One big question

I'm new here so forgive me if this has been asked, and if it has, just point me towards that thread and I'll take this one down...

So I loved the first 2 movies and I have very few complaints, but my big question is how the hell did Michael become boss in the first place? I got the impression that he wasn't even involved in the business and he was also really young. How does he pop out of nowhere and become the don? Isn't that like tony soprano making AJ the boss?

Welcome to the boards.

Are you sure that you saw GFI?

Perhaps you need to watch GFI more closely because it is very clear how and why Michael is put into a position where he must save the family and become the boss.

As for the analogy of Michael being made Don being like Tony Soprano making AJ the Don...... Not!

Now if you used that analogy for Fredo.....

Well I admit that the vast majority of times that I saw the movie was when I happened to find it playing on TV. Not from the beginning on some godfather marathon.
The way my younger mind took it was: Michael wasn't involved in the business, he killed those 2 at the restaurant and hid out in italy, then came back and became godfather.
What am I missing? I didn't get the impression that he was made, involved, and running a crew.

Second... do yourself a favor and get yourself a DVD or some other version of the real, uncut Godfather, not some chopped up television version. A lot will become very clear to you if you do that. For now forget the marathons, forget II and III... just see the original.

So I guess TV versions chopped out some good stuff. It could also be that it's been well over a decade since I saw any of them. It seemed like a simple climb to me. Kill a couple people, hide out, come back and be everyone's boss. That's why I asked here. I didn't think it could be so simple

As Don T said above, go and get the GFI DVD and watch it closely.

And pay particular attention to Michael and his demeanor throughout the entire hospital scene.