"The Don was straitlaced about sex"

We read that
- in the wedding scene when Nino sings an obscene song.
- when the Don and Tom discuss the Sollozzo proposal
- during the discussion with Moe Greene when he refers to the Fredo sandwich.

What irritates me is that he makes a big deal about Fredo's behavior in Las Vegas but at the same time he evens the path for Johnny Fontane who has had lot of women while being married. Why doesn't he forgive his own son?

I suppose that, to Vito's way of thinking, it was ok for Johnny to play around (the norm in the Mafia milieu although not for Vito), and he was more indulgent of his godson than his own son. And, he'd probably, in his way of thinking, regard the "sandwich" as a "perversion."

But, we get a hint of Vito's straightlaced character much earlier. He and Clemenza steal the carpet, then Vito loses his job at the grocery. He's in a bind because, as Puzo points out, he "couldn't eat the rug."

I guest vito wasn't a big fan of roast beef

He was pissed at Johnny for a long while because Johnny was a playboy and divorced his wife (Ginny, I think?) to marry Margot Ashton, the movie star/slut. It was only when Johnny asked him for a favor at Connie's wedding that he began to forgive him, and as I recall in the novel he basically told Johnny to patch things up with his ex-wife (even if they wouldn't get back together) as a condition of his help.

I always figured he wasn't as hard on Johnny because A) Johnny was his godson, not truly blood, and B) As a movie star Johnny would be exposed to a lot of vices and, being a man, would find it very difficult to suppress those urges.

Vito said, "Do you spend time with your family? Good, because a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." I took that to mean that he accepted the standard Mafia "morality" that it was ok to play around as long as you didn't abandon your family (meaning take care of the wife financially and see the kids).

After Sonny's gaffe, he said, "Whatsa matter with you? I think your brain is going soft because of the comedy you play with that young girl." I took that to mean that a) he was sticking it to Sonny because he shot off his mouth; and b) carrying on openly with Lucy at the wedding was a disgrazia.

Interesting that there's no hint that either Vito or Michael ever played around. Probably more interested in power than sex.

[quote=Turnbull]
Interesting that there's no hint that either Vito or Michael ever played around. Probably more interested in power than sex. [/quote

Right. It's one of their few admirable traits.

He might have seen showbiz life as different than one his son was in regarding behavior.