Originally posted by CCDevlin:
Im very sure Vito would kill fannucci wether he was connected to the black hand or not. I mean its not in the movie this scene, so if you only watch the final cut, then vito just simple decides to kill him. Also I'm not sure if fannucci is losing credit as a gangster when he is mugged by thugs. I mean, he seem's confident to take on those little punks and is playing with them almost. Then out of nowhere he gets cut.
The way the released version was edited, Vito anonymously kills Fanucci, which means he is relatively safe. His partners Clemenza and Genco are unaware of his plans, he only tells them he will pay Fanucci less than Fanucci demanded and will reason with him to agree. Vito then does this in an open place, a business. If Fanucci has connections, there is no real link to Vito as the likely killer. Rather, there are scads of suspects; everyone hated him!
Had other scenes been included to the finished version, then perhaps the first script, the one where Vito tells his partners he plans to kill Fanucci, would be more important.
As it stands, the fact that Vito takes $100 from his two partners, pretends to pay Fanucci, and makes $100 from them for the murder without their knowledge, adds so much more to Vito's character as the burgeoning Don. Sprinkle in his concern for a woman and her dog, and you have a cool, calculating, ruthless man with a soft edge for loyalty, love and faithfulness.
