What if Michael's mother asked him to spare Fredo?
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robk86 — 10 years ago(November 27, 2015 12:37 PM)
My answer is "No".
For one, I don't think Mama Corleone would ever find out. You can't be successful in that business if you let slip who you are going to whackand that goes for all levels of the hierarchy.
Second, women were not involved in the Family business. Even if she were to find out and appeal to Michael, he was under no obligation to listen to her. He'd probably still do what he did in the film and wait until she passed to carry out the deed. Or if he were in a hurry and couldn't wait, he'd probably have it carried out in such a way that it would look like a suicide (see the prostitute's death to see how cunning mobsters can be). Besides, let's be real: If Michael is at the point where he is really considering killing his own brother, can we really expect him to change his mind for any reason? That's not exactly a decision you make lightly.
Michael had made up his mind when he found out that Fredo knew information regarding the Congressional hearings that he withheld from him. The best opportunity Fredo had of surviving would have been to go home with Michael when Michael called for him outside the presidential palace in Cuba. He then should have told the truth about everything on the plane ride home. The fact that Fredo ran from his brother, hid from him for so long, expressed his frustration with being "passed over", and then withheld information from him shows that he could never be trusted. Mama could not convince Michael of otherwise.
"Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it!" -
Noir-It-All — 10 years ago(April 01, 2016 01:27 PM)
In the novel, Mama AND the Don told Santino to not "interfere" when Carlo was beating Connie. After Connie ran home for shelter, her mother told Connie that Vito never beat her because she had given him any reason to. (Connie was so shocked at this that she told Carlo about it!)
Later in the novel, Tom observed that Mrs. Corleone survived by NOT perceiving what was going on, the effect the criminal activity was having on the health and welfare of the members of her family.
Would Mrs. Corleone make an exception for Fredo? She wouldn't notice and, if she did, would not interfere.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne -
april_rain — 9 years ago(January 03, 2017 07:47 AM)
I agree with this answer
If Mrs Corleone knew about the hit, she would have definitely confronted Michael and begged him to spare Fredo. Michael would assure her while she was alive and follow through with the kill after she had passed on.
Michael had made up his mind when he found out that Fredo knew information regarding the Congressional hearings that he withheld from him.
Yes. Only he knew the level of Fredo's betrayal. Fredo had many chances to come clean but he blows them all due to his misplaced ego. He shows no remorse for his betrayal and still laments about breaking free. That ship had sailed long time back. He was too weak and passive to build something for himself and still had a growing sense of entitlement. That means, he would continue to be a loose cannon and endanger Michael and others at the behest of an outsider.
When you look at Michael's face as he gives the order to Al Neri(both scenes), you can tell how tortured his mind was. He is making a decision that goes dead against his biological instincts and the strong family ties his Father had instilled in him.
The whole Fredo storyline was way too tragic to watch.