I'm rewatching the third GODFATHER and I'm curious why Joey Zaza didn't get anything in that scene where Michael appeases all the heads of the families with checks from their shares of the casinos he sold. I'm sure Michael didn't care for him, but he wanted to make sure everything was fine in the beginning when Zaza stopped by his party with that Italian-American Of The Year Award. Why did Zaza get snubbed? Was Michael so much more fond of the other gangsters in the room in Atlantic City?

the people in the room got money for how much money they put into the casinos and for how long they invested it. i guess sasa didnt put any money in the casinos cuz he didnt get a share

Don't forget that Michael was still very peceptive in the first meeting with Zasa. While Michael didn't want to get involved with the beef between Vincent & Zasa, Michael probably believed Vincent's allegations:

I think the later snub of Zasa by Michael was partially a result of this ecounter. I think it was also a display of trust that Michael was starting to develop with Vincent. Zasa proved that he was untrustworthy by planning the hit on the dons at the meeting. Don't forget, this elaborate plan was in place before Zasa knew that receive a cut of the money from Michael.

This is another example of the plot weaknesses that make GFIII feeble compared with GF and II:

We have to assume that, since Zasa showed up with the other guys, he invested money with Michael as did the other guys. Therefore, he deserved to be paid off like the other guys. Is it really plausible that Michael, who was trying so desperately to "get out," would invite a war with Zasa by publicly welshing on him and humiliating him? And why would Michael do it? To avenge the attack on Vincent--which he in effect sanctioned at his party when he told Zasa that he had no quarrel with him over Vincent? And if Zasa expected to be paid, why did he arrange the helicopter attack? As a contingency in case he didn't get paid? Or did he think he would be paid off, then walk out seconds before the helicopter attacked? Is any of this plausible?
Sure, all this makes for one of the (few) dramatic action scenes in III. But it has a hasty, implausible, almost cartoonish feel to it, imo.

Thanks, Turnbull, I keep thinking the problem is with me not understanding. I'm continuing rewatching GODFATHER III and it still bugs me. The resposes so far still don't really answer it well enough. The other gangsters at the meeting can't be that much more trustworthy than Joey Sasa. Why point him out and start antagonizing him when you're trying to get out of the business?

Plus, why would Michael be so insulted if Joey said "F--k Michael Corleone" behind his back. He himself says not to be angry with his enemies. He's supposed to think like a businessman and stay emotionless. Surely, he's not naiive enough to think that the other heads of the family and enforcers have nothing but good things to say about him behind his back.

I think we have to assume that since he was offered no share of the "casino money" at the meeting, that Zasa had invested nothing in the casinos to begin with. I would guess that when the monies were invested (we have to figure that in its correct historical context, this would have been some time in the 1950's, when most of the "first round" of Vegas hotels and casinos were built, some 20 or more years before GF 3 takes palce), Zasa was nothing more than an upstart--not the head of a family prepared to make large investments.

So that raises the question of what was he doing at the meeting in the first place? Perhaps he was invited simply as as gesture of respect. It was Zasa, after all, who took over the Corleone Family rackets in NY, so that would make him a fairly powerful Don, even if he wasn't a member of The Commission.

I'd guess that Don Altobello had something to do with Joey's invitation.

and that´s it exactly. if we know one thinG abot the world of The Godfather, it´s that a public humiliation or snubbinG will not Go unresponded. especially not with a Guy that is so obsessed with his reputation and imaGe as Zasa is.

Alonzo (nice name, i love Tod BrowninG
), i think it miGht be a plothole, but it´s possible that Zasa wasn´t one of the casino investors in the first place. the beGinninG of GF III suGGests that Zasa, althouGh a decent mobster, is not one of the biG shots. the part of business HE was involved in was the part that Michael had left behind a lonG time aGo. that´s my Guess. but in General, i´d stick with the plothole.

GreetinGs, consiG.

I think that Zasa didn't get a share because of his involvement with drugs.

This is one of the easiest answers. Zasa put no money into the casinoes. That's all. He was just muscle who assumed control of the Corleone interests in New York. He was not a don. That's extremely obvious. Notice no one called him Don Zasa, or whatever. He was just muscle! Easy answer.

Thanks, Valadius. But now I have more questions:

Why was Joey Sasa invited to that meeting? If he was the only one with no investment, why was he insulted when he received no check. And why wasn't the reason he got no money explained to him?

I think that Don Altobello invited Joey, or Micheal did, out of respect, as Plawrence said, and Joey just didn't invest in the casinos.

Indeed, which is why he should not have "expected" any cash return at the meeting.

The whole thing was set up to result in the helicopter attack, and the following fall out from that.

Sloppy really and would not have been fit for inclusion in the previous two in my opinion.

IMO Zasa was there to provide protection, since, of course, he was just muscle.