So Many Years?

In Part II, at their mother's funeral, Connie tells Michael that she hated him for "so many years." There's only one reason I can think of that Michael gave her for hating him--killing Carlo (while I, and apparently many others on this board, think that Michael was completely justified in killing Carlo to avenge Sonny's death, Connie wasn't convinced Carlo had conspired to kill Sonny, so her feelings are understandable, even though Carlo was a terrible husband). But Carlo's execution came only a few years before the Michael section of Part II takes place (1958-60). So why did Connie say "so many years"? Was this just a writer's oversight?

When Connie showed up at the Lake Tahoe compound for the First Communion party, her children appeared to be 6-8 years old. The guy she had along in tow, and wanted to marry, would have been at least her third husband since Michael mentioned the "ink had not yet dried" on her previous divorce. Evidently she had been out living a wild life and had turned her back on Michael and the family, except when she needed money. So if Carlo's death was the start of her "hatred" for Michael, based on the age of her children it seems like several years had passed.

When Carlo was killed, Anthony was a toddler, so the ceremony in Lake Tahoe had to be several years later. Mama's funeral was even after that.

However, I don't think Carlo's killing was the only reason for her hatred. Michael held the purse strings and Connie saw him as acting more like a father than a brother, which she resented.

Good point. There was about 3½ - 4 years between Carlo getting whacked and Mama Corleone dying. Hardly what I'd consider "so many years" as Connie said.

Probably Connie suffered a nervous breakdown after she figured out that Michael had Carlo whacked. That started her on a downward spiral, so in her mind, it constituted "many years."

First Communion is usually at the age of 7. Anthony is only about 2 years old at the time of Carlo's death, maybe 3. That's 4-5 years to the First Communion, and then about another year until Mama's death. That's 5-6 years, which easily could be considered "many years".

Nope. Not many years. Vito and Carlo both died in 1955. Carlo probably bought the farm in July of '55. Anthony's First Communion was 1958. Mama Corleone died the following year, 1959. Four years ... not "many".

BTW - Anthony was at least three years old when Carlo died, probably closer to four ("my boy reads the funny papers - only three years").

The boy who played Anthony (Anthony Gounaris, the little brother of the boy that played young Anthony in Part II) was only three years old during that scene in The Godfather.

This obviously is music to the ears for the ones that firmly believe The Godfather ended in 1950 and it's a decent argument. But, we don't know what she meant with that statement. Maybe she already hated Michael before Carlo was killed, for the fact that the Corleones practically humiliated him by keeping him out of their inner circles and setting him up with a silly job. This led to Carlo reacting his frustration on Connie which severely affected their marriage. And as Michael became his father's heir apparant after he came back from Sicily, she could have also considered Michael to be responsible. And she would have hated Michael even more when it became effident that he had lured Carlo into a trap and giving him and Connie a false sense of recognision and importance. Also, the interpretation of "many years" could differ from person to person.

OMG.... they kept Vito Corleone propped up in his garden for five years before they buried him?? (He was buried in 1955. Read his tombstone).

You can't use the age of the actor to determine the age of his/her character with any accuracy.

My actor friend Joey once had an audition for a part as a cabbie, and he got a script that was smudged. He read the fare of "50 dollars" as "so dollars." I think Talia Shire might have made the same mistake.

Hey don't look at me! I'm one of those who almost got a heart attack with defending the 1955 timeline.

I do think you can use an actor's age to determine the age of their character if that's the only information there is. And, in this case it's true as Anthony was three to four years old in 1955 according to the timeline.

I'm just saying that there is no guaranteed answer to any of these timeline questions. (There are some points that are CLOSE, though).

Just sayen, SC?

Wattsammaddaa wid you.... that's what I said. Can't you hare me?

There's no way we can fix this timeline mess.
Connie was pregnangt when Carlo beat her. That must have been 1946, or as some may say 1947. If the communion was in 1955 (which doesn't make much sense to me because of the Cuban revolution shortly after that) then Connie's oldest kid must have been eight or nine. If the communion was in 1958 or 1959, the oldest kid must have been 12 or 13.

The tombstone - well it's a mystery, but I guess, it's the last revenge of Bonasera.

Okay, here we go again about the timeline. As I have shown in posts elsewhere, Carlo's murder along with that of the the dons took place in '51 regardless of anyting on any tombstone. Thus, those years that Connie referred to amounted to about 7 or so. Also, Connie was upset with Micahel not because she was so in loce with Carlo, but because now she was unmarried and alone.

This from someone who thinks Adriana LaCerva is still alive because we never actually saw her get shot?

OK, let's try this: Anthony's First Communion was in 1958. The movie tells us that. It was written on the screen. Anthony was 7 years old then. He was born in 1951.

Now, you claim that Vito died in 1951. That means that Anthony was a newborn infant as he chased Vito in the garden. Anthony also, miraculously pulled off the stunt of reading the funny papers as a three year child would while he was still an infant.

No wonder Fredo wanted to go fishing with him all the time. The kid was a freaking miracle!!

He was a freaking genius!!! He went on to long career in tv commercials.

One of my favorite commercials from back in the day! If I remember correctly, wasn't Sunday officially deemed "Prince Lasagna Day" as well? BTW - how come only ONE kid came running after an Italian mama called out for "Anthony" to come home?

I heard an interview once with Billy Joel giving credit to this commercial for inspiring the "Movin' Out" tune's lyrics...

First of all, I remember that commercial well.

Secondly, I hear ya with the "Anthonys" LOL My brother is named Anthony, after my grandfather, a couple cousins named Anthony (after same grandfather). I married an Anthony who had 3 first cousins named after his grandfather who was also named Anthony. When we were kids, my brother was referred to as "Big Tony" and my cousin who was younger was "Little Tony."

TIS

We had that in our family with lots of Michaels, TIS, so I know the feeling.