I have been a Godfather fan for a long time but this question hasnt been clearly answered for me. Dont laugh but I really need to know this. Did Fredo know it was going to be a hit? Or he didnt know that it was?

Nudnik: Why in the world would he get on the boat if he knew the man was going to shoot him?

Some that believe Fredo knew say he got in the boat because he was resigned to his fate. Think about it, if he knew, what was he going to do, Run? People that say Fredo knew have some great arguments for thier opinion.

Personally, I think Fredo was in his own world at this point. He was dealing with aiding in his brother's near death, he was jealous of Michael being boss, he knew he was a failure compared to his brothers, he had a bad marriage, he blamed himself for the shooting of his father which started the domino effect that resulted in his current situation. Basically, I don't think Fredo cared what happened to him anymore, he was a broken man.

Ace

He had no clue

No No! Please! Not again!!!!


Fredo didn't know.


Don Cardi

I beg to differ! And, btw, is that Rocco eating the Chinese food??

HE KNEW! HE KNEW! HE KNEW! HE KNEW! HE KNEW! HE KNEW!

I think that one, perhaps the greatest, of the subtleties of the GF films is that Fredo was behind it all. He was always in the background and conveniently clumsy when the Don got shot, supposedly sedated thereafter, sent to Vegas to get out of the line of fire in NY, allies himself with Greene and Barzini, then with Roth and the Cuban government. He lets Sonny and Mike out front to take the heat then gets knocked off by his brother before he can make his big move to take over the Corleone Empire. It was a tour de force by Puzo and FFC!

Are we to believe that Freddie was accustomed to 'needle dicking' out on the lake w/ Neri?? Did they have their picnic before or after they made wine togethor?

OF COURSE HE KNEW!

Contrary to the responses so far...I wonder if you're referring to the attempted hit on Michael, which of course was made possible through his collaboration with Ola/Roth.

No, I really don't think he did. Not that that made a single bit of difference.

As for the hit carried out on Fredo himself, executed by Neri and ordered by Michael...no he didn't know. He would've never gotten into that boat if he had any idea what was planned for him.

There are those who like to insist that he found redemption in those final moments and through some revelation decided to accept his fate with dignity. But of course, that's horseshit. That wasn't Fredo, not by the longest shot in the universe.

He didn't know.

Apple

Apple

When freddie says "oh shit"


"ok al lets go"

maybe im watching a different movie but he knows.

that being said i would LOVE to hear more thoughts on fredos character from some of this sites elite.(aka...turnbull,dc,jgeoff,etc...)

yes he was weak and stupid, but he was still the dons son. and 'all of us' worship the don. are you telling me that the don's son, as weak and stupid as he was, would not have had some insight into his own inevitable whacking???

fredo was still vito's son, and he clearly knew he was gonna be whacked.

Well, let's see.

The Don's son DIDN'T know how to handle a gun & defend his father from would-be assasins.

The Don's son DIDN'T know to keep his mouth shut when his brother confronted Moe Green in Vegas.

The Don's son DIDN'T know that what killed Clemenza was 'no heart attack'.

The Don's son DIDN'T know he was being used by Roth with the 'something in it for him' story.

The Don's son DIDN'T know he was setting up his own brother for a hit.

The Don's son DIDN'T know he was spilling the beans to his brother standing 3 feet away when admitting Johnny Ola took him to a club.

The Don's son DIDN'T know not to ask to see his brother even after being told Michael was 'waiting for him to leave'.

The Don's son DIDN'T know he was about to be shot on the lake.

You'd think after being raised around 'The Family Business'... the Don's son would have a bit more insight into alot of things.



Apple

i hear ya, i agree 100% APPLE

HOWEVER, I THINK THE FREDO ANAYSIS IS BAREN AT BEST.

THAT DNA THING?

Fredo is THE DON VITO's SON, and Vito would never have the heart to kill his own blood (He couldnt even kill Carlo). So that being said, then Fredo didnt know at all.


Also, Fredo was planning to take Anthony along- if he knew that is a sick way to go out- to have your brother's son watch.
Just my 2 cents.

Al Wouldn't have killed Fredo with Anthony there. Al knew what the plan was. Al knew that Anthony wouldn't be there in the boat.

I'm tellin' ya, it was all an act!

To use a Solozzo line... "I aint that clever kid"

I do believe that Fredo bought the story that Roth was gonna recognize him as head of Corleone family when Mike was eliminated (Fredo's motivation to kill Mike)