This may be sacreligious on my part, but once Brando bowed out, was this scene really necessary? I understand it is meant to end GFII by contrasting the days when the Corleone family was like the Roman Empire with the solitary Michael sitting in the yard, but its really a pretty dumb scene overall. As I have written before it is not believable that Vito could have been sent on a "wild goose chase" by Sonny. The dialogue for the most part is inane...especially Sonny's introduction of Connie to Carlo, and Fredo saying the Japanese didn't know it was Pop's birthday. Also Sonny comes off like a total jerk, sticking his fingers in the cake, fighting with Michael and basically acting like an asshole sitting at the head of the table. Also Robert Duvall has a terrible hairpiece. And why does Sonny introduce him as his "step-brother?" every other scene in I and II Tom is always introduced to people outside the family as a "brother."