Can anyone tell the story of what actuallly happened in Cuba? First the executives from a few large corporations (such as the telephone company, the sugar company etc) and Michael Corleone met with the President. Later on Hyman Roth shows up. It looked like they all wanted to do business with the Cuban Government. Hyman Roth asked Michal for the $2 million that Fredo brought in, but it was said earlier that it was supposed to be a gift to the Cuban President. Then there was the New Year's Eve party where the president suddenly announced his resignation (why?). Hyman Roth gets his neck broken in an assassination attempt. After that there was chaos and everyone was rushing to get out of Cuba. It looks like little nothing was accomplished. Please build on this.

Everything you mention revolves around the rebel activity in cuba. I think you missed that part. Michael does not invest because he has doubts that rebels might overthrow the government and spoil their illegal empire plans.

It was jonny ola who has is neck broke.

Hi Lock, welcome to the boards. I hope some of the "experts" kick in here. There have been some threads on this topic before. Svsg sums it up fairly succinctly. BUT your post leads to speculation. If Michael Corleone could see there was trouble with the rebels and the risk of investing was growing daily, why couldn't Hyman Roth - the savvy businessman - see the same threats. Or was Hyman going to take the $2 mil and run?, knowing eventually he was going to knock off MC?

I think Roth foresaw the trouble with the rebels, and I think he planned to take the $2 million and run as you suggest.

Remember Mike's comment to Fredo about how he would be attending the New Year's Eve party at the presidential palace and then be assassinated. Mike knew what was coming, or at least what was supposed to come.

What thwarted Roth's plan (besides Mike's knowledge of it), and what no one (except possibly Mike) anticipated, was the speed of the rebel takeover.

Obviously, as they were busy partying instead of heading for the hills, they didn't expect it to happen that night.

Lock, the sequence you cited was based on real-life events:
Meyer Lansky, the character on whom Roth is based, was very tight with Fulgencio Batista, the Cuban dictator portrayed in the film. When Batista seized power in '52, he saw that US tourism had fallen way off because gambling in Havana's casinos was crooked. He brought in his old pal Lansky because Lansky had a reputation for giving the suckers an even break. Lansky and Batista built the Havana Riviera, Cuba's largest casino/hotel, which opened in March, 1958. Lansky was aware of rebel activity, but he was secretly sending money to Castro to keep his options open. He misled himself into thinking that he could continue to control gambling after Castro took over in January, 1959. Uh-uh--Castro closed the casinos and whorehouses, and booted out all the gangsters. Lansky lost his hotel. (He did have enough influence with Castro to get Santos Trafficante, his major Mafia partner in Cuba, sprung from one of Castro's jails.)

As for the film: Everything in the script indicates that Roth thought the rebels had no chance of taking over--wishful thinking. I believe his intent was to take the $2m from Michael, have Michael assassinated, then either keep the $2m, or give it to Batista as a gift from himself (Roth), not Michael. Michael took an incredible risk going to Cuba, where Roth was the most powerful gringo and could have him swatted like a fly. But Michael was intent on playing out the game until he knew for sure who the traitor was in his family. He knew that Roth wouldn't move against him until Roth had the $2m. That's why he didn't bring the money to the island, and later, when Fredo brought it, he didn't hand it over. I believe that Michael saw that the rebels would win. I also believe that he wanted Fredo to bring the money and to be with him in Havana as a test to see if Fredo was involved in the betrayal and Tahoe shooting. Note the intense looks Michael gives Fredo when Fredo asks if anyone he knows is in Havana, and later, when he introduces him to Johnny Ola.

Was it just $2M? They were talking about being bigger than US steel and such lofty stuff. All this rivalry for just $2 million
Remember when Solozzo asked for 1M in cash, it was no big deal (except for solozzo himself who didn't have that kind of cash)

When roth says there bigger than "US Steel" he is on about there buisness "mafia" "men of honour"

Very valuable information from you Turnbull (as usual ... ) So in the movie, had Roth already run business in Cuba when this businessmen group met the president, and Roth acted as the one clearing the path for his friends?
Because I read in one of the discussions here that the American businessmen visit to Cuba was actually happened. Was Lansky among them?

I think in the film, Roth was acting as one of several businessmen who were "friends" with Batista. He was clearing the path for Michael, but I'm guessing that the other guys didn't need him--they just needed cash (or gold telephones).
The real-life Lansky acted as a clearing-house for other gangsters who wanted pieces of the gambling action in Havana. He may also have helped some legitimate businessmen get set up. But bear in mind, that pre-Castro Cuba was practically a US colony.

Keep in mind that $2 million in 1959 might be as much as $20 or more million in today's dollars. The $2 million was the Corleone's investment in Cuba - just that one family's investment alone.

“Wings to Cuba and the Caribbean” 1948 Pan Am Kodachrome Travelogue

The Cuba section begins at 18:08

Excellent! We were in Havana a couple of years ago. Looks much the same as in this film. Cuba's very poor now but the gov't spends a lot of money to keep downtown Havana in good shape.

I think I spotted Hyman Roth in the pool at the Hotel Nacional.

What happened to the $2M? Inconsequential, sure, but it still is $$$. Last we see (I believe) it's in Fredo's room. He doesn't appear to have it when he runs from Mike in Havana, and I don't think Mike ever got it from Fredo. Perhaps it got left in the hotel and a housekeeper unearthed it during the frenzy?

The $2 million was with Michael, in his car, as he was leaving Havana, and shouting after Fredo, "You're still my brother."

When Michael gets back to Nevada, Tom and Neri are both carrying bags,. but neither looks like the little case Fredo took to Havana.