It becomes clearly evident that Michael suspects Fredo of being the traitor in his family in GFII after he invites him to Cuba. While visiting the city and hanging out with his brother, Fredo makes a few slip ups that reveal his involvement in the plot to kill Mike.

But my question is, what made Mike be suspicious of Fredo in the first place? Maybe its not coincidence that Mike asked Fredo to bring the 2 million to Cuba, maybe he purposely wanted him there to study him and try to figure out how involved he was. But I don't understand what couldve given him this idea in the first place. Maybe its just that trusty old Corleone instinct.

Any ideas?

I'm not sure if i'm understanding your question properly, but your saying why was michael suspicious of Fredo?
Well he wasn't really, but he knew straight away that Fredo betrayed him at the scene where they were watching a show...Fredo a couple minutes back said "never met ola" and he shook hands with him for the first time, pretending anyway.
When Fredo totally forgot, probably drunk, he said "JOHNNY OLA told me about this place. He brought me here. I didn't believe him -- but seein' is believin', huh?".

That revealed everything, the shooting, the family traitor and such to Michael.

He wasn't suspicious of Fredo before hand. Now he knew for a fact, it was Fredo.

Think of what Mike said to Tom in the boathouse scene after the assassination attempt.

Mike knew, as he said to Tom in that scene, that the assassins had to be aided by someone "close" and "inside"

He says to Tom

you're the only one I completely trust. FREDO -- ah, he's got a good heart -- but he's week, and he's stupid, and this is life and death

I think at that point he already had a suspicion that it was Fredo.

You're right: Although Fredo wasn't Michael's top suspect, he never totally ruled him out. When he told Tom right after the Tahoe shooting, "Right now, you're the only one I can completely trust," he meant that he couldn't completely trust Fredo. And he told Tom, "Fredo? He's got a good heart. But he's weak and stupid, and this is life and death." IMO, when he characterized Fredo as "weak and stupid," he was, in effect, saying, "he's weak and stupid enough to be involved in this," which is what actually happened.
I also agree that part of the reason he had Fredo deliver the money to Cuba was to keep him close and test him. Note the penetrating looks he gives Fredo when Fredo asks if anyone he knows is in Havana and Michael says, "Oh, Hyman Roth, Johnny Ola..." And in the nightclub, when he says to Johnny Ola, "I don't think you know my brother." He was definitely suspicious of Fredo.

Mike's problem wasn't that Fredo was a traitor, but that Fredo was too weak to protect the Family from its enemies.

He first saw this in 1 in the Moe Greene episode; Moe was slapping Fredo around, and Fredo was not standing up for himself. Instead, he stood up for Moe against Mike.

This would have planted the seeds of suspicion in Mike's paranoid mind.

Hello, I'm Myke and I'm new to Gangster BB. I want to say I agree with "The Dr. who fixed Lucy." Michael was realizing in GF1 that Fredo was weak and couldn't keep the family strong. This helped make Michael a stronger Don to the family. I'm sure it was hard for Michael to confront his brother, but he had to in order to protect his family. Fredo wasn't strong enough to take care of business.


Salut' to new friends.

On the contrary. It's things like 'this' that eventually led to Mike's somewhat justified paranoia. From almost the day he got involved in the Family Business, Michael witnessed and was the victim of betrayal after betrayal. While he must've realized this was part of the game, what Fredo did during the visit with Moe Green must've both surprised and disappointed him. By the time of the Tahoe hits, Mike was quite 'paranoid', but with very good reason.

And though I didn't always feel that way, I now agree that while I'm sure he hoped against hope he'd be proven wrong...he did suspect Fredo as the possible traitor in his Family.

And Fredo WAS a traitor.

Who DID deserve to die on that lake.

Which he didn't know was about to happen.

Apple

I think that Michael was suspiscious by nature. He suspected everyone, except Tom. He was testing the waters with Fredo in Cuba, sort of sounding him out, giving him the chance to confirm his suspiscions.

The whole banana dacquiri scene was designed for Michael to feel him out. By spending time with his brother, he was also manipulating him, asking questions, pushing buttons(Just as he did with Tom right before he left. Did you see the look of relief on Tom's face when hearing Michael call him a brother?). But then, as the evening unwinds, and Fredo slips, he realizes that it is truly Fredo, and I think his heart is broken, just as he says.

Michael truly seems shocked and heartbroken when Fredo slips up in Havana...........but he didn't seem to trust anyone except maybe his Mama in GF2 and in fact went out of his way to alienate or dispose of those around him. So I suppose this would make everyone, including Fredo, a suspect.

What if Connie opened the curtains?

Highly improbable. She was too busy getting it on with Merle.

Apple

Not really "on the contrary" to anything... I mentioned Michael's paranoia, I did not say it was irrational or unfounded paranoia. Michael was quite right to be suspicious in the event. Perhaps "justified paranoia" is oxymoronic or at least a poor description of Mike's hunch.

The basic point is that we agree that Fredo's weaknesses re Moe Greene spawn Mike's suspicion - founded or not - of Fredo's robustness and loyalty.

Hello Myke and welcome. The phrase "I agree with The Dr who Fixed Lucy" is seldom uttered on these boards, but proof that intelligence is not a function of popularity.

The excerpt above indicates you were suggesting that Mike was already paranoid by the time of the Vegas meeting involving Fredo and Moe Green. That's what I was arguing with.

And by the way, nobody said that you said his paranoia was "...irrational or unfounded..."

The acts of many people over the years is what led to Michael's suspicions. Fredo's own behavior was just a link in the chain.

Apple