Posted By: Turnbull
Why Vito said "no" to drugs - 06/13/05 04:44 AM
Vito said “no” to Sollozzo’s drugs offer because it would be an infamita (to Tom in the novel), and because his friends in politics “wouldn’t be very friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling” (to Sollozzo in the film). Both were valid reasons. But I doubt they were Vito’s only reasons for saying “no.” IMO, he had at least two others:
Strategically, Vito felt secure because he was the biggest fish in a relatively small Mafia pond. But if his political protection established a major narcotics import and distribution network in America, the “pond” would soon become an ocean—and Vito’d be swimming with the sharks. Vito didn’t need Tom to tell him that there was more money potential in drugs than in any other business. He figured that the Corleones would get richer—but so would Sollozzo, Tattaglia, Barzini and, down the road, everyone else. In fact, there was so much money in drugs that Vito would never be able to control it once it got rolling—and he would no longer be the biggest (and safest) fish.
Operationally, Vito couldn’t simply sit back and trust Sollozzo to write him a check every month for half the drugs profits. He’d need someone on the inside of the operation to oversee his interest and keep an eye on his “partners.” Vito couldn’t be the inside man: too risky to the entire Corleone enterprise if he were found out. Sonny? Much, much too hotheaded for something as dangerous and politically risky as drugs. Fredo? Not ruthless enough to deal effectively with Sollozzo and the rest of the sharks that drugs would attract. Michael? At that point, Vito still held out hopes for “Senator Corleone, Governor Corleone.” No way, Michael!
No wonder Vito said “no.”
Strategically, Vito felt secure because he was the biggest fish in a relatively small Mafia pond. But if his political protection established a major narcotics import and distribution network in America, the “pond” would soon become an ocean—and Vito’d be swimming with the sharks. Vito didn’t need Tom to tell him that there was more money potential in drugs than in any other business. He figured that the Corleones would get richer—but so would Sollozzo, Tattaglia, Barzini and, down the road, everyone else. In fact, there was so much money in drugs that Vito would never be able to control it once it got rolling—and he would no longer be the biggest (and safest) fish.
Operationally, Vito couldn’t simply sit back and trust Sollozzo to write him a check every month for half the drugs profits. He’d need someone on the inside of the operation to oversee his interest and keep an eye on his “partners.” Vito couldn’t be the inside man: too risky to the entire Corleone enterprise if he were found out. Sonny? Much, much too hotheaded for something as dangerous and politically risky as drugs. Fredo? Not ruthless enough to deal effectively with Sollozzo and the rest of the sharks that drugs would attract. Michael? At that point, Vito still held out hopes for “Senator Corleone, Governor Corleone.” No way, Michael!
No wonder Vito said “no.”