Tom's insistence that they meet with Sollazzo validates Sollazzo's standing. To me, that's a HUGE mistake, a mistake Genco NEVER would have made. Ten years ago, no, you would not have gotten to the Don.
It's Tom's counsel (and lack of "Sicilian cunning") that provided the crack in the armor which allowed Sollazzo to drive-in the wedge. (It's Tom's counsel that give us the entire premise for the movie!)
tony b.
Yes! And let's not forget that Tom was strongly in favor of the deal. While he was "doing his duty" to counsel his Don about a good business opportunity, and only the Don could decide, Tom's advocacy probably made the difference between the meeting happening or not (per your Genco scenario). When he said to Vito, "We can't put the Sollozzo meeting off any longer," I took it to mean that Vito had pretty much said no several times before, and Tom was pestering him to at least hear Sollozzo out.
