Originally Posted By: Turnbull
In GF II, both Rocco and Neri are with Michael.

Why did Michael need Rocco? The movie gives many examples of how Neri seemingly eclipsed Rocco in Michael’s estimation and was trying to push past Tom to become Michael’s #2.

What purpose did Rocco serve? One possibility is that Michael needed Rocco as a counterbalance to Neri—a check on Neri’s ambitions, an ever-present alternative if Neri slipped or got out of line. Another is that Michael was holding Rocco in reserve for just the kind of “Mission Impossible” he sent Rocco on when Roth returned to the US. Your thoughts?


TB, I don't find any evidence that Rocco did (nor attempted to) eclipse Neri or vice-versa. Neri was specifically recruited by Michael to assist Michael directly and to be (as Vito stated) Michael's Luca Brasi. Rocco was recruited to perform a specific task that Michael wanted accomplished,limited in scope and time. Rocco's performance of that task was done so well that, when Michael needed further help (Las Vegas operations) he turned to Rocco.

I don't think that Neri was trying to push past Tom. Michael had compartmentalized Neri's and Tom's roles. We've written or read many posts about Michael's antipathy toward Tom and Micahel's use of Tom for certain delicate tasks. In the same way, Michael used Neri, but there is no evidence of anything except a trusting relationship between Michael and Neri. As a crime family, there might be bleed over between Tom's role and Neri's role. However, their roles were clearly delineated.

We should also consider FFC's screenplay strategy that continued the adventures of two characters with which GF fans had become familiar.

Last edited by olivant; 03/03/13 02:50 PM.
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