After Tom informs Woltz about his client being able to make union problems go away, and about his contract star moving from marijuana to heroin, Woltz goes into his famous tirade telling off his "kraut-mick friend." Immediately afterwords he tells his employee to "check him out." In the next scene at Woltz' place he tells Tom he had no idea he worked for Corleone, and asks "why didn't you tell me," aying he thought Tom was some "two bit hustler" that Johnny was using to muscle him. Leter that evening when Woltz delivers his second tirade
he tells Tom "an I ain't no band leader....yeah I heard that story." My question is if Woltz knew Johnny was backed up by Vito Corleone, why would he think Johnny would bother running in some "two bit Hustler" when he was backed by the most powerful Don in the country? Further, I see why Wotlz would invite Tom over once he found out who he worked for, but did he really think he could talk his way out of this? He seems to be playing it cool when he says he would do any other favor asked of him, but when Tom says Vito never asks for a second favor after a refusal, he has to know Vito will not take this lightly. Did he really think he could keep Vito off his case simply by telling that he was tougher than a guy who had a gun put to his head with the promise that his brains or his signature would be on a contract? If so, I think Woltz' brain was going soft from all that comedy he was playing with that young girl.