Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE]..Fredo was found in NY and brought back to the compound. He obviously was not allowed anywhere near the edge (if Kay wasnt, Fredo sure as hell wasnt either) even though Mike assured him that nothing would happen to him.
Unlike Kay who was completely shut out of Michael's life and was lucky to be even permitted to visit with her kids...Fredo was allowed to live on the compound under the premise that he had been forgiven by his brother.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE].. Anthony gets pulls out of the boat that fateful moment. Mike's bodyguard is the only one with him.
I never really thought of Al Neri as simply a 'bodyguard'. That aside...he had already been seen playing with Anthony at a much younger age in The Godfather who's to say that they hadn't already established a playful relationship since Kay had earlier complained to Mike that all Anthony's friends were 'buttonmen'.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE].. I dont care how important freddie was, a bodyguard of Neri's postiton does not usually take the boss's brother fishing alone.
Why not? Even Neri would get a day off every now & then and who's to say that he, Fredo and Anthony hadn't gone fishing several times before this. Just because Anthony is called off...that is no reason for the now relaxed, contented Fredo not to continue with the fishing trip, never realizing that he's about to have a headfull of led.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE]..Fredo, dumb as he is, knows something is up.
No, he doesn't.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE].. at that moment, what could he have done? Run screaming off the boat? Or prehaps he could have said, "ya know Al, I dont feel like going either" (which, again is asking a lot for a dim guy like him)and stepped back onto the dock.
Yes, had he any idea he probably WOULD have claimed he didn't feel like fishing, bolted from the boat and probably even tried to run, just out of blind panic. The whole point of the embrace allowing him to hang out with Anthony was to lull Fredo into a sense of security so that he would never know about the fate that awaited him. Michael didn't want him to know. Sad a task as it was...Michael really planned it beautifully.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE]..For what? As I have already said, he has aboslutely nothing to live for..
At this point, after what he did (TRAITOR)...Fredo is grateful to not only be alive, but also taken back under Michael's wing. I'd say that before that embrace at their mother's wake - THAT was when Fredo had nothing to live for, which is why he had so pitifully asked to see Mike. He was a lost man until Michael came to him after talking w/ Connie.
Originally posted by Don Sonny Corleone:
[QUOTE].. even if he did truely believe he was forgiven (which he did, until Tony was pulled from the boat)
And even after Anthony was taken from the boat. He had no clue whatsoever.
To be absolutely fair (even though I knew the answer)...I watched this scene very closely last night (on Spike TV), just to see if there was even an inkling realization to Fredo that he was about to die and accepted it. There was not. He was disappointed that his nephew had to go to Reno and even promised Anthony he'd take him fishing 'tomorrow' (a line which I had never really noticed before). If he had any idea what was about to happen, he would not have had the presence of mind to even think of saying that to Anthony, knowing it wouldn't happen.
Fredo said 'Let's go Al...' thinking he was about to catch some fish. He didn't know.
Now Don Sonny Corleone...I hope you're not too tired to go and organize your thoughts again.
Give it a shot, I'm looking forward to it.
Apple
