I'm pretty sure that this has come up before, but I can't find any reference to it here already...

In the scene where Frank Pentangeli visits the Rosato brothers at their bar, Carmine Rosato meets Frankie at the front door with a hundred dollar bill. When Pentangeli asks what it means, Carmine replies: "It's a lucky C note for our new deal." Frank then tells him that he doesn't like it; that he takes it as an insult...just before one of the other Rosatos strangles him.

The "lucky C note" obviously has some sort of symbolic significance...that has gone completely over my head; something no doubt rooted in Mafia culture and custom.

What is it? What does the "lucky C note" mean?

~ Q

I think it was just a ploy to show that they were 'serious' about ironing things out. Of course, it could also go along with something like when Ola brought a sack of oranges when he met with Michael.

Pantangelie was also basically looking for any sign of an insult. They could have offered him anything and he would have taken umbrage at it.

Remember in Donnie Brasco when Pacino put the C note in the card he wanted to give the boss of Florida to impress him?

Recognize the guy who was or wasn't trying to strangle Pantangelle that was Danny Aeillo

He should have given him a lucky 100 Gs

Cash doesn't usually flow between equals. You give someone cash, you're usually either saying they're an underling or they're your boss. Think of Donnie Brasco and Lefty at Christmas.

I think Frankie had just slipped some money to Anthony at the Communion? That's who gets cash - children.

What offended Pentangeli wasn't the fact that it was a C-Note.
He was willing to negotiate with the Rosatos out of respect for Michael,but that doesn't mean he liked it.
His position was one of gracious compromise.By swallowing his pride for Michael,his only face-saving move was to perpetuate the illusion that he could have taken the Rosatos,but chose not to in the interests of peace.

Then Rosato blows it by reducing it to something as venal as money.
It's just like when Bonasera asks Vito "How much shall I pay you"?

In both cases,the greater sin was assuming that a "man of respect" would freely offer the respect of his friendship to anyone with some money.

Ah. That makes sense. See, I would have interpreted it as quite the opposite - a freely-offered gift and a gesture of good faith at the start of a new relationship. Clearly I would not have survived long in LCN.

~ Q

Bingo. I do believe you've nailed it. Funny how I didn't see that until now.

In light of what was about to happen then (the attempted strangulation of Pentangeli), apparently Carmine Rosato couldn't resist the temptation to stick it right in Frankie's face...as a last gesture of insult just prior to murdering him.

Very "classy"...

~ Q

So you think Rasoto was going to murder him? That is why he said mike corleoni says hello?

That's what I never understood. Why do they say "michael corleone says hello" if they planned on killing Frankie five angels? And when Tom gives Michael the update he says they got him on possession.... Possession of what? A firearm most likely, but why is he packing when he had Cicci? I highly doubt michael was ever packing. Maybe "that fat clamenza" or sonny, but Frankies character didnt seem like the type to have a piece with him.

Just assuming they intended to kill him, it would be to add humiliation to the murder, to make Frankie think he was dying as a betrayed fool instead of a good soldier.

The "Michael Corleone says hello" line has inspired more debate and speculation on these boards than any topic except maybe the identity of the person leaving the drapes open at the Tahoe assassination attempt.
Danny Aiello has said that he ad-libbed the line,and his explanation makes the most sense. You can definitely search this board and come up with hours of reading as afar as why the line was left in the movie.
As far as the possession that Pentangeli was nailed on, I believe they were referring to narcotics.

If this is the case, then it raises a separate issue: If the default position in Mafia culture concerning killing is that "it's strictly business", then the Pentangeli/Rosato conflict would seem to be a real outlier: It seems to have been mostly personal.

~ Q

Possession had to mean heroin.

But why would someone of his stature be carrying narcotics?

Wait a minute you think he walks around carrying a couple of kilo's

I am going to tell you how these guys get caught. When deliveries are made some go their themselves with their people. To make sure they are getting what they pay for. Also they don't trust their own people. Then the cops are tipped off and they all get caught.

Best way is have other people take it from a supplier you have been buying from from years. But you never actually met each other, but you know they give you what you pay for. Which also means don't buy from Mexicans.

Then you take if from them a short distance away if it is safe. Then you can decide what you want to do with the people who took it from your supplier. Use them again or get new people for the next delivery.

If Roth can engineer the workings of a Senate commission, I'm sure he can arrange the planting of drugs on somebody.

You're right. The applicable federal statute is straightforward (USC 21). They would not have found Schedule I drugs on him; probable cause would have been based on his intent to distribute Schedule I drugs.

As Lou said: Danny Aiello ad-libbed "Michael Corleone says hello." And, yes, it has been much discussed here, but not recently.

"Michael Corleone says hello" could fit in the following way: It was intendet for Richie, the bartender. He was obviously a civilian, and obviously nervous ("Carmine, no, not in here...") The cops might question Richie, and he'd be too scared to rat out the Rosatos. So, they fed him that line so he could say, "I dunno who the guys were, but one of them said, 'Michael Corleone says hello' just before they killed Pentangeli." That would steer the cops directly to Michael. Of course he'd have an airtight alibi, but it'd make headlines that would tarnish his "legitimate" cover--especially damaging because he was scheduled to appear before a Senate subcommittee that was investigating him.

And, no, Roth did not engineer Frankie's survival. He ordered the Rosatos to kill Pentangeli. Frankie survived by luck. That scene was a replay of the real-life attempted murder of Larry Gallo in a Brooklyn lounge.

Just a reminder that virtually the same line, "Michael Corleone sends his regards," is in the novel in a similar context. I think it's extremely unlikely that Danny Aiello came up with the idea of using a line there, although maybe he tweaked a couple of the words.