At the family meeting in the study/office/library (or "libary" as Sonny would say),after the hospital attempt on the Don's life, Clemenza is reading a list of names and Micheal says, "you going to kill all those guys"?
It sounds like Clemenza says,"We're gonna give 'em Exlax".
Comments?

Hi, runf. When I read your post, of course I had to put the tape into my VCR and check that scene . It also sounded to me like Clemenza was indeed saying what you thought. He really mumbles and it's easy to miss, so I'm guessing that you have sharp ears or very good speakers on your TV .

You now have me so curious that I checked the Godfather script that's provided online courtesy of this site's web master. Alas, what Clemenza says is not there. I hope the experts can post here and help us out. In mob parlance, I've heard of "wacking" people, "bumping them off," "rubbing them out," making them "sleep with the fishes" and "wear cement shoes," but I've never heard of "giving a guy the Exlax." Was Exlax even around in 1946?

P.S. Interestingly (to me, anyway ), when I rewatched that scene on my VCR, I picked up a bit of "sound trivia": In addition to the main dialogue (which is between Sonny and Tom), there is also a softer conversation between Clemenza and Tessio. While Tom says, "If we lose the old man, we lose our political contacts..." Clemenza's line from the beginning of the scene ("...it's a lot of bad blood. Sollozzo, Philip Tattaglia, Bruno Tattaglia; Garbone...") is repeated verbatim in the background. This is just like the re-using of an identical shot of Michael walking down the hallway during the hospital scene, only this time the "recycyling" was aural instead of visual.

It's hard to make out, but he might have said ubazze which usually means a crazy person. But it can mean that I'm going to do something crazy to them. It's kind of idiomatic and it's up to the user to define to some extent.

I was initially very skeptical about this, but I decided to look at the scene for myself.

I played it over and over, turned the volume way up...and it appears that's exactly what Clemenza says.

Since it follows Michael's line "You're gonna kill all those guys?" (or something close to that), I can only interpret it as Clemenza making a sarcastic comeback to Michael. Sort of like:

"You're gonna kill them?"

"Naw, we're just gonna make them really, really uncomfortable."

We must remember that at this point, Michael was a "civilian" and people like Sonny, Tessio and Clemenza had yet to really see him as anything other than "Joe College" (even though they knew Michael was a war hero).

To see how Clemenza changes his opinion of Michael, we need look no further than the scene where he instructs Michael before the Sollozzo/McCluskey hit.

Ex-Lax? Seems plausible to me.

Signor V.

Could be. Per the book, Clemenza's preferred form of killing has the effect of a massive dose of Ex-Lax.

Now, as far as when Ex-Lax was first marketed, that would be 1906.

For a picture of a period container (possibly 1940s or 1950s?), click here .

Signor V.

I was wondering about that. Thank you for doing the research for me, Signor V. I always said that I learn something new on these boards with every visit ... and that has to be one of the more colourful factoids that I've encountered .
Now there's an observation that conjures up frightful possibilities! mustachepete, you have me intrigued. Because it's been so many years since I've read the book, I can't remember that particular aspect about Clemenza; so I hope you will post back and elaborate. I'm guessing that he employed powerful weapons like machine guns, which literally blew a hole through the victim's mid-section; but that's just a guess... I await your reply for the correct answer .

... By the way, are we sure that part of the book refers to Clemenza and not Luca? Just wondering, as I've heard that Luca relishes those gory deaths .

In the book, when Luca Brasi is killed his bladder releases its contents onto the floor. When Carlo is killed by Clemenza, his bowels purge in the car.

Grisly, but accurate.

Signor V.

Great observation, Signor Vitelli!

I vividly remember reading both those graphic accounts and hadn't connected the two...but perhaps the garroting was fondly referred to as an 'Ex-Lax' killing back in those days. Either that or Richard Castellano, who played Clemenza, borrowed the ex-lax phrase directly from the book.

JGeoff, you've got until April 10th. Time to get an 'ex-lax' instant graemlin list.

*** NOT *** !!!

We've been throwing Ex-Lax around rather freely for years in the fantasy sports threads, describing as "Ex-Lax Days" those on which there is "little or no movement".

I think that term has to do with "scaring the sh** out of people.

Well...once you've been 'ex-laxed' then the time to be scared has pretty much passed.

Apple

I've listened and listened for those words, but I can't make out what he says. Is it the very next line after Mike asks his question when Clemenza is talking to Tessio?