Sonny and Tom Disagree

When Sonny is talking to Michael, before Tom returns safely, Sonny says:



When Tom arrives Sonny asks him what should they do if their father dies. Tom says:



Sonny doesn’t like hearing this from Tom and points out that Tom is not blood to which Tom retorts that he was as much of a son to Vito as Sonny or Michael, maybe better. Sonny realizes he hit a nerve and swiftly apologizes.

But what’s interesting here is how Sonny gets angry at Tom for advising the rational course of action which Sonny himself had JUST FINISHED laying out to Michael. So either we can think that is bad writing from Puzo or more likely just a realistic example of human nature. Sometimes we don’t want to consider the “right” answer when it’s the painful one. And we certainly don’t want to hear it from other people-even loved ones. Sonny was hoping that Tom had some magic way out.

Thoughts???

Just before the first passage, he says, "So Sollozzo figures he gets rid of the old man, I have to go in with him on the drugs." So I think that in the rest of that passage he's telling Michael how Sollozzo sees things. Sonny continues on to say that Sollozzo is dead meat, he doesn't care what the cost. So Sonny's mad at Tom for recommending a path that Sonny's already rejected.

I just saw this thread now:

Sonny could never make the deal with Sol if Vito died, for strategic reasons. First, the capos heard him shoot his mouth off during the meeting with Sol, and, if he made the deal, would think he saw Vito's death as an opportunity to get into the drugs business, which is what he wanted in the first place (the novel said he wanted the drugs deal as a way to get out from under the Don's thumb). Word would get down to the troops. Loyalty to Sonny would erode. Second, Sonny didn't have the hold on the judges and politicos that Vito did. If they'd be reluctant to support Vito on drugs, they'd never support Sonny. Third, Sonny was an excellent "street general" and a formidable fighting force. He had a chance to outfight the other families. He'd lose face forever if he made the deal with Sol.

TB: a little quibble. On the book side, just Vito, Sonny, and Tom meet Sol. Sonny tells Michael about it in a private conversation. So I don't think we know what the capos know about the meeting.

That's the dilemma we face: do we go by the book or the film?

Pete, your right about that scene as portrayed in the novel, just like Luca's flirtation with the Tattaglia's taking place over the course of several months and not in one scene as portrayed in the film.

Despite Puzo's or FFC's intention, I've never bought into Sonny's outburst as anything except his mouthing off. It wasn't convincing for me and I can't see Sollozzo interpreting it as Sonny being hot for his deal.

You're right, Pete. Interesting that Fredo wasn't at the meeting.

Sonny, after the shooting, did tell Michael that he shot his mouth off. I've posted in the GF Trilogy board that Sol probably would have attempted to kill Vito even if Sonny had kept quiet.

TB, you're absolutely right about that: Sollozzo would still have tried to murder Vito. Afterall, it was Barzini all along.