Yeah I don't dispute that Mike is a very evil person, not trying to justify Mike. I'm just not convinced that Fredo didn't know it was gonna be a hit. I'm totally looking at it from that angle only.

Yes, the "you guys lied to me" could be the other major explanation as to why Fredo wouldn't know. I should have mentioned that earlier, along with the "I swear to god it wasn't a hit" speech in the boathouse those are the 2 major arguments in favor of Fredo not knowing.

But, not knowing exactly what was told to Fredo, we don't know exactly what they would have lied to him about it. It is possible that he was referring to whatever that "something in it for me" was that they never followed through on. Maybe that was the "lie", perhaps money, or something else that he was promised that he never received.

Naturally he was scared Mike would find out, but that doesn't necessarily mean he has any remorse for what he had done. Maybe he was just scared of getting found out because he knew Mike would have him killed. And remember, in Havana he even still says "I was mad at you Mike", almost as if he finally started to really show remorse in his actions, but only at that point. Up to that point, he must have had reasons to be angry at Mike if he says flat out that he was mad at him. To me, that indicates that there could have been motivation to want Mike dead at one point in time.

Woltz, I suppose that it is possible that he was just duped into it by Ola/Roth and had no idea that it was gonna be a hit. That he really did think it was good for the family, and totally bought whatever he was told.

Certainly plausible, but while I see Fredo as being very weak, I don't necessarily see him as "dumb". Sure he can't fire the gun off, he gets slapped around by Moe, can't handle his wife, etc. None of that indicates a lack of intelligence though. The only time he really shows lack of intelligence is when he blabs about knowing Roth and Ola after he gets loaded and Mike hears it. But, he's intoxicated at that point, people say things they don't normally say all the time when drunk. He also seems to maybe have an alcohol problem, which would indicate "weakness" more than stupidity.

I mean he does pull off some things, he runs the brothel, learned the casino business with Moe, he's also smart enough to get out of Havana alive, smart enough to know about Frankie and the senate lawyer who was on Roth's payroll. So, I don't know, I think he's at least smart enough to be able to put 2 and 2 together. But maybe not.

Not sure I can buy the "blinded by greed" argument though, because in that case deep down he would have known the truth. So he would have just been trying to convince himself otherwise even though he would have known the truth.

Anyway, it was interesting to discuss this and get different points of view on the matter with you guys. It's not so much that I'm convinced Fredo knew, as much as I just still can't wrap my head around exactly HOW he couldn't have known.