He knew.

ds

Oh yeah? All Fredo knew were the places that Johnny Ola knew "like the back of his hand!"


Don Cardi

Puh-leeze, he SO knew!!

All Fredo knew was how to do coctail waitresses two at a time!

Seems to me like this could evolve into an 'All Fredo Knew..' thread!

And the moment he was about to die WOULDN'T be on it!!!



Apple

CUT TO: FREDO putting ANTHONY in the boat.


FREDO : "Uh -- easy."


[FREDO steps in.]


CONNIE: "ANTHONY -- ANTHONY!"


FREDO :"He's here we're goin' fishing."


CONNIE: "No, MICHAEL wants to take him to Reno now."


FREDO: " Oh, shit. Okay kid you got to go to Reno with your Pop. Come on ANTHONY -- I'll take you fishing again tomorrow."


"I'll take you fishing again TOMORROW."

Surely if Fredo had thought that he was now going to be killed, he wouldn't have even thought about going fishing TOMORROW.



[FREDO lifts ANTHONY out of the boat.]:"That a boy. Hey ANTHONY -- listen -- I'll catch one for you with the secret, alright?"


[ANTHONY nods his head.] : "Okay."


[ANTHONY leaves.]


FREDO : "Okay, Al let's go."


What was he saying to Neri : "Ok Al LEt's go out there so that you can kill me and get this overwith?"

No, Fredo had absolutely no clue whatsoever. For if he had thought that this was the moment that he would now be killed, he surely would have taken the opportunity to leave the boat also, once Anthony was called back. And then he would have gotten the hell out of there. He wouldn't have told Neri "Okay, Al let's go" if he knew that he was going to be killed.

So please, listen to your brother and give in already, you know that I am right. I think your brains gone sour from all that television that you've been watching with Ace and American Idol!


Don Cardi

Of course he knew. Preach on sister Babe

Typical Mama Corleone. Taking the side of her Connie over her Santino.

" Santino, don't interfere."




Don Cardi

He was merely putting up a brave front for Anthony's sake.

Ok Mama, but what about his telling Al Neri, "Ok. let's go Al?"

Why in the world would he tell Al to take him to his death? Why not just get out of the boat with Anthony if he suspected that he was now going to be killed?


Don Cardi

Whattsa matter with you? I think your brain is going soft from all that comedy your playing with that young girl.

He just succomed(sp) to his fate. He knew what happened to traitors to the family.

Sure he succumbed to it - the moment that bullet entered his brain.

I agree, Fredo knew what happened to traitors in his family. He also thought that since he'd been forgiven by Michael in a passionate embrace for all the family to witness...that he was now safe and home. He thought that being Michael's brother made him the exception.

He had no clue.

Apple

No he didn't. When was he around Michael to see how traitors were dealt with? He was being sent to the airpot, he was made to run some mickey mouse night club.

If he truly knew how his brother Michael really delat with traitors, then he never would have even talked to Ola and Roth. And speaking of being a traitor, in our mind, in Michael's mind and in everyone elses mind he was a traitor. But I don't believe that Fredo ever intentionally set out to "betry" his brother. I really think that Fredo thought that he could finally do something on his own that was going to help the family and make Mike see that he was smaht, that he could do things. But we've had that discussion before.

I do not believe that Fredo knew that his own brother was going to have him killed. Fredo truly believed that all was forgiven and that Michael had taken him back into his good graces.

In actuallity, Michael betrayed his brother, his mother, his father and himself by having his own brother killed.


Don Cardi

Sorry Apple I repectfully disagree. Yes Michael did hug Fredo but, did those words "I forgive you" ever come out of Michael's mouth?

I agree

No they didn't. But when Michael embraced Fredo, Fredo squeezed tightly as if to say " Thank you Michael, thank you for forgiving me and letting me back into the family. Thank you for allowing me to be your brother again."

Watch the scene closely and notice how tightly Fredo squeezes Michael in his response to Michael's embrace.

Fredo was so happy that Michael had accepted him as his brother again.

It was Michael who had now deceived poor Fredo.


Don Cardi

How absurd.

Michael was in the boathouse for the specific purpose of waiting for Fredo to leave. He wasn't even going to see him.

The mere action of coming out to see Fredo and embracing him in front of the ENTIRE family was itself the act of forgiveness. Allowing Fredo to live out his life at the mall and go fishing with his son was Michael's act of forgiveness.

I won't even go into the fact that it would not have been in character for Michael to actually utter the words.

Fredo didn't know.

And DC...since on this topic we're in agreement about Fredo not knowing, I'll leave that comment of yours about Michael's 'betrayal' for another thread !

Apple

svsg;

I don't believe that Fredo felt he could be embarassed in front of Neri. I feel that it is implied by Neri's reaction - a subtle nod and putting his head down - to Mike's glance to him, that he really like's Fredo and does not want to kill him. If you look at Neri's past and his cool, calculated and ruthless approach and matter of factly whacking any body he is told to take care of in all 3 movies. This is the one of the few times he is going to regret it, but he knows he has to follow Mike's order or be taken care of himself. As it says in wikpedia - " he is completely devoid of fear, he has a fierce temper and quick reflexes." The funeral scene is where Neri's " true emotion " is shown for a quick minute because he really likes Fredo and he has to conceal it and regain his " button " exterior. In the boat scene, the smile that Neri has when he and Fredo are letting Anthony out of the boat is truely genuine and not put on, whether it was for Anthony's sake - so that he wouldn't think anything was wrong or not.

The only thing that got me thinking was,what is Neri doing "babysitting" Fredo anyways.Wouldn't he have better more inportant things to do?.That being said,Fredo must have been very dimwitted not to think that.

I've always gotten the same impression from Neri in that scene. ( I made a post about it over in another topic a few days ago).

It looks to me that for a split second, when Michael gives him the look, that Neri is somewhat saddened that Michael has ordered the death of his own brother. Then, as you say, Neri regains his composure.

A while back, when we were talking about 'the scenes that chokes me up', everyone seemed to forget about this one.