Curiously enough does anybody remember Fredo being around Vito or really conversing with him? I mean I can't remember any interaction being shown in the first GF, the only interaction between the two in the second GF was his watching Fredo with a pneumonia.

In the original film, the only scene I remember the two of them sharing is right before Vito gets shot, when Fredo tells him that he will get the car since Paulie had called in sick. However, we see how devoted Fredo is to Vito and how devastated he is by his father's shooting, as Fredo sits on the curb and cries after he fumbles the gun. His love for his father is extremely touching, like a child's devotion. He is literally rendered helpless at the prospect of his father's death.

In the movie we see a lot of "business scenes". And since Fredo is not into the Family activities, he never walks into Don Vito's office.

But it's interesting that they're not seen together more than a couple of scenes.

And when Vito learns that Mike is now into the hot action he says something like "Santino: I knew he had to pass thru all of this. Fredo: well... you know... Fredo..."

Yeah the relationship is definitely shown through images more than words. Like when Fredo looks over Vito when he comes home from the hospital, right before the scenes in Sicily.

Also, another scene is when Fredo comes when Vito is laying in the bed when's home and Fredo looks at his father, as then it cuts to Michael hiking in Sicily/

That's the scene that sums up their relationship. Fredo looks at Vito and can't even come up with anything to say.

Vito looks at Fredo and - just for a brief second - kind of rolls his eyes in resignation. Kind of like, "Oh, it's hopeless."

Fredo knows he has disappointed Vito, and Vito knows Fredo is always going to be weak and vulnerable himself, and it will probably cost him his life.

Maybe their relationship could be shown more in Part IV.

Enzo just what I was htinking exactly, tjust had trouble that early to put it into words, thank you.

Yeah, if a GFIV is made, presumably covering the time period 1927-1941 which hasn't yet been touched on in the movies, seeing Fredo as at least a somewhat competent guy in his young adulthood would make sense. But somewhere along the line, he screws some things up, and his fate is sealed... from then on, Vito, and Sonny, and Tom, and Michael all know, that Fredo can't handle really being part of the family operations...

True. DeathByClothesHanger and myself are experimenting with a GF IV script. We are approaching the screenplay as seriously as we can, in it being a fun project. Still we are we are running into logistical problems. For instance I can't wrap my head around how to get anybody else to play Vito aside from Brando, which is olbviously a problem or Deniro, who is now 61 yo.

I could only see this film working if they do a back and forth thing like they did with Part II, kinda comparing Vincent to Sonny, or something along those lines. Maybe Mike would be Vincent's consigliere. The reason I say this is for the simple reason that I cannot imagine a Godfather film without Al Pacino. Michael would no longer be the Don, but he could still play a major role in the film.

ya fredo was the one who stood by and watched vito get shot! remember that?? and he also told his pop he was gonna learn the casino business

Hmmm, I was just thinking about it... Maybe George Clooney as a 30-40-ish Vito? He could gain a little weight to get a little more jowly look, and of course a thin little pencil mustache and slightly thinned-out hair... It wouldn't be too hard to see the transition from the mid-20s DeNiro Vito Corleone, to the about-50 Brando Vito.

He may work but it would be somewhat disasterous with the critics because I don't think he would have the credibity to pull it off, you have to remember that at the time Brando was still a legend and Deniro although he was in various roles before GF II, still lacked a reputation that would define im either way. But I do think that Clooney would beable to do the job well.

Hmmm, I think Clooney has a fairly good critical reputation as far as actors about 40 years old - he's been in a few clunkers, but a few movies with pretty good reviews.

Of course some critics would throw a hissy fit, but given a good story line, I think he could be OK.

God knows Brando, DeNiro and Pacino have all been in some clunkers in their time.

What I find odd is this: How come Fredo wasn't in with Vito, Tom, and Sonny when they talked to people at Connie's wedding? -Pat

Dont you remember? Fredo is out getting drunk. I love the scene where he kisses Kay. It's so awkwardly funny.

That also goes to show that even at that time, Fredo had pretty much been cut out of the loop as far as the actual operations of the family.