Last weekend I talked to a GF afficionado. The first thing he asked me was: "Don't you think that Fredo knew what was going to happen when Anthony left the boat?"
This was for him the key question in GF2.
I've never really thought about it. And I'm not quite convinced. I think it wasn't the first time Neri and Fredo went fishing.

How could he?

Some people here, quite a while back, surmised that Fredo did know, and thought he realized it was fitting penance for his betrayal of Michael--even linking the Hail Mary to that penance. But, as Oli said, how could he know? He got in the boat with Anthony, and Neri certainly wouldn't have shot him with Anthony present.

FFC often had religious music, prayers or ceremonies running while violence occurrred. Scorsese often had Italian music playing when shootings occurred.

He could have suspected it when Anthony was rushed of the boat and he was left with only Neri. But then again, Fredo wasn't that smart...

Fredo wasn't a genius but its not not like he was totally retarded as people make it seem. I mean he is in the mafia so he knows how it works plus he knows neri is Mike's top hitman. I think when he said "Shit" he knew it was over. also the way he said"Ok Al lets go" it was almost like he knew so he just wanted to get it over with

I don't know. To me it looks as if going fishing was a routine for them.

I always got the feeling that Fredo was resigned to his fate, that it was a day he had been awaiting.

When Anthony was called away, Fredo's whole demeanor changed;voice, facial expression, body language .. Not the kind of change of disappointment, more like resignation. I think he knew. Anthony's trip was part of the plan to get Neri and Fredo alone on the lake, so Al was prepared.

I think fredo knew eventually he would get whacked. And Like MaryCas said Fredo went from being happy to bonding with his nephew to changing his whole demeaner when he knew that we was going out alone in the lake with the families top hitman

I don't buy that at all. Fredo was distinctly meek and unanimated throughout the Trilogy except during Michahel's visit to Las Vegas and during his boathouse encounter with Michael. If you are going to contend that his demeanor changed once Anthony was retrieved by his aunt prior to the fishing expedition, then it would support your contention to describe his demeanor in th emoments prior to that retrieval. I viewed his demeanor before and after Anthony's departure as relatively unanimated and unchanged.

The base level of Fredo's stupidity is established by, "...ah...wrong number." There's no reason to think he ever suspected anything about anything.

You do know he said "wrong number" on purpose since he knew Ola and roth had just fucked him over so he didn't want anybody especially his dumbass wife to know

There is definetly a change is Fredo's demeanor from when anthony was there to when he was suddenly called to go. I mean that was pretty clear

No there wasn't except for Fredo shouting back to Connie that they were going fishing. To begin with, there were few words spoken in that scene and except for the shout they were all rather muted as was everyone's behavior. They were gettin gin and out of a boat. In fact, there was little behavior by anyone on which one could base a perceived change. There was no physical or verbal excitement manifested by any of the characters during the scene to contrast with further behavior.

Its a good scene that you can interpret either way. I think both arguments are valid

I think we would agree that film is an art form. Art can be interpreted by the viewers in many different ways. In this particular scene we have offered different interpretations. To say any one interpretation is wrong (No), is in a sense denying that "The Godfather II" is not an art form.

Crusher based his post on cognition, not interpretation.

Frankly, it would take a lot of courage to accept an execution so calmly. I don't think that Fredo had it in him and few otherwise brave people would have.

A more pertinent question is, IMHO, did Connie know? Her antennae seemed to be pretty finely tuned when Carlo was about to be whacked. That is why she tried to protect him via making Michael godfather to their kid. Which, of course, didn't work.

So, she had to know that the reconciliation that she had seemingly mediated between Mike and Fredo didn't mean much either. And when Tony suddenly got called away and Fredo was left with Neri... yea. She should have been aware what was happening and gone along with it, I guess.

Cel, at the time I don't think she knew or she didn't want to admit that her brother would murder their brother.

Well it was an interpretation i may not be right i dont give a shit lol

When it comes to Connie I think maybe not right away she suspected Fredo's murder but as she got more and more involved in the criminal side of the family as we see in part III she probably put the pieces together. When it comes to Fredo people can say he was dumb which he was but i mean come one the guy knew what goes on in the mob so he knew that his days were numbered whether it nwas that day in the boat or a week from then

Fredo didn't have a clue. He thought Michael forgave him at their mother's funeral.

As for Connie, my guess is she figured it out right away but ket her mouth shut. After all if Anthony figured it out, COnnie would have.

I think Fredo knew.

Eaxactly TB. That's what the funeral scene was all about.

Thanks, Oli, but it was dt who said that Fredo thought Michael forgave him at Mama's wake (and I agree with both of you).

As for Connie: I've speculated (and it's a real longshot) that Connie knew Michael had Fredo whacked. But she may have had something akin to a mental overload, blaming herself for insisting that Michael forgive Fredo and take him back--in effect, helping to put him in a deathtrap. So, the only way she could live with that knowledge was to put herself in a permanent state of denial. Earlier, she experienced the horror of Michael having her husband whacked on the day he stood godfather to Anthony--after she begged Michael to let Carlo be godfather. A lot to deal with...

I completely agree about Connie. What else could she do except to divorce herself from Michael which sounds easy to do but isn't. The guilt she must have felt!