It showed to Frank that his testimony to the Committee would be heard by his brother and family, disgracing him and his family. At the beginning of the hearing, Michael Corleone, the organized crime figure whom Pentangeli is He has done ugly, ruthless things to protect himself things that once made him sick to his stomach to contemplate without even breaking a sweat. He was an old associate and friend of Vito Corleone, having worked with him in the early days of the olive oil business. Committee Chairman: We have here, finally, a witness that will further testify to Michael Corleone's rule over a criminal empire that controls all of the gambling in this country and perhaps in other countries. [2], An early draft of the film's script explains that Vincenzo, shocked that his brother is about to betray the Corleones, attends the hearing to remind Frank that he must not break the Mafia's code of silence, omert. A man puts a cord around his neck and says Michael Corleone says hello. | Was it because he had smallpox as a child? An early draft of the film's script explains that Vincenzo, shocked that Frankie is about to break his blood oath and betray the Corleones to government authorities, attends the hearing to remind Frankie that he must not break the Mafia's code of silence, omert. Once Pantangeli started claiming he had no idea who Michael was or of any criminal activities, they immediately question who the man sitting next to Michael and Tom was. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Are there any canonical examples of the Prime Directive being broken that aren't shown on screen? After the hearing, Tom Hagen visited Pentangeli. Until the time is right.Johnny Ola then calls Fredo to try and find out if Frankie was genuine in his wanting of peace (given how outspoken Frankie was about wanting the Rosatos dead). It was believed that the Rosatos had somehow caused the death of Clemenza, having allegedly been promised three territories in The Bronx after he died. Ciccio was a frail, doddering old man who no longer posed any threat, but he had to die by Vito's hand for his actions against the Andolini family. is there such a thing as "right to be heard"? It's likely Roth anticipated a hit as well and so asked them to guard his room. In this scene, Frankie was just acting drunk, the crude man he is, but this behaviour was a display of disrespect, and it had the consequence that his angry and dissatisfied feelings were revealed. Why would the assassin say Michael Corleone says hello if Roth ordered the hit? Frank's nickname, "Frankie Five Angels" was most likely derived from his last name, Pentangeli, because "pente" is the Greek stem for "five" and "angeli" meaning "angels" in Italian. His brother's presence [at the Senate hearing], as well as the stare they exchanged, serves as a threat that if Frankie follows through with his planned testimony, retribution will be taken against his children, who are living in Sicily under Vincenzo's guardianship. Near the beginning of the story, Pentangeli approaches Michael to ask for his help in eliminating the Rosato brothers, rivals in New York, who claimed to have been promised territories by Clemenza prior to his death. This belief had much to do with the formation of the mafia and its ultimate growth and staying power. Can I use my Coinbase address to receive bitcoin? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Why did Frank not testify? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. However, as with the film, Frank survives and turns traitor for the state, but is persuaded against this by the appearance of his brother Vincenzo. This confession gives him immunity and allows him to avoid doing time in prison. So you'd know that I could hurt you. Title(s) Mariposa family Corleone family If Vito was born an Andolini, how did he get the name Corleone? Vito then arrives and everyone except Michael rushes off to greet him. Passing negative parameters to a wolframscript. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 3 Did Michael order the hit on Pentangeli? Because Pentangeli's protective custody was so secure, Michael could not have him killed before the hearing. (According to Fredo's wife, their bodies were found right outside her and Fredo's room.) Frank Pentangeli was an experienced street enforcer before he became Clemenza's right-hand man. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. As Fredo says a "Hail Mary", Neri shoots him in the head when he gets to the part about "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death." What happened during the final Congressional testimony? To Michael, Fredo's act of betrayal is straightforwardly unforgivable, regardless of motive and regardless of whether Fredo had been deceived.It's most likely that Johnny Ola killed the men himself. Clemenza is still in the movie, albeit as a younger man in the scenes set in 1917, played by Bruno Kirby. The final film only states that Vincenzo is himself a Mafia chieftain in Sicily. The movie's denouement resembles that of the film-concluding montage in the original "Godfather," which, during the christening of Connie Corleone (Talia Shire)'s son, shows the bloody murders of Michael Corleone's rivals. Why did Pentangeli not testify against Michael? Upon this realization, he recants on his statements against Michael that would have put him in prison for perjury (lying under oath) Knowing that now Frankie had broken his FBI deal, and was looking at a life sentence, he cuts a deal with Tom as so his family and possible Willy Cici's family could keep their fortunes as Frankie is the head of his own New York Crime Family. And I forgive you.". Roth had played Frankie against Michael with a feigned assassination attempt, as he knew Frankie was angry at Michael for banning him from moving against the Rosato brothers. will be taken against his children, who are living in Sicily under New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition. Connie replies that she needs money. To avoid retribution for his betrayal of the Corleone family falling on Frankie's children & family. Edit, Honor is the principle of this subject. One final flashback to 1941 shows the Corleones as a happy family at a birthday dinner for Vito, as remembered by an exhausted and disgusted Michael after Fredo's murder. Fredo may have shown them a way to get in to the compound undetected and opened the drapes. He is the unquestioned head of the Corleone family. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Privacy Policy. Frank Pentangeli is a fictional character from the 1974 film The Godfather Part II, portrayed by Michael V. Gazzo. Who opened the drapes in Michael's Tahoe bedroom? Michael said he was leaving and Tom would be in charge from then on. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This made him a popular man to have around. Then, some theories as to who killed the would-be assassinations can be drawn. As she says at the end, "I hated you for so many years. In the Godfather 2, Michael Corleone was put in an impossible situation, where his former Capo regime and close associate Frank Pentangeli, was going to appear before the senate and be a. Hagen tells Pentangeli if he accepts responsibility for turning on the Corleone family and kills himself, Frank's family will always be taken care of, just as the families of confessed traitors in the Roman days who killed themselves were allowed to keep all of their possessions. This shows that they don't need to get him, they'll get his family instead. A policeman steps inside, and the attack degenerates into a shootout in the street. Tom explains that this was the brother of Frankie. His . The soon to be ousted Cuban president; Fulgencio Batista. As we see in the flashback with Vito, he goes to confront Don Ciccio, who killed Vito's entire family. Rather than give in, Coppola wrote out Clemenza, explaining that he'd died in the intervening time between Parts I and II, and replaced him with his Lieutenant, Frankie Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). Puzo, Mario and Coppola, Francis Ford. "I did (Al) Pacino and I did Marlon Brando, but I never did Frank Pentangeli," he said. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Michael knows that Pentangeli's protective custody is too secure to make an attempt on his life before he testifies. What happened to that? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Whats the difference between Fundrise and a REIT? Pentangeli thanks Hagen, returns to his assigned quarters, and slits his wrists while taking a bath. Fredo asks if there's anyone in the group he'd know. Pentangeli prefers open warfare against Roth and the Rosatos, but reluctantly obeys Michael's order. It's safe to say any objections Connie has to Michael's ways and doings are easily solved by her need for financial support. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It widens as Vito selects Michael over Fredo to head the family in the wake of Sonny's death. Vito wants to see if he can bargain with Fanucci, and persuade him to cut down on his demands. Fredo says he's never met them. Once inside, Tony Rosato (Danny Aiello) ambushes Pentangeli with a garotte, telling him, "Michael Corleone says hello." The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? How do you choose a dog that is right for you? The very last shot we see in "The Godfather:Part II" is a pensive, slow close-up of Michael Corleone as he sits outside at the family compound. Instead, he flew Vincenzo in from Sicily. Vito builds both a family and a criminal empire thinly covered by an olive oil importing business, and he eventually claims a violent revenge on Ciccio. Michael concludes on his own that Roth was behind the assassination attempt. However, he breaks his agreement with the FBI and denies all he had previously said. This second movie serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the first movie, which covers the years from 1945 to 1955 and portrays how and why Don Vito Corleone moved his family's business from New York to Las Vegas. Thus, he changed his story, refusing not only to implicate Michael, but anyone. Was Vito really mentally challenged like his mother claimed (a common belief back then for mute children), or why did he never speak as a child? Vito, perhaps still in shock from the murder of his father, brother and mother back in Sicily, didn't speak much in his childhood so he did not reply, so an interpreter checked his immigration papers and found that his name was Vito Andolini from Corleone, Sicily. The two stories are told concurrently with the earlier timeline as flashbacks. Rather than give in, Coppola wrote out Clemenza, explaining that hed died in the intervening time between Parts I and II, and replaced him with his Lieutenant, Frankie Pentangeli ( Michael V. Gazzo ). A rift grows between Pentangeli and Michael, however, that eventually results in Pentangeli betraying the family. The Corleone family was like the Roman Empire. Frank Pentangeli with Michael Corleone at Lake Tahoe. As we know by the end of the film, Hyman Roth is behind the hit on Michael. To do this, he uses Johnny Ola, his right hand man. Michael forces Pentangeli to recant his testimony by taking his brother hostage. Why exactly does he do that? Pentangeli eventually offers to testify against Michael at his senate trial and is placed under witness protection. presence, as well as the stare they exchanged, serves as a threat that The jokes end when Rocco Lampone, a Corleone cappo acting on Michael's orders, shoots Roth to death right in the middle of the airport with an eerie, almost rictus, smile on his face. Upon seeing his brother in the committee room, Frank denied his written testimony and feigned ignorance of the Corleone family's criminal . Why did Frank Pentangeli kill himself in Godfather 2? This is correct. This act itself already means he is dead from the perspective of any of the mafia families, and could only hope to live under an FBI programme with a false identity. Once again, family loyalty undoes one of Puzo and Coppola's characters. . Why core of the Earth is in a semi solid state? He thanked Hagen, returned to his room, and slit his wrists in the bathtub with his shaving razor, killing himself. Aug. 10, 2016. And this broke their relations and turned out fatal to Frankie: Roth managed to weaken their mafia family, which, in turn, makes the Corleones more reliant on the deal they are currently negotiating in Cuba. Just as in the first film, killing the Don or otherwise removing him from his seat of power, will make his next in line Don-in this case, Fredo-who seems much more inclined to continue business with Roth and who can be easily controlled and manipulated. In the Godfather, did Paulie and Carlo actually join the conspiracies for which they are killed? Others point out that, when Michael told Anthony at the last minute that they were leaving, Fredo was left in the boat with Al Neri. A second reason might be that Michael is getting too much power and influence at the expense of other powerful mobsters, including Roth himself, so they try to kill him. Pentangeli arranges a meeting with the Rosato brothers. | By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Much like in the first film, Michael orders Tessio and Clemenza to show no resistance to Barzini muscling in on their turf. Because Pentangeli's protective custody was so secure, Michael could not have him killed before the hearing. But it was tense and awkward. There's another less obvious reason that was left out of the final cut of the film. Edit, The senate did question this. +1 Wow, never knew that. This witness has had no buffer between himself and Michael Corleone. Roth's wariness does not protect him. I always interpreted this along the lines of his brother sitting with. Answer (1 of 9): Frank's reaction when his brother enters the room says it all. It ends in 1925 when Vito ( Robert De Niro) returns to Sicily with his wife and four young children-Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and Connie-in order to kill the man who killed his parents. He's beaten the rap the feds had against him, and he's eliminated all of his enemies. Why don't we use the 7805 for car phone chargers? In an early draft of the script, it was mentioned that Frank had a mistress and child in Sicily under the care of Vincenzo, but he would kill them should Frank testify against Michael. Michael responded by bringing Frankie's brother in the courtroom signifying they have his family. A second reason is that seeing his brother makes him feel ashamed for breaking the omert. So Fredo thought he was safe. He was an old associate and friend of Vito Corleone, having worked with him in the early days of the olive oil business. Instead, he flew Vincenzo in from Sicily. Is it safe to publish research papers in cooperation with Russian academics? Who said Michael Corleone says hello in the Godfather 2? rev2023.5.1.43405. Rocco Lampone (Tom Rosqui) shoots Roth dead. rev2023.5.1.43405. Edit, Probably just to see if he could. This scene is played very blatantly to bring out it has a deeper meaning, which is that this evidence of disloyalty was then obviously leaked to Roth, who used it to play his card: he faked as if Michael was trying to kill Frankie to punish his disloyalty. Believing that Michael ordered the Rosato Brothers to kill him, he had been in the custody of the FBI along with Willie Cicci since the murder attempt. Edit, To act as a primitive suppressor (silencer) and to conceal it so he could take his time and aim, which is why Fanucci asks, "What have you got there?" By having his own brother killed, not to mention the emotional war he has waged against Kay, Michael has become completely corrupted by his role as the Don. However, Castellano demanded too much money to return and, in addition, wanted his girlfriend at the time to rewrite his dialogue. The attempt on his life by the Rosato brothers is inspired by the murder attempt on Larry Gallo, who was garroted in a bar during a sit-down and narrowly survived when a policeman intervened. Would My Planets Blue Sun Kill Earth-Life? Violation of this was considered the ultimate form of disgrace. Pentangeli was born May 5, 1900 in Partinico, a town in the Province of Palermo, Sicily. Cicci had testified to this as well, but was unable to directly implicate Michael in illegal activity because he never received direct orders from him. Because Pentangeli's protective custody was so secure, Michael could not have him killed before the hearing. It is used as a form of honorable protest (see Cato the Younger). At one point in his testimony, Frank Pentangeli says "I have a family of my own" (or something very close to that), meaning, they'd be in danger if he testified against the Corleones. He had an Italian wife and children, as well as a mistress, whose children he sent to live in Sicily with his brother Vincenzo. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Pentangeli subsequently slits his wrists in a bathtub a dual display of love for his family and respect for Michael's authority. Like papa was. Upon seeing his brother in the committee room, Frank denied his written testimony and feigned ignorance of the Corleone family's criminal activities. The finished film leaves unclear exactly what about his brother [Vincenzo]'s presence [at the hearings] motivated Frank to change his story. He knew that Fanucci's (Gastone Moschin) reign was primarily based on bluffs and intimidation, rather than a large, strong organisation backing him (there was even a deleted scene showing Fanucci getting attacked and wounded by a group of street kids, which showed how weak Fanucci actually was). robert bigelow obituary,