But, isn't it Neri who asks Mike if he wants Pentangeli to leave afterwhich Mike syas that it's getting late. So, Neri was there, right? Yes, he could have been sent to Vegas late, but I can't see that happening that late. Afterall, certain arrangements would have to be made with the right peole in Vegas and at the casino to make sure Neri's ouster of Klingman was not interfered with.

Well, he was definitely at the party. That is true, I don't remember seeing him after the shooting, only Rocco. Does anyone remember if he's in the living room, when Kay gives Michael "the look", when she's sitting on the couch holding Mary in her lap??

You've just committed an "infamia!"

We do NOT reference ANYTHING that Winegardner has written when discussing the Godfather Trilogy in this thread. His ideas and writing are worthless in regards to discussing the trilogy.


Piazzaboy, your our only pizzaboy, and we love you, but don't ever take sides against the trilogy by mentioning Winegardner in this thread again!


Don Cardi

True. However it's not out of the realm that the arrangements were already in place and putting everything into action only depended on Ola's giving approval on Roth's behalf, which he did.

It's very possible that Neri was sent to take care of Klingman right after the party and just before the hit attempt.

I do not recall Neri being around when the hit attempt took place or immedeatly thereafter. Hey, I just had a thought while typing this, maybe it was Neri who opened the drapes! JUST KIDDING!!!

After all didn't Vito send Tom out to California on the night of his daughter's wedding?

Don Cardi

I was thinking about that, DC. Tom did leave for the West Coast right after Connie's wedding, and to have Michael dispatch Al right after the party would make a nice parallel.

All this discussion is very interesting. Two comments. Maybe, after throwing Klingman out, maybe Al just wanted to see pretty girls dance. And it seems to me in GF3 that Mary said "after the shootings Al took us away." I would take that to mean Al was at the Tahoe house during the times the shootings took place. Or did I imagine this? Someone help me out here.

I just don't buy Mike making those arrangements so far in advance when he really didn't know if Roth objected.

Well, that's another confusing thing between the film and the novel The novel has Tom leaving Sunday night.

Very good memory! You are correct and you've put this debate to rest.

Olivant, your point is a valid and correct one.

MARY (talking to Vincent) :"I remember them shooting at our house when I was little. And Al Neri came one time -- other bodyguards, which just took me and Tony away. Is it all happening again?"



Don Cardi

Well, I looked it up in the GF 2 script, available on IMSDb.com
In the script, the Klingman-Neri confontaion took place right after Deanna's dopey "What's chintanna ?" question, but before the assasination attempt. It's very possible that given Tahoe's proximity to Las Vegas, Al could have taken off right after the meeting with Ola in Michael's study.

It seems to me that Neri did screw up once. I know a lot of you have never sat through the entire GF3 movie, but I believe Al's biggest, and only mistake, was when he went along with Vincent and Connie about the hit on Joey ZAZa. I think he was a reluctant party to this, but he, as the others, feared Michael was dying and the hit would be the only way to preserve any hope in the future for the Coreleone family to make a comeback.

Agreed. Al went along because of his loyalty to Michael. He didnt want Michael killed(Corleone family to perish)(ala Michael wiping out 5 families to save Vito) albeit on a much smaller scale.... same preservation in mind.


The question: How could Michael have a former cop in such a high position?

The fact that Neri was of a certain mold AND had nothing else. He was forever indebted to Michael and family.

We never learn in the Trilogy that Neri was a cop--that was strictly in the novel. IMO, it was one of the best "backstories" of the novel that didn't make it into the Trilogy.
Michael's recruitment of Neri was a master stroke:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
At that point, as you said, he had nothing: kicked off the force, tried and about to be imprisoned for killing a murderous junkie s**theel. Michael showed him he was valued, that he regareded Neri as a hero, that he wanted to recruit him. Michael at his most brilliantly manipulative.

I agree 100%. Definitely one of the best back stories in the novel. And my favorite line from that story is when Vito tells Michael " I think you've found your Luca Brasi."

Agreed... but dont think he really had to "manipulate" Neri as he did others... Neri was assigned a "value"(by Michael) and Neri ran with it.

Before I read godfather returns I always thought it to be Neri. It is very unlikley Michel did'nt have one.

Neri was always extremely loyal to Michael. The only time he may have screwed up in Michael's eyes was when he went along with Vincent in whacking Zasa. Even then when Michael vent about it he vent to Connie, Vincent and ...Neri. This shows that Neri and Michael are so close that Michael is able to express his thoughts to someone outside of the family.