Again, though, Fredo's basic character in GF2 is something of a mystery. At the end of the first movie, he seems to be at least useful working in a big casino-hotel. Now the Corleones have four of them, and Fredo's running a brothel. It doesn't make sense. Is the only reason Fredo's doing that in the movie is so Tom can tell Geary it's Fredo's place?
I agree that Fredo's character in II is something of a complex mystery since he was such a nonentity in GF. Now, all of a sudden, he's nursing a big grudge against his brother and is conspiring with Michael's enemies in a deadly plot. It's a huge turnaround for him. And,sure, Fredo operating the brothel is a perfect setup for the trap they set for Geary. I'll go a step farther: Maybe running the brothel was part of Fredo's "Mickey Mouse nightclub" resentment--he served a rough and humiliating apprenticeship learning the casino business under Moe Greene, but Michael apparently isn't letting him anywhere near his casino empire,or including him in the Havana deal. A step even farther: Vito had contempt for Tattaglia because he was a pimp---what is Fredo now?
