When Tom tells Frankie "dont worry about anything,Frankie Five Angels" he means :

1) Dont worry about ANYTHING - Michael will not come after you.

2) Dont worry,we'll take care of your family once youre dead.(they both understand Michael will kill him)

3) I understand your plan to kill yourself.Go ahead,we'll take care of your family.

--I think its the 3rd option,I think Tom actually tells him to commit suicide (in the cover of history talk)
He tells him "Frankie -- when a plot against the Emperor failed -- the planners were always given a chance to let their families keep their fortunes"

So Frankie has a chance now to let his family keep his fortune...all he has to do is kill himself.

Your opinions please?

I believe, you are right

100% right. (If there's not someone like Don Cardi who undermines my reply )

it always made me wonder, if Frankie killing himself was what Mike wanted, how was it that Tom introduced the idea to Frankie. watching the conversation, it seems as though Frankie is the first to mention the suicide thing. how did tom know that Frankie would understand he was to commit suicide without directly saying it?

Floors! What's the matter with you? Never let anyone outside the family know what you are thinking! I think your brains gone soft from all that comedy that you play with that young girl!

Seriously, I don't undrmine peoples replies! I may correct something that I feel is off base or not factual, but I never undermine!

Don Cardi

Frankie, dispite being a funny old man, was not stupid. Mike knew he would pick up on the hints. He was living on an Army base becasue of his agreeing to testify,(what information he did or did not give is irrelivant) and the lawyer/adviser/whatever the hell Tom was at that point of the family you betreyed visits and you two start a conversation about suicide and emperors and familys and whatnot, you'd have to have Fredo-like inteligence not to pick up on the intentions.

Michael needed a 100% track record of making sure his enemies died. That's basically what he told Tom in the boathouse before Hagen met with Frankie. In that wonderful scene in the exercise yard, it seemed that both Frankie and Hagen came to the conclusion that Frankie, who basically had nothing to live for, would sacrifice his life to satisfy Michael's need, and the Corleones would take care of his family.

You're right. Tom set Frankie up beautifully. He starts by reminding Frankie about the "good ol' days" getting him to remember Vito and the glory times of the Corleone Family. He then reminds Frankie of the Roman History upon which the organization was based. One of the cornerstones of Roman History was that a coup against the emperor could never, ever stand unpunished. The member(s) of the failed coup had the option of killing themselves rather than waiting for execution of him and his entire family. The honor that came from saving the emperor the trouble was that the victim's family would be spared.

By walking Pentangelli down this course of thought, Tom conveyed the "deal" Michael had for Frankie. If Mike and Frank could've spoken, it might have gone like this:

Mike: "Well, Frankie, it's a shame things came to this."

Frank: "Yeah, Mike. I always liked you, you know. I just thought you'd double-crossed me."

M: "No reason to rehash it, Frankie. You know what I gotta do."

F: "I got it pretty safe here in the pen, Mikey. I'm gonna cost you a lotta money and a lot of muscle."

M: "Revenge is a dish best served cold, Frank. There'll be a time. Grieving men let their guard down, from time to time".

F: "About that Mike. I don't mind to help you out IF you will take care of my family, you know, help 'em out and leave them alone at the same time."

M: "If you help me out with this thing I have to do, you have my word, your family will be fine for the rest of their long, natural lives."

F: "Thanks, Mike. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta take a bath."

Hey, I'm a little Winegardner in the making, huh. I guess I shouldn't make fun of him if I can't do any better. You guys get the idea. Salut'.