Originally Posted by Turnbull
Originally Posted by Lana

If that was not proof for Tessio that Michael was “more than qualified to be the new don” confront Barzini, stop Barzini encroaching into Corleone territories and win

Well, Don Tessio!


This raises an interesting point:Both the movie and the novel say that part of Vito's (and Michael's) strategy was to act weak--the better to make their enemies underestimate them, and, perhaps, to draw out traitors. The novel says both Tess and Clem gave Michael credit "for a bravura performance with the Turk and Solozzo," but they also concluded that Michael "lacked force." Well, acting weak put Tess and Clem to the loyalty test: Clem passed, Tess failed and paid the price, as did the other Dons who were fooled by weak-act.

But, couldn't we also conclude that, by acting strong, Michael could have deterred treason and kept the other Dons from encroaching on his territory? Didn't acting weak encourage betrayal and embolden the other Dons to take advantage?


What you conjecture could be accurate. However, it did not fit Vito's overall strategy. Remember, in the novel Michael tells Vito that his intended actions were not completely to avenge Sonny's and Apollonia's murders, but revenge was a big part of it. Although neither the novel or film tells us explicitly what Vito's motivations were, I think it's safe to surmise that he wanted revenge also. So, for both Michael and Vito, feigning weakness would draw the other family's into the trap. Because Vito had no intention of abiding by his pledge at the Dons' meeting, he (as Michael stated in the novel) planned alot of the revenge. The novel also states that he turned the family over to Michael because he didn't have the heart anymore to carry out the plans. But the plans were definitely his and his last act was going to be securing underworld hegemony for Michael and the Corleones.

Last edited by olivant; 01/05/20 03:48 PM.
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