during the baptism scene in gf1, why is it necessary for michael to kill the other two heads of the five families. barzini, tattalagia, and moe greene all had reasons why they were assassinated, but it seemed that the other two dons were simply murdered just for the hell of it. if anyone can clear this up, i'd appreciate it.

Well, keep in mind that didn't happen in the novel.. it was only Greene (who was actually shot before the baptism), Barzini (w/associates) and Tattaglia (w/hooker).

I think the idea was that by killing ALL the heads of the families, Michael solidified his position as being the strongest Don and showed that the Corleones were the most powerful family.

And they would've had to of given the go ahead for the attempt on Mike. Before Vito died, he told Michael that he would be assassinated. Barzini would not have killed Don Michael without the go ahead of the other 5 Families.

The main reason they died in the film was that it provided FFC with a more dramatic (and violent) climactic scene. They didn't die in the novel presumably because they weren't the prime movers in the plot against the Corleones, as Tattaglia and Barzini had been.

There wasn't anything abdicating them or vindicating them of being involved in any conspiracy, so my vote is they were involved in some way based on the previous posts, these are some pretty compelling arguements.

Cuneo and Stracci had to go because they took were part in supporting Sollozzo and the Five Family War.

In the Novel they were pretty much Neutral.

Yup, at the board meeting they expressed interest in the drug trade as if it were an inevitability. Although this isn't proof that they were with Barzini and Tattaglia, it certainly doesnt' vindicate them.

Plus it eliminated having them asking for high pay in GFII such as Clemenza and Hagen did in the sequels....

I would have to assume they were killed because they also backed the drug trade and Barzini. Granted, if Mike left them alone, they probably wouldnt have done anything, but they were on the "bad" side so they had to go.

How did The Godfather know it was Barzini that would betray him (as he told Tom in the car after the meeting with the five families)

(My take)Tataglia, first off, wasnt strong enough to do all that by himself,especially w/ Sollazzo gone.At the meeting Tataglia wasnt the one who was pushing to reslove the drug thing, Barzini was. Barzini also put words in the Dons mouth, so to speak. Vito never mentioned that he would now give his political protection, or help in any way, then all the sudden Barzini states that "Its agreed, the flow of drugs will be controlled..." Also, though i may be wrong on this part, the meeting was to end the war, not to decide on drugs.The war was becuase the Corleones had killed a cop, not about killing Sollazzo.

Meggie, I assume you are talking about Michael knowing the it was Barzini. Well before Vito dies he stresses that one day when Michael would take over 100% and he is gone Barzini will come to you with a peace offering. This peace offering is a set up for a hit. The person (from your family) who comes to you with request is the one who will betray you. That person who came to him was Tessio, who was pictured talked to Barzini beofre and after at the funeral.

This is deduced and not explicitly said, but the logic behind this is Barzini goated the Corleones into a war by the attempt on the Don's life to get more power, because he was the second most powerful Don at the time. If Vito was out of the way he would be #1. Still wanting to be #1 and taking his #1 enemy out (Michael), he will break the peace that Vito made during the comittee meeting after his death, without recourse. That's why Micheal timed the Hits on the heads when he did and why Tessio came to him to "make the peace", when he did.

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Thanks for the heads up

I'm with Turnbull. Whacking the other two Dons made the scene that much bloodier and more dramatic. PLUS it gave him a chance to allude to the famous Albert Anastasia murder by setting ONE of those killings in a barbershop (yeah, the murder didn't take place there, but anyone who knows ANYTHING about Mafia history HAD to make the connection).