Paulie was killed because he "sold out the old man." What was meant by that? Also, what did Clemenza mean when he told Paulie to pick up all those mattresses? How could he haul them all in a car?

In the novel its explained in more detail. I haven't read it for a while so im aa bit dusty on this one, but... They looked at the days Paulie had been off and they showed a pattern. So Sollozo must have paid him to be off sick because he knew fredo was the weaker more clumsy charecter and that he would be the driver. Also they feed the matress rubbish to him to see how enfusiastic he was. ie. in the book it says how interested he was in where the matresses would be; he could give the other familys the info for money. In my opinion they made up the matress stuff to see if he was intersed. Giving away he was the traitor. I think.

While im here... Why did they ever suspect clemenza of seeling Vito out? Isnt he the last person to?

"Setting up " the old man means that Paulie was the one to turn against the Corleone's by informing Barzini/Sollozo of Don Vito's daily routine. On the day that Don Vito was shot, it is obvious that Paulie knew what Vito's schedule would be like that day, and let Sollozo/Barzini know and then called in sick at the very last minute fully knowing that the weak Fredo would have to fill in for him to drive Vito that day.

As for the matresses reference, what are you guys watching/reading? Going to the matresses is a phrase that is used by mobsters when a war breaks out and everyone must go into hiding and the soldiers must also go into hiding but stay together. Apartments are rented, and matresses are brought in and placed all over the floors so that the soldiers can crash at those apartments, hide there and at the same time be on call when needed by the bosses to carry out a hit, or whatever. Basically a family may put 2 dozen soldiers in one apartment, therefore putting "matresses" all over the rooms for these men to sleep on. So if a boss says that we are going to the matresses, it is understood that we are going to war and need to go underground.


Don Cardi

They suspected Clemenza because Clemenza was the one who brought Paulie into the Corleone family. On the DVD bonus disc there is a deleted scene explaining this whole scenario regarding Sonny suspecting Clemenza, but they soon find out that Clemenza had nothing to do with Paulie setting up the old man. It's a really informative scene and as I've said many many times before it should have been left in the movie.

Don Cardi

Paulie was "a little sick all winter." I infer that Paulie was setting up a test for Sollozzo--checking to see if Fredo would drive for his old man, or somebody more formidable, and also seeing if the Don would leave the office at the same time even when Paulie wasn't there.
DC explained "going to the mattresses." In the film, Clemenza told Paulie to "order" the mattresses, not to transport them in his car. It was a ruse in any event, though the family eventually did go to the mattresses.

ive seen that scene because I have the DVD but it doesnt say why Clemenza would turn agints vito.
There releationship is strange; vito, teesio and Clemenza. Theyve none eachover for years but Vito seems to look downt on them. Do you think he would be insulted if they didnt kiss his hand or anything like that. Or would he understand os there friends. Also do you think the 3 could ever sit down and have a laugh together or was it a "non-sociable relationship? "

Thnks Don Cardi!

Im sure the 3 of them was close friends and did alot of things together.its just something we will never know.As that wasnt in the story.

If you watch the movie closely Clemenza and Tessio are hardly ever together, their areas are even very far apart.

It was in vito's best interest to keep them seperate so they don't work together and try and take over the family or something along those lines.

So maybe when they started out they were good friends but as the years went on they slowly seperated.

So maybe when they started out they were good friends but as the years went on they slowly seperated. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Thats true.

Just to add to what I was saying before:

Vito himself the physical person is not "powerful" the thing that makes him powerful is the connections he has and the men he has working for him.
So say Clemenza and Tessio are good friends and decide they want to take over the family, vito no longer has the power because who does he have working for him? Luca? Sonny's "Crew" if he had one.


Another thing that I read somewhere and I've been looking for but haven't been able to find is this (turnbull will be able to correct it if it is wrong):
The family's TOP enforcer (Luca) was usually very well taken care of, sometimes to the point where he was almost "having a better life" than the Don himself. It was a way of keeping the Enforcer loyal and making sure he never tried anything against the Don, almost as if trying to take over the Family would actually be like a demotion.