The Godfather II

[Hot Mega]

Why did Vito kill Fanucci? The real reason.

 

[Supafly]

Vito asks his friends to allow him to convince Fanucci to accept less money, telling his friends "I make him an offer he don't refuse." Vito manages to get Fanucci to take only a half of what he had demanded.

I think he wanted to make sure Fanucci got the picture of how serious that offer was :dunno:

 

[rock hard]

It was a power move...and Vito's first step towards becoming "the man" in the neighborhood.

I think Vito also knew that Fanucci wouldn't care about his wife's friend getting kicked out of her house for having a yappy dog, and he would never go talk to Don Roberto.....so Vito's wife would be unhappy about her friend and Vito wouldn't be getting any pussy with her upset :2 cents:

It's always about the pussy man!!!

 

[Rey C.]

Great question! Great movie!

I just watched it again the other night (for probably the 100th+ time). The only thing I can figure is Vito knew that even if Fanucci took the deal, he'd be under his thumb from that day forward. The more Vito and his little gang grew, the more Fanucci would be on them. So he was thinking long term. Don Fanucci had to go. I think he had planned to take him out all along. But I don't think he told his guys up front what he was about to do, because they might have gone chicken at the prospect of Vito taking on such a powerful guy.

 

[meesterperfect]

Obvious, no?
Fanucci was The Black Hand, he was extorting from Italian owned businesses (which is one thing mafiosos do right?).
But they showed him putting the knife to the girls throat which I suppose was to create hatred for the character being that harming family is supposedly against the rules.
Like Rock hard said it was basically a power move to take control of the neighborhood and to avoid having to wet fanucci's beak.

What I want to know is if Fredo was the one who opened Michael's bedroom curtains..........where his children sometimes come and play with their toys.
I think the unheard conversation would have went something like this:
Johnny Ola: Fredo, I need you to open Michaels bedroom curtains.
Fredo: Oh gee I don't know Johnny, I'm smart, not dumb, I'm smart.
Ola: Just do it Fredo and there's something in it for you, on your own.
Fredo: Oh gee, why not? If I can bang cocktail watresses two at a time I guess I could do that.

 

[Rey C.]

Yeah, I think Fanucci putting the knife to the girl's throat was also a deciding factor. And as a side note, the actress who played the girl was a new to the business Kathleen Beller. If she'd had a nude or topless scene in the movie, I'd probably have to watch The Godfather II at least once a week. I've watched "The Betsy" three or four times just to take in her natural, nude beauty - and it's a horrible movie!

But anyway, the main thing that scene showed was how even Clemenza would back down to Fanucci, even with his beloved being threatened. Vito didn't have the same fear. And that scene showed that if he was to take the big man down, he'd have to do it on his own... as his friend was afraid of the Black Hand boss.

 

[maildude]

The Black Hand was extorting money from his gang, and terrorizing the neighborhood he grew up in. Plus he threatened the girl his buddy had a crush on. Plus he gave his nephew a job at Abbandando's and the owner had to fire Vito...well, the reasons were all pretty good.

 

[Shifty]

Vito killed Fanucci because 1) Fanucci fucked with him and 2) he (Vito) was taking over the neighborhood.

 

[Hot Mega]

IMO...It wasn't about power at all. It wasn't because he intimidated the neighborhood, extorted payola, threatening the girl in the play or even losing his job.

Although all of those reasons were probably some factor in how he felt about Fanucci, Vito was fine coexisting with those circumstances. He accepted it was just the nature of things. Otherwise if it were for those reasons, he wouldn't have met with him but just killed him.

After meeting with Fanucci, making him an offer and explaining his plight...he saw that Fanucci was unreasonable to circumstance. Then he decided to kill him. He Tessio and Clemenza could have paid the money as they were willing to.

Contrastingly, he becomes Don and is reasonable to other's plights. When the barking dog widow explains her situation with the landlord, Vito doesn't just throw his weight around although he could have. He tries to reason with her alternatives before he talks to the landlord. He doesn't even bully the landlord he makes him a more than reasonable offer on behalf of the widow, etc.

The whole theme of the saga, 'make him an offer he can't refuse', etc. was based on the premise reasonableness. You see it come up over and over as a recurring theme throughout the story.

Remember, the setup was him having watched his mother get blown away after trying to reason with Don Ciccio so he didn't have a soft spot for people unwilling to reason.:2 cents:

Vito killed Fanucci because he was unreasonable.

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

Obvious, no?
Fanucci was The Black Hand, he was extorting from Italian owned businesses (which is one thing mafiosos do right?).
But they showed him putting the knife to the girls throat which I suppose was to create hatred for the character being that harming family is supposedly against the rules.
Like Rock hard said it was basically a power move to take control of the neighborhood and to avoid having to wet fanucci's beak.

What I want to know is if Fredo was the one who opened Michael's bedroom curtains..........where his children sometimes come and play with their toys.
I think the unheard conversation would have went something like this:
Johnny Ola: Fredo, I need you to open Michaels bedroom curtains.
Fredo: Oh gee I don't know Johnny, I'm smart, not dumb, I'm smart.
Ola: Just do it Fredo and there's something in it for you, on your own.
Fredo: Oh gee, why not? If I can bang cocktail watresses two at a time I guess I could do that.

Yup, but Puzo also used this to demonstrate that Vito, despite being a gangster, had a morality that few other gangsters had. It was about power as well as justice. Vito was anti-fascist and Fenucci embodied the kind of man who killed his parents and brutally ruled Corleone.

The point of this was to show how Michael was turning into the antithesis of his old man. As you watched the young Vito essentially liberate his neighborhood and become a fair and pragmatic leader, Michael turned into a ruthless tyrant who'd stoop to killing his own brother.

 

[Hot Mega]

Yup, but Puzo also used this to demonstrate that Vito, despite being a gangster, had a morality that few other gangsters had. It was about power as well as justice. Vito was anti-fascist and Fenucci embodied the kind of man who killed his parents and brutally ruled Corleone.

The point of this was to show how Michael was turning into the antithesis of his old man. As you watched the young Vito essentially liberate his neighborhood and become a fair and pragmatic leader, Michael turned into a ruthless tyrant who'd stoop to killing his own brother.

Hard to see it being about power in any sense since Vito never aspired to become a gangster or usurp Fanucci. His involvement in crime happened as a result of losing his job and stealing with Clemenza.

Even though Fanucci represented in Vito's eyes the same kind of Don that Don Ciccio was, Vito was still willing to try and reason with him.

After going to Fanucci with his offer and sob story, he saw that Fanucci was a man indifferent to reason or plight. That was what the whole exercise of meeting with him was about and the setup showing his mother going to try and reason with Don Ciccio IMO.

 

[Shifty]

Vito killed Fanucci because he was unreasonable.

I disagree - I don't think that was why. I think it was much simpler than that.

Vito's father and brother were both murdered in cold blood - these events shaped him.

Fanucci was top dog. Moreover, he wanted a piece of whatever Vito was earning.

The neighborhood wasn't big enough for the both of them. So, Vito killed Fanucci ... and became top dog.

It was Vito's son Michael (not Santino) who became most like his father.

 

[Hot Mega]

I disagree - I don't think that was why. I think it was much simpler than that.

Vito's father and brother were both murdered in cold blood - these events shaped him.

Fanucci was top dog. Moreover, he wanted a piece of whatever Vito was earning.

The neighborhood wasn't big enough for the both of them. So, Vito killed Fanucci ... and became top dog.

It was Vito's son Michael (not Santino) who became most like his father.

Why not kill him outright instead of meeting with him and offering him what he claimed he could only give based on some sob story then?

It was the same thing when Vito sent Hagen to talk to Jack Woltz for Johnny Fontane years later.

He made him a reasonable offer (that he couldn't 'refuse')...Woltz told Hagen to pound sand and ended up with Khartoum's (his horse) head in his bed.

That's the whole point IMO. If he makes you a reasonable offer...don't refuse it.

 

[HE1FiNEARTiST]

The Godfather Part IV?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Mancini-Corleone

 

[meesterperfect]

Really good posts here.
good insight.

And Rey, remember although Clemenza did want to give in to Fanucci it was Vitos friend and future consigliere Genco that had the hots for that sexy little pezzo di culo

 

[Shifty]

Why not kill him outright instead of meeting with him and offering him what he claimed he could only give based on some sob story then?

He's testing (fucking with) Fanucci to see how 'bad' he really is. It turns out he's not bad at all - he's soft. He took the $100 with no fuss whatsoever - no hint of aggression, nothing. He's afraid of Vito!

Scene

CUT TO: Inside the Café. VITO enters. He places the money on the table by FANUCCI. FANUCCI covers it with his hat.

FANUCCI: It looks like there's -- $100 under my hat --

[He looks under the hat.]

Ahh -- I was right. Only $100!

[He pushes the hat over to VITO.]

VITO [in Italian]: I'm short on money right now. I've been out of work -- so just give me a little time. You understand, don't you? ("Fuck with me, I dare you!")

[FANUCCI laughs and takes back the money.]

FANUCCI [in Italian]: You've got balls, young man! How come I never heard of you before? You've got a lot of guts. I'll find you some work for good money. (Kissing ass?)

[FANUCCI stands and gets his jacket.]

No hard feelings, right? If I can help you, let me know. (Kissing ass?)

[He pinches VITO's cheek.]

You've done well for yourself. (Kissing ass?)

[He begins to leave.]

Enjoy the Festa!

[After he leaves VITO rubs his cheek in disgust]

Enjoy the $100 ... while you can. :hatsoff:

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

Hard to see it being about power in any sense since Vito never aspired to become a gangster or usurp Fanucci. His involvement in crime happened as a result of losing his job and stealing with Clemenza.

Even though Fanucci represented in Vito's eyes the same kind of Don that Don Ciccio was, Vito was still willing to try and reason with him.

After going to Fanucci with his offer and sob story, he saw that Fanucci was a man indifferent to reason or plight. That was what the whole exercise of meeting with him was about and the setup showing his mother going to try and reason with Don Ciccio IMO.

I said power as well as justice. Maybe not power as in the quest to be the Don, but the quest to live without being under the thumb from people like Fanucci...or what he represents (Ciccio.) Vito reasoned with him and saw an impotent man who still wants Vito to wet his beak and he took a shot at ending him. The meeting with Fanucci showed Vito that Fanucci was essentially nothing...just an impotent man who's all smoke and mirrors...too cheap to have bodyguards. Why give somebody 50% when you can kill them and give them nothing?

I don't know...it makes sense to me. The Andolinis were killed by Ciccio, Vito was forced to come to America and, as an adult, the idea of reasoning with some Don wasn't something he could do when he was presented the opportunity.

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

Not to digress, but holy fuck...thinking back on the Godfather II makes me realize that De Niro scenes alone could have been a movie....as well as the Hymen Roth stuff...and the Pentangeli angle. What an incredible movie.

As bad as GF III was, kudos to both Puzo and Coppola for not running that shit into the grand after the first two. If that came out today, there would be six Godfathers and a series spin-off on FX by 2013.

 

[Shifty]

Not to digress, but holy fuck...thinking back on the Godfather II makes me realize that De Niro scenes alone could have been a movie....as well as the Hymen Roth stuff...and the Pentangeli angle. What an incredible movie.

Francis Ford Coppola lives on royalties earned from The Godfather franchise.

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

Francis Ford Coppola lives on royalties earned from The Godfather franchise.

Oh I know, but in '74, there wasn't any VHS, DVDs, cable, etc. If I remember correctly, he and Puzo did G3 strictly because Coppola needed a big payday. He said something to that affect.

So, for 16 years, he rejected the opportunity to cash in on big bucks. I bet you Paramount was hounding them for a part III or years.