6:00 pm.

When Michael told Sonny on the phone "I got here late" he could have meant that he got there after official visiting hours, or that he simply got there later than he intended or later than he usually is when he visits his father. (Remember he stopped to have dinner with Kay first at her hotel.)

I must agree that the scene of the empty hospital is downright "Hitchcock-esque." It's not only that people were absent from their posts, but that they seemed to have abandoned them in haste, as if fleeing some impending doom. The chairs pushed out from their desks, the uneaten sandwich on the table, and that repetitive sound, which I didn't notice until recently: The word "tonight" (I think that's what it sounds like) is heard over and over, becoming gradually louder as Michael approaches the staff room. It's as if a record (of Christmas music?) on a turntable is skipping and that no one even paused during the exodus to correct it.

FFC combines sound and visuals to great effect there. There are so many great scenes and extra touches like that in the movie.

BTW, CW I was amiss in not welcoming you to the BB. Your posts have been a breath of fresh air, which many of us stuffy old timers need.

I think you nailed it with the "Hitchcock-esque" description. It is an overlooked Coppola technique that lends itself to many of the scenes. Many of us get caught up in the details and the logic of some scenes, but there are many scenes where the artistic side dominates the details and action; this scene being one of them. Another is the Louie's Restaurant scene (recent thread).

Novel says that it was nearly ten when Michael, who was sleeping with Kay, remembered that he had to go to the hospital.

It is reasonable to think that after McCluskey locked up all those "guinea hoods" who were guarding the Don, that some of the hospiral personnel may have "excused themselves" from the premises, much like that guy in the toll booth hit the deck as soon as Sonny paid his toll.

I like the comparison to the hospital scene in GF II when all the staff near Hyman Roth are convinced to leave their posts to drink champagne to bring in the New Year.

Originally posted by Don Cardi:
Is this really valid? Upon first reading it, I thought it was interesting in that maybe Sonny made a connection from Paulie's betrayal all the way up the line to Paulie's Capo, Clemenza, which might explain why he had Clemenza personally help take out Paulie.

But then I thought more carefully about the chronology of these events, and realized that Paulie was already dead, at least a day or two (remember, right before Mike leaves to visit his father, Sonny asks Clemenza about Paulie, he says "Oh Paulie, won't seem him no more," which couldve implied the hit took place the same day, but Id say at least a day or two), so if Sonny had any suspicions about Clemenza's involvement in Vito's hit, you would think he wouldve proved himself wrong with Clemenza's open involvement in taking out Paulie.

Also, Don Cardi, Id be interested to know where you picked up that Sonny suspected Clemenza in the first place. Is there a certain scene or passage in the book that makes you think this?

Considering Clemenza is right there in the Don's office planning with Sonny directly following the hit and also Clemenza was earlier allowed into Sonny's home to give him information, it doesnt seem as though Sonny is showing any sort of lack of trust in the fat man.

Mista Hagen.

Actually there is a scene in the extras DVD, one that I have ALWAYS said should NOT have been edited. A very important scene.

When Michael arrives at the house, after learning that his father had been shot, look closely ( this part is not cut out) when he walks through the door. You will see Theresa Hagen sitting outside the Don's office, and right next to her is Clemenza, who gets up and tells Mike that his father is going to pull through, etc. etc. Now you do NOT see Tessio sitting with them. That alone tells me that Clemenza was being kept out of the loop at that moment. Possibly a suspect by Sonny.

But the confirmation of this is in the edited scene. Michael continues on into the office, and upon entering the office, Sonny and Tessio are sitting there making a list. Sonny tells Mike that he should leave, etc. Mike tells Sonny that Vito is his father too, etc. So smart ass Sonny turns to Mike and says something to the effect of " Ok College boy, who set up the old man? Was it Clemenza?"
And Mike ponders this for a moment and then replies to Sonny that he did not think that it was Clemenza. Sonny confirms this by telling Mike that their man in the Phone company traced calls from the public phone outside the Don's office in the City, and Paulie was the one who made several phone calls and set up Vito. This, in my opinion, is a very key scene that should have never been cut out.

In the book, and Plaw or DonT would know the details much better than I, When Sonny goes alone to the Don's office, he gets the Don's phonebook out of the safe. He calls Tessio and tells Tessio that he wants Tessio's men to guard his father. I believe that he tells Tessio NOT to contact Clemenza.

And even in the movie, it's Tessio's men who are arrested and removed from the Hospital. We never see or hear Clemenza's men being given any orders to be around or protect Vito. Sonny played it safe because as you said, Clemenza was the one who brought Paulie in, and therefore Sonny gave the hit on Paulie to Clemenza.


Don Cardi

You missed this one. Upon hearing that Paulie was out sick when Vito was shot Sonny immediately suspected both Paulie and Clemenza (and had Tessio bring his men to the mall for protection). Remember, when Mike first came home after Vito was shot Clemenza was sitting out in the living room with the women. He (Clemenza) was only allowed back into the inner circle after Sonny had checked the phone records of both Paulie and Clemenza and Paulie was found to be guilty. Clemenza was then given the job of getting rid of Paulie and he eagerly did it (to rid any doubt of his duplicity).

Oh, you are so welcome, MaryCas. I lap up praise about my posts ... makes me feel like I'm a good writer or a creative thinker or something. After a welcome like that, I just hope I don't start getting a swelled head (but if I do, I'm sure members will show "tough love" and set me straight. )

That's a good theory, which I never thought of. It would certainly account for the atmosphere of sudden abandonment in the hospital. Maybe McCluskey's men even ordered staff at gunpoint to clear out, leaving Vito even more vulnerable.

I guess that lone nurse who confronted Michael was on her coffee break when all this was happening.

I can't remember if this hospital scene was in the book. I wonder if it was handled the same way and what reason was given for the lone nurse being there.