Thank you Evita

I'll take it! Likewise you and the Board too

Of course they (the subcommittee chairman, Questadt, Roth) knew that Michael would bend over backward not to take the Fifth because the only permissible form of response is: "I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that my answer might tend to incriminate me." The beauty part of the plot against him was that, by hiding Pentangeli's survival until after Michael testified, and by having Cicci testify earlier that he never talked to Michael, they made him relax and think he could get away with lying under oath instead of pleading the Fifth.

Pentangeli was stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. If he testified, he'd have had a price on
his head no matter where the FBI placed him. And, the government undoubtedly offered him "immunity to testify"--if he waived his Fifth Amendment privilege and agreed to testify against Michael, he would not be prosecuted for any of the crimes he admitted to while under oath. By repudiating his affidavit, he violated the terms of his agreement. The FBI would have turned him over to NYPD, which would have prosecuted him for the crimes that Tom mentioned to Michael: "possession, Murder One.." He'd be put in the general prison population, where his life expectancy would have been about five minutes.

There's another possibility, too: When he was discussing his "future" with Tom, he talked about the Romans who had a "little party" before they killed themselves..."and their families were taken care of." Some people here think it meant that Frankie's family would be killed if he didn't commit suicide, but if he did, they'd be safe and get some financial support.

I believe Michael “pleading the Fifth” was never an option even if Michael had known about “Pentangeli's survival” before “Michael testified”

Michael & Hagen towards the end of 1
It occurred to me, seems far-fetched....
Michael locates / contacts Vincenzo out of the blue and Vincenzo comes all the way from Sicily to help Michael against Vincenzo's own brother Frankie because Omertà is more important than his own brother's life?

My take is there was never any danger of “Frankie's family would be killed” same as Vincenzo

As Tom said
ie: “financial support” if the planners killed themselves

As far as Michael is concerned nobody gets a pass Everybody who plotted against Michael must die whether Frankie the good old man who was loyal to Michael's father for years or Fredo, Michael's own 'weak and stupid' brother

“Pentangeli was stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place” indeed
I had forgotten the NYPD and Frankie's "possession, Murder One.." and a lot more!

Why because He's old fashion? Only Michael could get him out, get him away from that two mule town Go figure!

So, what's your answer gonna be, Turnbull?

Why help Michael against Vincenzo's own brother Frankie

The answer, I believe, is when the committee chairman hurriedly adjourns the meeting. Tom turns to Vincenzo and says in Italian, "The honor of the family is secure." This tells me that Michael and Tom convinced Vincenzo to come to America because they told him that Frankie was going to dishonor the family by breaking omerta and testifying for the Law. But, by showing up, Vincenzo would shame Frankie into shutting up. It's also possible that Vincenzo's presence might threaten Frankie by implying that if he dishonored the family, Vincenzo would be obligated to take vengeance against Frankie's family.

Tom told the committee earlier that Vincenzo came to America "at his own expense to help his brother in his time of need." By preventing Frankie from going through with breaking omerta, Vincenzo helped his brother.

I know I'm not the one you asked, but if I can add you two cents : Vincenzo didn't act in order to help Michael. He acted in order to save the family's honor.
Yes, if Frankie snitched, the Pentangeli 's reputation would be irremediably lost.

At the end of the trial, Tom (?? I think??) turns to him and says in Sicilian:" The honor of your family is intact."

That would be important for Vincenzo. Essential enough to leave his two-mule town to set his brother straight and then go back. Not in the States to go sightseeing.

Oops! I didn't see your answer, Turnbull.

Makes sense Wow! rather die than break Omertà

Vincenzo's help to his brother Frankie was “preventing Frankie from going through with breaking Omertà” which benefited Michael nicely! and “Pentangeli reputation” and “honor of the family is secure“


Michael told Kay at Hotel Washington

Thanks for the answers

Wow! rather die than break Omertà

Came across this video I found very interesting

Thanks for posting this, Irishman, I always appreciate serious, detailed analyses of Trilogy plot themes.

In this case, I think the answer is much simpler: Michael knew, almost immediately after the Tahoe attack, that Roth was behind it. Only two people--Pentangeli and Roth--could have benefited from killing Michael. Pentangeli was the obvious one because of his beef over the Rosato brothers and his desire to get Michael off his back. But, he was too obviously set up as the patsy for the shooting. The big prize was Havana, not three territories in the Bronx. As Pentangeli admitted to Michael in NY (and as Michael already knew), "I don't have your head for the big deals." Contrary to what this film says, Michael already knew it was Roth when he met with Pentangeli in NY--he said so to Pentangeli--and before all the play-acting Roth did in Havana. The only outstanding doubt was to find out who was the traitor in his family.

A long time ago I posted that greed blinds otherwise intelligent people to the obvious--and dangerous. Michael's greed for controlling all the legal gambling in Nevada and Havana blinded him to the obvious: Why would Roth sit still for Michael's killing of Roth's best friend, Moe Green? Why would Roth sit back and let Michael barge into Nevada gaming almost as soon as he returned from Sicily, and take over Klingman's holding in a hotel Roth part-owned? Why would Roth--if, as Michael said, thought he'd live forever--turn over all his Havana holdings to Michael? And why, especially, would Roth, who lived in Miami and had business interests in Nevada and Havana, involve himself in a penny-ante dispute over three territories in the Bronx?

Michael didn't see all of this before the Tahoe shooting because greed blinded him to the obvious. The bullets flying in his bedroom opened his eyes.

I appreciate videos like this too Turnbull. I'm glad you do as well. A little long but worth the watch. One of the reasons I liked Part I more than Part II was the story of II was always a little confusing to me. This cleared up a lot of it.