Why Doesn't Michael Kill Fredo In Cuba?

Michael knew Fredo was the traitor in the family in Havana, and during the chaos of the astro takeover it seems it would have been relatively easy to knock him off and come back with a plausable story that "poor Fredo" died when the rebels were rioting. Mama would have grieved, but he was a woman of great religious faith who'd already lost one son, and she would have survived well enough. This would make it impossible to pin on Michael in the future.

Unless of course Michael wanted to keep him around just in case Fredo had information about a certain senate counselthat would be useful if Michael were ever investigated.

That's the most plausible theory, DT. But don't forget, Michael was quite unsure of his own judgement. Just remember how he needed a confession out of Carlo when he was clearly guilty, before he could sentence him to death. If he needed that kind of reassurance before killing a brother-in-law, it stands to reason that he'd need the same confirmation before ordering the death of his actual brother.

Another reason is that Michael is more deliberate than Sonny. He would have wanted to know more. IOW I know you betrayed me but why, who else was involved, how long has this been going on, etc...the same sort of conversation that Tiger and Elin or Jenny and Mark Sandford have been having..

And since Michael had already lost the logically most rational guy (his bodyguard) to do the job on Fredo, would he have done the job himself?

Michael was frantic to get Fredo in the car with him and on the plane out--probably because he wanted to pump him for info on who else was involved in the plot against him. And, as soon as he's alone with Tom in Vegas after escaping from Cuba, he asks, "Where's my brother?" But when Tom replies that he's probably in NY, Michael doesn't seem frantic. "Tell him I know Roth mislead him..." etc. He could have had Tom arrange to have Fredo snatched off a NY street and brought to him almost immediately, or even have him whacked in the street. Instead Michael waited weeks, or even months, until he got caught in the perjury trap.

I've never understood Michael's sudden loss of urgency in getting Fredo to the compound.

Poor writing. Oh, wait. Can't be. This isn't GFIII.

Athough I think calling Michael "frantic" is an overstatement, I think all the posters above make good points. Here's another view...

I'm in the minority that believes that Michael did not view Fredo as a threat, but killed him strictly out of vengeance and anger. If that's the case, it makes sense that Michael would deal with more pressing issues (and take his mother's reaction into account) before turning his attention back to Fredo.

Like Fabrizio, Fredo's time would come. It didn't really matter when.

And how, in the middle of all this chaos, would it be 'relatively easy' for Michael to knock off Fredo?

Poison his drink?

Strangle him during that New Year's embrace?

Summon his bodyguard to take care of it after killing Roth? (Not knowing of course, that the bodyguard himself was already dead.)

Shoot him dead in the streets?

Have his driver run Fredo down?

Not only did Michael still need information from his lousy traitor of a brother, but it didn't appear to be his way to simply pop anybody on the spur of the moment without a specific plan in place.

Apple

Michael wasn't sure of Fredo's betrayal. He only suspected. It wasn't until the Superman show that his worst fears were confirmed. That night, he was still reeling from the idea that his own brother had betrayed him. He certainly had no time to put a hit in place.

Additionally, I don't think that Michael really was going to kill Fredo until he realized the depth of his brother's jealousy when they were in the boathouse. Until that moment, I don't think he had a clue that his brother resented him to that extent. With that tirade, Fredo revealed his true self and sealed his fate.

SB... I agree with you. I don't think Michael was sure that he was going to kill him until their meeting in Tahoe. I think that's the whole reason why he didn't kill him in Cuba; then, plus, he is human too. I think he was more hurt and shocked than anything, hence the hug n kiss embrace between the two.

as upset as he was with fredo he screamed to him "you are still my brother" Micheal would not want his last brother to die at the hands of the cuban rebelion. i think that michael needs to hear the truth come from the people who turned their back's on him so when he makes the sentance of death it does not haunt him.. as angry as he is i think he is weak minded and any amount of stress he crumbles...its like all of vitos traits seprated into each son and they each have the other brothers weekness. when he killed calro his death did not haunt him because he got the truth out of him but the death of his brother haunted him till he died.