Question: I see this as an (unavoidable) mistake, but during Vito's path across the rooftops prior to killing Fanucci, the buildings, bricks, and chimneys are obviously old (brick wear, missing mortar, patches). When, if the scene took place at that time, most of the rowhouses in NYC would have been built circa 1890-1920, so they would have been essentially brand new. Does that seem accurate?
raywest
6th Nov 2024
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Answer: I would say not entirely accurate. New York tenement buildings were built as early as the 1820s, but the majority in the mid-to-late 1800s, so many were fairly old during this scene's timeframe. There are numerous other factors related to that era, including poor maintenance, inferior building materials, shoddy construction practices, lax government regulation, inspections, oversight, etc. All would contribute to the tenements' poor condition.
2nd Nov 2020
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: Why are Connie and the other woman wearing black and teary-eyed when Kay visits the children before her encounter with Michael? I believe the woman by the fish tank may be Kay's mother but Connie also seems tearful and upset and dressed as if in mourning. (03:05:30)
Answer: As I recall, this scene was shortly after Mama Corleone died. Connie would still be mourning and wearing black. The other woman is not Kay's mother, but probably a random Corleone relative. Connie is grieving her mother, but also is saddened by Michael's cruelty toward Kay and at seeing Kay's emotional secret visit with her children. Michael had prevented Kay from seeing them.
29th Jun 2020
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
11th Mar 2020
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: How did Michael know it was Roth behind the attempt on his life, not Frank Pentangeli?
Answer: Michael always suspected Roth, though he didn't have proof, and then believed it was Pentangeli. Michael learned that Fredo was involved in the assassination plot on his life. Fredo confessed that he was helping Roth, expecting some compensation in return, though he did not know there would be an attempt to kill Michael.
Answer: He didn't know for sure it was Ross until he went to Cuba and asked about the order on Pentangeli. Roth gave the speech about Moe Green starting Las Vegas, someone had him killed and he didn't ask. What he said to Michael told him why he wanted him killed, plus he knew Ross had ordered the hit on Pentangelli, plus he heard his brother slip up at the club earlier that he had been there before with the other guy that Michael knows is against him. That's when Michael kew his brother betrayed him - when he slipped up in the club. So Michael found out everything on New Year's Eve in Cuba.
26th Mar 2018
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: What exactly did Fredo do to help Roth (that led to the assassination attempt at Lake Tahoe)? Fredo says ‘I never knew they would try to kill you'. Ok, but what was going on exactly then? What did he think was going on? What *was* going on? All we know is Michael's room got shot up and Fredo betrayed him, leading to the event.
Answer: Fredo was offered money and business opportunities by Michael's enemies for providing what he thought was relatively harmless information about his brother. Fredo naively believed that Michael was never in any danger.
Fredo did know it would be a hit; otherwise, what is the point of opening the drapes? It's made very clear it was an anomaly and that someone on the inside obviously opened those drapes to give hitmen a clear shot.
1st Aug 2017
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: At the start of the movie, Connie hates Michael. Was it just the death of their mother that made her change her feelings towards Michael? Or were there other factors?
Answer: Connie always hated Michael for ordering the death of Carlo (unaware that he was responsible for Sonny's murder) however she puts away her hatred to get Michael and Fredo to make up.
Connie didn't hate Michael. In the book, she was initially upset and angry that he had Carlo killed and confronted him, but within a few days, she apologized, telling Kay, Michael's wife, that it was all a mistake. Carlo was a physically abusive husband who never loved Connie and only married her because she was Don Corleone's daughter. Connie quickly realised she was far happier and much better off without Carlo.
Answer: Connie never hated Michael. Their relationship became strained because he disapproved of her jet-set, life-style, she was neglecting her children, and he dislikes the men she has relationships with. She is dependent on her brother for money and resents having to beg for more. She changes somewhat towards the end of the movie, partially because of her mother's death and Fredo being killed, and after Michael so cruelly cut Kay out of his life. Gradually, Connie starts to become more like Michael and by the third film, takes a more active role in the family business.
Answer: In the movie Connie says to Michael when she wants to come back that she hated him when Carlo died, and she did things to hurt Michael and herself, but she had come to realise that Michael is only doing what he has to do for the family, being strong for the family. She wanted to come back and take care of Michael and the children.
1st Aug 2017
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: Is there a reason why Tom Hagen "can't give a straight answer anymore," in all of his conversations with Michael?
Answer: Michael only wants people to tell him what he wants to hear, rather than giving truthful advice, which sometimes makes him angry. Tom often has to skirt around issues to get his point across, otherwise Michael will react negatively, or even retaliate in some way. Michael expects Tom's complete loyalty even though he had demoted Tom from being Consigliori. An element of trust and understanding was lost between them.
7th Aug 2016
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
16th Nov 2015
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: After Fredo gives away that he already knows Johnny, Michael gives the nod to his bodyguard to assassinate Roth. But he earlier told Fredo that he was going to kill Roth before the New Year, so he must have known that Fredo would warn Roth. So why make the attempt?
Chosen answer: Michael knows that Fredo will not warn Roth. Fredo is now running for his life, both terrified and horrified by what he'd done. He wants to hide from Michael's retribution. He had naively believed that there would never be an assassination attempt on Michael's life, and thought what he'd done was relatively minor and would only result in him earning a lot of money.
30th Apr 2015
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: In the flashback of Vito Corleone's return to Corleone, Sicily with his young family, his wife is shown holding a baby in a bonnet in several scenes. On the train he is talking to an older child and calling him Michael. Who is the baby?
21st Jan 2015
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: Whatever happened to Sonny's wife and children?
Answer: There is a deleted scene from the movie (I'll put a link for you in the end!), where Theresa and Sonny's daughter, Francesca, attend the party for Anthony's communion and ask Michael's blessing for Francesca's future wedding with a man. At some point Michael says that "My brother Sonny died many years ago. And I guess I've been sort of a father to her, rather than an uncle." I would assume this means the children were raised close to him, because as we see when Connie discusses with him, even her own children stay with Michael's family; or close. (Connie's son was caught in Reno, Nevada for some petty theft). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Ucj4YFosk.
13th Dec 2012
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Question: When Vito Corleone visits Sicily with his family, he is received by an old woman and a man. These people are the ones who helped Vito to escape when he was a child. However, when they are having lunch together, Vito refers to her as "grandmother". Are the old woman and the man members of the family? What are their names?
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Answer: I just spot-checked real estate in the filming location (per web sources, Little Italy in NYC). Similar to my old Italian neighbourhood in Philly, the houses I checked were built in 1905, 1905, and 1910 (the exteriors are similar, like my 1917 Philly row house). So I think the obvious age of the buildings in the movie was an unavoidable inconsistency.
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