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. He is the unquestioned head of the Corleone family. As Hagen arrives to talk with Senator Pat Geary (G.D. Spradlin) to explain his situation, Neri appears in the doorway and Hagen beckons with his head for him to go away. 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. . The only way out is to get what your enemy wants. External Reviews His brother's What is the difference of tie beam and plinth beam? The final film only states that Vincenzo is a powerful and ruthless Mafia chieftain in Sicily. Did Frank Pentangeli betray Michael Corleone? & Why Did He - YouTube Later, at a Senate hearing investigating organized crime and allegations of Michael's criminal activities, Michael learns that the committee intends to call Pentangeli as a surprise witness to contradict Michael's adamant denial that he is a crime boss. Vito then arrives and everyone except Michael rushes off to greet him. In the 1950s, Clemenza and Tessio requested the opportunity to start their own families, as Emilio Barzini had been chipping away at their territories. 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. Cookie Notice Alternatively it could just be he naturally has a raspy voice. Why did Michael yell at Frank Pentangeli? - Profound-Advice Title(s) Upon seeing his brother in the committee room, Frank denied his written testimony and feigned ignorance of the Corleone familys criminal activities. Pentangeli initially tries to get Michael to assist him in defending his territory against aggression from the Rosato Brothers, who were working on the orders of their former business associate, Roth. There are a few reasons for this, the largest of which is resentment at Michael having killed Moe Greene in Godfather I. Frank "Frankie Five Angels" Pentangeli was a caporegime in the Corleone family. I've read the book and seen the film many times and my feeling is the psychological aspect is more of a factor than the implied threat against his children. The final montage has Michael reflecting back to 1941 as the four Corleone children plus Hagen are planning a birthday party for their father. Michael notices this, but likely dismisses it. Additionally, some believe that the scene is meant to take place in the future and that Michael is picturing a time he can never get back or that he is reflecting on how he tried to separate himself from the rest of his family (evidenced by the fact that he remains behind in the dining room while everyone else goes to greet Vito) but was inevitably drawn into their business, losing several of them permanently in the process. Vincenzo Pentangeli | The Godfather Wiki | Fandom Sonny (James Caan) introduces Connie (Talia Shire) to her future husband Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo). Michael refuses, however, and orders Pentangeli to do nothing, as he does not want a war to interfere with an upcoming deal with Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg), who supports the Rosatos. In other words: he does not simply want to give in to Fanucci's intimidation tactics, but prove that he dares to stand up to him from a vulnerable position. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He ran the family operations in New York when Michael Corleone was in Nevada . Instead, the smooth charm he failed to use to quell Michael's questions earlier in the film comes to the surface once more. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. It's likely Roth anticipated a hit as well and so asked them to guard his room. Fredo says he's never met them. Once he realized he was going out on the lake with the family's most trusted killer, Fredo probably realized he was going to be whacked and accepted his fate. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Pentangeli warns him about the Rosato Brothers, and is garroted in a meeting with Carmine Rosato himself at Richie's Tavern. Frank Pentangeli meets with the Rosato Brothers. When he collaborates with the FBI telling them about the Corleone family, he also reveals his implications, the crimes he had committed for the family. He's beaten the rap the feds had against him, and he's eliminated all of his enemies. Movies & TV Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for movie and TV enthusiasts. 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. Upon the non-verbal communication with his brother in the court room (someone he absolutely trusts) he realized that it was Hyman Roth that tried to have in killed and not Michael. 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. What did Frank Pentangeli say to Michael Corleone? Michael brought Frank Pentangeli's older brother Vincenzo (Salvatore Po) from Sicily. Who killed the would-be assassinations in the godfather? ca. Frank has his last conversation with Tom Hagen. 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. Is it important to see 'The Godfather' before watching 'The Godfather: Part II'? Whats the difference between Fundrise and a REIT? Much like in the first film, Michael orders Tessio and Clemenza to show no resistance to Barzini muscling in on their turf. 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 thanks Hagen, returns to his assigned quarters, and despite the presence in the other room of his federal guards, commits suicide by slitting his wrists while taking a bath. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Boolean algebra of the lattice of subspaces of a vector space? However, only the story of Vito Corleone (now played by Robert De Niro) came from the novel. 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. Vincenzo's guardianship. The Pentangeli character took the part in the plot which was originally intended for Clemenza, whose death was to be set anti-parallel to the extended sequence in which the young Vito becomes Clemenza's partner. Stone's trial began on November 6, 2019. While in Cuba, Michael asks Fredo to bring several family associates out to show them a good time. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Pentangeli was supposed to be Clemenza. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - Politico The filing goes on to say: "Frank Pentangeli is a character in the film 'The Godfather: Part II,' which both Stone and Person 2 had discussed, who testifies before a congressional committee and in . is there such a thing as "right to be heard"? Tom and Sonny react negatively to the news. Edit, Michael was leaving Tom in charge of family affairs while Michael focused on the business in Cuba and Vegas. Why did Michael Corleone not forgive his brother Fredo? Michael then introduces Johnny to Fredo, and they act like it's the first time they met. Edit, The reason is mainly to keep his honor, and also to be sure that his family will be taken care of. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The Corleone family was like the Roman Empire. At trial of Trump adviser Roger Stone, comedian witness cracks jokes Except that Frankie Five Angels tells Tom Hagen that his brother could have had his own family but chose to stay in "that one-mule town." Should I re-do this cinched PEX connection? Why did Vito secure a deal with Fanucci if he already had the intention to kill him? Did Michael Corleone ever get revenge against those who killed his wife? Why would Kay think she could announce to Michael that she and the children were leaving for good - and he'd be okay with it? Edit, The flashback scene is significant for several reasons.For one thing, consider the fact that it takes place immediately after the hit against Fredo is carried out. After Clemenza's death, Pentangeli took over the Clemenza regime, and headed the Corleone family's operations in New York while Michael and Fredo Corleone were in Las Vegas. This is corroborated on the bonus disc of the newly-restored Godfather release on Blu-ray/DVD, where a "Crime Organization Chart" is given explaining all characters and their crimes. Generating points along line with specifying the origin of point generation in QGIS, Simple deform modifier is deforming my object, Generic Doubly-Linked-Lists C implementation. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Why does Michael Corleone need a bodyguard to translate for him when he first met Apollonia's father? Playing the role originally intended for Peter Clemenza, Pentangeli was written in when. Surrounded by autumn leaves and alone among the elements, he ought to be proud of his victory. (1) Roth returns from Israel and is taken into custody by the police. Carroll said it was "not odd" for women not to report sexual assault . But when he talks about this with Roth, he says that he believes it was Pentangelli. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Vito's mother was also saying he was slow-witted to downplay Vito's intelligence and therefore his potential threat to Don Ciccio, in the hopes the Don would be merciful. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Some characters are clearly inspired by historical persons. Michael told them to wait, to which Clemenza reluctantly agreed, but Tessio did not and made a deal with Barzini, which resulted in his death. The movie then ends with a flashback to December 1941 as the four Corleone children, their families, and adopted brother Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) are planning a birthday party for Vito, and Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo is introduced to Connie Corleone (portrayed by director sister Talia Shire). 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). MIP Model with relaxed integer constraints takes longer to solve than normal model, why? Ironically, only Fredo supports Michael's plan to drop out. Keep in mind that Michael figured out that the attempt on his life at his home was orchestrated by Hyman Roth. If Vito was born an Andolini, how did he get the name Corleone? (According to Fredo's wife, their bodies were found right outside her and Fredo's room.) Michael responded by bringing Frankie's brother in the courtroom signifying they have his family. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Believing that Michael ordered him murdered, Pentangeli provides a sworn statement to investigators that Michael is the head of the most powerful Mafia family in the nation, controls virtually all gambling activity in North America, and has ordered countless murders. Coppola's theme of familial sacrifice is solidly hammered home, thanks to a series of flashbacks which explore the early life of Michael's father, Vito (De Niro). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Portrayed by When Credico was called to testify to Congress, Stone allegedly invoked "The Godfather," telling Credico to do a "Frank Pentangeli" and not contradict his testimony, messages show, according to . What Did Clemenza Say To Paulie? - Caniry Puzo, Mario and Coppola, Francis Ford. Moe's influence allows Fredo to access layers of disappointment and bitterness, which have long been festering under the surface, and when he chooses Green over the Corleones near the end of "The Godfather," a rift between Michael and Fredo develops. Died It is also confirmed by Coppola himself during the director's commentary track on the DVD. Tom explains that this was the brother of Frankie. It's simpler and doesn't require explaining the backstory in the drafts which still had the Clemenza character. It does not store any personal data. He was an old associate and friend of Vito Corleone, having worked with him in the early days of the olive oil business. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Frankie is portrayed as a crude man with only superficial respect to the mafia families and no deeper understanding. Which language's style guidelines should be used when writing code that is supposed to be called from another language? Edit, If you refer to the beginning of the film where Connie (with boyfriend/fiance) tells Michael they're going to Vegas to get married, Michael (opposed to idea) asks why they came to him. Metacritic Reviews. The finished film leaves unclear exactly what about his brother's presence motivated Pentangeli to change his story. The third one that was always in the back of my mind is that it clears up in Frankie's head that Michael didn't arrange to have him killed. | He also moved into Vito's former estate in Long Beach, Long Island. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Back in New York, Frank arranged a meeting with the Rosato Brothers to make a new deal with them. Because Pentangelis protective custody was so secure, Michael could not have him killed before the hearing. My read is that Michael was threatening Frankie: he talks and the brother dies. The Senate subcommittee and the FBI thus consider Pentangeli very credible, and are certain that he can corroborate Cicci's testimony and charge Michael with perjury. Frank assumed his brother would be safe seeing as he was a lonesome shepherd in Sicily with no ties to the mob. 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. Consequently, the immigration inspector (a foreigner himself) gave him entry into the U.S. as Vito Corleone. How did Michael know that Roth was behind the assassination attempt at his home, not Frank Pentangeli? Acclaimed by film reviewers and beloved by viewers, the performances of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, among others, have gone down in the annals of cinema history, gaining a legendary reputation as time has passed. 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). Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. It is explained that, by the time of the film, Clemenza has died under suspicious circumstances; when Fredo mentions that Clemenza died of a heart attack, Corleone hitman Willi Cicci scoffs, That was no heart attack, implying that Clemenza may have been murdered. (2) Frank Pentangeli is found dead in his bathtub, having slit his wrists. Pentangeli arranges a meeting with the Rosato brothers. 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. Despite Michael's best-laid plans, he still entered the family business, much like Vito had intended, as implied through the discussions that Tom mentioned.As for why Michael looks older in the final scene, part of the reason for that is that the lightning is made to showcase just how much the duties of the Don have eaten away at his youthfulness, as several wrinkles can be seen under his eyes. He told FBI agents, and was prepared to tell the committee, that Michael was the most powerful Mafia chief in the nation, and headed a crime family that controlled all of the gambling in North America and had ordered countless murders. Trump accuser says many in her generation didn't report rape His brother's presence, as well as the stare they exchange, serves as a threat that if Frank follows through with his planned testimony, retribution will be taken against his children, who are living in Sicily under Vincenzo's guardianship. (3) Neri, Fredo, and Anthony are about to go fishing when Michael calls Anthony back, leaving Neri and Fredo to go out alone. Instead, he flew Vincenzo in from Sicily. Later that night, Michael narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at his home. That's why he accepts. Pentangeli: I live, uh, in an army barracks with the FBI guys. 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. The finished film leaves unclear exactly what about his brother [Vincenzo]'s presence [at the hearings] motivated Frank to change his story. That goes sideways when Michael never provides Pentangeli with the firepower he needs to protect his territory. 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?" Frankie said it himself that his life wasn't worth a nickel. He doesn't mention that Israel would offer him protection against the Italian mobster he tried to bring down. , Grew up in an Irish-Italian neighborhood. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Credico said an impression of Pentangeli was not in his public repertoire. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. According to the indictment, Stone in late 2017 told an associate identified as "Person 2" that they should "do a 'Frank Pentangeli' before [the House Intelligence Committee] in order to avoid contradicting Stone's testimony.' Having this information from the first movie makes it a lot easier to follow the second. Because Pentangeli's protective custody was so secure, Michael could not have him killed before the hearing. 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. However, Michael had a history of "forgiving" people (such as Carlo) so that they would stay close, giving him an opportunity to kill them. Michael said he was leaving and Tom would be in charge from then on. When we first meet him at Anthony's first communion party, he seems both eager to please and a true believer in Michael's new regime, even obsequious. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Why did Frank Pentangeli not testify? 2 Why did Frank Pentangeli change his statement? What is this brick with a round back and a stud on the side used for? Like papa was. Edit, The movie ends in a montage that shows the sequence of events following Mama Corleone's funeral. 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. His boss, Frank Pentangeli, was brought in as a surprise witness to corroborate Cicci's testimony; as a capo there is no insulation and insult between Michael and himself or any of their assets. Finally, Michael is reluctant to invest in Roth's Cuban business, whereas Fredo seems much more interested. What kind of buildings would be in a medieval town? Edit. 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. @NapoleonWilson - When Tom goes to visit Frankie in custody and they go through the story about how Romans would commit suicide in order to protect their families and make sure they were taken care of, Frankie mentions his brother was so powerful that he could have come to America and had his own crime family. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 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. He immigrated to New York, United States. Throughout the film, Roth has tried to project a sense of cool control, but here, he is defeated, slumped, jacket and paper bag in hand, quite aware of the fact that he has failed in his attempt at removing Michael in a grab for power. 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. Michael asks Frankie to make peace with the Rosatos to bide their time. BTW: Roth did not engineer Frankie's last-second rescue by that NYC cop. is about to break his blood oath and betray the Corleones to Edit, Viewers are split on whether or not Fredo knew he was going to be killed. +1 Wow, never knew that. In an earlier scene, Frankie, in a clear and obvious manner, shows his anger and disrespect to Michael because he is banning him from defending his own territory. Michael then asks Roth if he'd be upset if he had Frankie killed. Michael V. Gazzo: Frankie Pentangeli - IMDb Frank Pentangeli is a fictional character from the 1974 film The Godfather Part II, portrayed by Michael V. Gazzo. Is it safe to publish research papers in cooperation with Russian academics? He has lost Kay (Diane Keaton), his wife, who so abhors the changes in him that she aborted their third child and lied that she miscarried while he was off in Cuba. This tendency also helped him become integrated with Mariposa in the 1930s, and avoid suspicion even whilst acting as a spy. As for Michael asking "who had Frank Pentangeli killed": By that point in Havana, Michael and Roth were in a verbal sparring game. Instead, he flies Pentangeli's brother, Vincenzo, in from Sicily, who appears in the hearing room. There's another less obvious reason that was left out of the final cut of the film. After the trial dissolves into chaos, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), the Corleone family's lawyer and adopted son, shows up at Pentangeli's compound to inform him in so many words that if he commits suicide as penance for speaking out against Michael at the trial, his family will be taken care of for life. Once again, family loyalty undoes one of Puzo and Coppola's characters. Upon seeing his brother in the committee room, Frank denied his written testimony and feigned ignorance of the Corleone family's criminal activities. After visiting Florida to seal the deal with Roth, Michael pays an unannounced visit to Pentangeli on Long Island and asks him to help take his revenge. One timeline begins in 1901 and tells how nine-year old Vito Andolini (Oreste Baldini) emigrated from Sicily to become Don of the Corleone crime family in New York. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In the 1930s, Pentangeli ingratiated himself with Giuseppe Mariposa, the Sicilian warlord who felt he controlled the streets of New York. Once inside, Tony Rosato (Danny Aiello) ambushes Pentangeli with a garotte, telling him, "Michael Corleone says hello." Cornered at Miami International Airport by the press and surrounded by a police escort, he declares that he went to Israel because "he wished to live as a Jew in the twilight of [his] life.". This portion of the article discusses a character's suicide. The government will continue . What happens if my connecting flight is delayed past the 3-day limit for the COVID-19? Frank "Frankie Five Angels" Pentangeli was a caporegime in the Corleone family. In The Godfather II, when Frank Pentangeli is supposed to testify Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Tom and Pentangeli talk nostalgically about the good old days when the Corleone Family, as Pentangeli says, "was like the Roman Empire." Edit, Probably just to see if he could. Answer (1 of 7): The finished film leaves unclear exactly what about his brother's presence motivated Frank to change his story. Why did Frank Pentangeli decide not to testify against Micheal - Reddit Hagen tells Frank that he did the right thing by recanting. Instead, he flew Vincenzo in from Sicily. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Trump Ally Roger Stone Arrested in Florida as Part of Special Counsel Probe", "Roger Stone indictment references 'Frank Pentangeli,' a character from 'The Godfather: Part 2', "Godfather makes life difficult for Trump's trickster", "Analysis | Roger Stone, 'The Godfather' and what it means to 'do a Frank Pentangeli', "Trump ally Roger Stone found guilty of lying to Congress, witness tampering", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Pentangeli&oldid=1145333151, This page was last edited on 18 March 2023, at 15:49. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Roth demands to know if Michael is pulling out of . Pentangeli's character was created in The Godfather Part II by Coppola and Puzo due to actor Richard Castellano not reprising his role as Clemenza in the sequel. Since the murder was committed during the fireworks ceremony and Vito had properly disposed of the gun, there would be no way that he would have been caught. Essentially letting Tom handle the day-to-day. He is nicknamed "Frankie Five Angels" from his last name, which is formed from the Greek-derived prefix penta- (meaning "five") and the Italian word angeli ("angels"). 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. Michael concludes on his own that Roth was behind the assassination attempt. 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. Pentangeli later secretly sided with Vito Corleone and continually reported back to Peter Clemenza what Mariposa was planning, keeping the Corleones one step ahead of the game. 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. A man puts a cord around his neck and says Michael Corleone says hello. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I would assertively say that the capture of Pentangeli's brother by Michael may very well serve as a sign that Hyman Roth is on the dead list. Anyway, it suggests the two most probable reasons are: to threaten Frankie, by showing him that his family isn't safe. 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.