It seems Vito did not have a gun or something to act in self-defense, he had no option to run straight to the car. But he was shot. Could Vito have avoided to be shot if he had a gun?

Probably not. First, Vito would never carry a gun because, as a well-known Mafia Don, he'd be a constant target for law enforcement. If they ever saw him with a gun, or even spotted a bulge under his coat, they'd arrest him on the spot for carrying. He could have been sent to prison for years on that charge alone. Second, Vito didn't need a gun because he had bodyguards. Admittedly, his regular bodyguard (Paulie) sold him out, and his substitute (Fredo) fell down on the job. But even so, he was the victim of an ambush by professional assassins that he hadn't anticipated. And even if he carried a gun, he probably wouldn't have been able to get it out of his coat in time.

I agree with Turnbull Vito would never carry a gun.....That would be like waving a red flag around taht says arrest me
And even if he did have a gun there were two of them and there objective was to kill Don Vito so he probably could have gotten off a few shots but I think they would have still done what they came there to do



Joe Batters

The Apple Answer.

Anyway...Vito wouldn't need to carry a gun because whoever is driving would also serve as a bodyguard and therefore be armed for his protection.

As I'm sure Paulie always was and Fredo was when filling in as driver.

And we all know how deftly Fredo handled the gun.

Apple

I have to disagree with all of you here.

1-Vito has the police on his payroll.
2-If he hadn`t he could have a license to carry a gun in case he is caught by the police, because all his men have it(Remember Tom Hagen says to McClusky that after Michael was hit on his face). I mean. if the soldiers have a license, why not him?
3-If Vito is caught with the gun, he can say rich and powerful business men could be the target of anybody, so It is for self protection.
4-If he had to shoot the two attacker, he can say "self-defense"

And bodyguards, too. So why should he need to carry his own gun?

Because again, if the 'soldiers' who are there to protect him have one, then he doesn't need one.

Except that he's got armed bodyguards (like his son, Fredo) to protect him.

Except then he'd still be charged with posession of firearms, even if he DID act in self defense.

Anyway...suppose he was armed and did manage to either kill or scare off the two hitmen, and thereby 'avoided to be shot'.

Then how would you write the rest of the story?

Apple

They probably weren't soldiers in the Mob--they probably were private detectives who were, as Hagen told McCluskey, "licensed to carry firearms." Hagen would have been careful not to use Mob guys as bodyguards because he wouldn't want McCluskey to have any excuse to lock them up and leave Vito unprotected again.

I just think that how Don Vito is and acts and what he believes I don't think he would carry a gun himself.....It would tarnish his image to the public for one thing...



Joe Batters

Vito could have avoided being shot if he was younger.....he was slipping, he walked out into the streets alone to buy fruit, and even though they were his streets, he just told Luca Brazi that he didn't trust Sollozzo, so why go out into the streets alone? A younger Don Vito would have never had left his office without a body guard.....Vito's one weakness was his love for his kids.....he loved Fredo too much and trusted him to be a good body guard......Vito never really ever carried a gun, and even if he did, it was his wits that allowed him to be shot, he probably would not have even been able to get the gun out to shoot back.

And bodyguards, too. So why should he need to carry his own gun?

Apple, you are supposed to be a Don, so if you are a Don, you are in constant danger of being killed, Vito Should carry a gun, even if he has one million of bodyguards(just an expression). By the way, the only one who was with him was Freddo, wrong choice to protect him. Vito could never be charged by gun possesion, he can work on it easly.
I think a Don ALWAYS NEEDS a gun, it doesn`t matter how many bodyguards he has. Remember Paul Castellano was killed easly by John Gotti`s men because he didn`t have a gun, if he had the story we know would be in the other way around.
If a Don does not have a gun is a fatal mistake.

Ok Don Pappo...so let's give Vito a gun since every Don should have one, and rewrite the entire story. Let's have him drop that bag of oranges, pull out the heat and mow down those two hitmen.

Then what do you do from there...remember, we now have about two thirds of a novel/movie to get through.

GO....!!!!

Apple

People, people.......it is just a movie.....let's not get all serious here......that's like saying.....how com Vito didn't wear a bullet proof vest like Luca Brasi??? I mean, he had been shot before right??? Luca could have given him a spare vest right???? LOL..
Who cares if he should or should not of had a gun.....he should of had a body guard with him.....that is a fact. He was too reliant on Fredo (his weakness)....he got sloppy and relaxed......has nothing to do with him having a gun or not.

Maybe it could've been a short story.

Yeah...REAL short.

But at least if Vito had been carrying that damn gun like every Don should, it would mean one less _ _ _ _ _ _ question here on the Gangster BB.

Apple

The Apple Answer.


And besides even if he had a gun he would not have been able to draw it and shoot all those assassins without getting hit himself.

The Assassins were going to Vito's car (Fredo was siting in the car) they thought that Vito was in the car too...

When Vito saw them he came in their way and got shot...


but in the end he saved Fredo...
remember before he got shot he cried: FREDO!!!

No Don should carry a gun. You have your bodyguards, so if anything happens, it won't be traced to the top.

Vito doesn't get shot.
Michael doesn't go to the hospital.
Michael doesn't get smacked by McCluskey.
Michael doesn't kill Sollozzo nor McCluskey.
Michael doesn't escape to Sicily.
Michael doesn't have to come back to become Don, because Vito is in good health, (since he was NOT shot.)
Sonny never has the chance to become Don.
Sonny doesn't die.


Hmm, huge plot hole there.

WTF kind of film would that be? We'd have nothing to talk about on the BB!

Not to mention, one HELL of a boring movie.

And probably no Gangster BB to discuss it on 3 decades later.

Unless somebody wanted to ask, "What would've happened if Vito hadn't been carrying a gun...??"

Apple

I'm really curious Apple, and I truly intend no sarcasm or facetiousness here.

We all know this a movie, not reality, and that every question asked of this nature is a hypothetical one..

But what, in your mind, makes one question a legitimate one, and one a________one (Whatever______is).

We've all carried on for 100's of posts about what Fredo's role in the assassination plot was, who killed the hitmen, or whether Fredo know he was going on his last fishing trip.

Did you think that those were ___________ questions?

As you say yourself, without these hypothetical questions to kick around, there wouldn't be all that much to discuss.

Honestly...I can't really tell you. It's just how my mind works (truly intending no sarcasm or facetiousness here).

Except for Fredo 'knowing' (because he didn't)...no, not really. In fact thanks mainly to yourself and Turnbull, the 'Fredo's role' and 'hitmen' questions have sometimes actually evolved into some very interesting discussions which I've tried to stay out of the past several times they've come up.

But plaw...I have to say it is VERY flattering the attention you give to my posting 'history'. You've referred to it in several threads today. Whether it's positive or negative attention doesn't really play a role.
It does suggest though, that you do read and remember them.

That's why I'm here...

Thanks !!

I'm flattered that you're flattered that I pay attention to your posts.

I'm sure if it was almost anyone else, you wouldn't have been so flattered.

Don't be so sure.

I've always appreciated my puppies here on the Gangster BB!! They've given me such joy, each & every one!!

Take care, plaw...see you on the 28th!

Apple

Somehow, I never thought of myself as a "puppy"

A bit too old, don't you think?

Besides, how can you lump me in with everyone else? You don't mean to tell me that you don't think I'm one of a kind, do you?

And if I'm a puppy, does that make you a, um, er, ah,.....never mind.