As for Vito's mother telling Don Ciccio that her son was dumb witted, she was not telling the Don that because Vito was ACTUALLY dumbwitted. She made an attempt to make Don Ciccio feel sorry for young Vito, an attemt to hopefully play on Ciccio's emotions.

Vito was far from being dumb or having ANY form of autism. This was a boy who had lost his father, witnessed the death of his brother and his mother all in a matter of days, and then escaped the wrath of the person who was responsible for killing the young boy's family. He traveled to a new country, upon his arrival was locked up for 3 months, and then went out into a strange new world all on his own, still only a young boy. That young boy survived the mean streets of a new world and eventually became one of the most powerful men in the country.
Autistic? I don't believe so.

As for Fredo, well I think that he was just plain dumb and insecure, that's all. If he had some kind of disease, or was autistic, I don't think that he would have been given the responsibility of driving his father around, don't think that he would have been allowed to carry a gun, and I highly doubt that he'd be given his own crew of men.


Interesting theory on your part, however, I think that you may be reaching just a bit here.

Welcome to the boards.