The fat guy in The Godfather is Clemenza, played by actor Richard S. Castellano. He is a trusted henchman of Vito Corleone, part of the Corleone crime family. He is most famous for the scene in which he instructs his bodyguard to “leave the gun, take the cannoli” after being sent out on a mission.
Clemenza is seen as the level-headed, practical servant who follows orders unquestioningly and serves Vito faithfully. He also has a slight comedic edge to his scenes, which further endears him to the audience.
He is portrayed as being a loyal and dependable friend and ally to the Corleone family and a figure of respect in the underworld.
Was Clemenza a traitor in The Godfather?
No, Clemenza was not a traitor in The Godfather. While Clemenza is an important character in The Godfather movie and novel, most people would argue that he is not a traitor. Clemenza was never disloyal to the Corleone family, and was a top enforcer for Michael Corleone during his rise to power.
Clemenza’s loyalty to the Corleones is demonstrated by his willingness to take risks to help the family, even going so far as to get involved in a plot to murder the family’s enemies. Additionally, while Clemenza often takes part in activities not sanctioned by the law, he is never seen carrying out an act of treachery.
It is this loyalty that makes the character of Clemenza such an important member of the Corleone family.
Who betrayed Michael Corleone in Sicily?
In The Godfather Part III, the character of Don Altobello, Michael Corleone’s adviser and godfather to his daughter Mary, ultimately betrays him. Don Altobello conspires with Licensezi, Don Tommasino, and some other crime families to make a move against Corleone’s business empire.
He falsely tells Michael that Licosia is a legitimate business man who wants to deal with him, but he is really trying to set Michael up for assassination. Don Altobello also tricks Michael into believing that his longtime friend, Don Tommasino, has betrayed him.
Ultimately, it is revealed that Don Altobello was the one who organized it all and arranged for Licosia to remove Michael from power.
Why is there no Clemenza in Godfather 2?
Richard Castellano, passed away in December of 1988. On December 10 of that year, Castellano died in an apparent heart attack at a restaurant in Manhattan. As a result, filmmakers had to recast the role and make the necessary adjustments to the overall story in order to make the sequel successful.
Instead of recasting the role of Clemenza, they decided to focus on the character Michael Corleone and the transition of the godfather.
Other characters such as Frank Pentangeli and Al Neri took on more prominent roles in the sequel in order to fill the void left by the late Castellano. Ultimately, the writers and directors believed that the transition from Godfather 1 to Godfather 2 could be best accomplished without the character of Clemenza and that the story would have less of an impact if the original actor had been recast.
Did Clemenza betray Michael?
No, Clemenza did not betray Michael. In the Godfather movies, Clemenza is a loyal and trusted right-hand man to Michael Corleone. He helps to protect the family’s interests and often aided Michael in his endeavors.
He stands with him against Don Barzini and Emilio Barzini during the famous wedding scene and keeps the Corleones from harm. He also helps Michael plan the hit of Sollozzo and McCluskey, alerting him of a snitch in their ranks, although the hit does not result in total success.
Despite complications due to the actions of his caporegimes, Clemenza remained a faithful servant to his family during his time as consigliere and caporegime. He also proved his loyalty in several key scenes, such as when he flees the scene before the police could get him.
In the novel, he is the only one of the Corleone family loyalists to not betray Michael, and even searches for Tessio’s body to give him a proper burial.
In the end, it cannot be conclusively said whether Clemenza ever truly betrayed Michael. In all of his interactions with Michael and the family, there is immense loyalty and respect. Though he makes mistakes and is sometimes frustrated with Michael’s choices, he ultimately remains a stalwart friend and supporter to the Corleone family.
Why did Tessio betray Vito?
Tessio betrayed Vito for personal gain, as he was desperate to get ahead. Tessio had worked for Vito for a long time, but he had become frustrated with only being a low level enforcer. He wanted more power and money, and he saw the chance to secure both if he could make a deal with the other mafia families.
Tessio betrayed Vito to gain favor with the other families, in exchange for backing his own ambitions.
He also wanted revenge for being overlooked by Vito. Tessio had been with Vito since before Vito became the boss of the Corleone family, but Vito had bypassed Tessio when he rose to power. Tessio had always felt slighted, and his betrayal was a way of getting back at Vito.
Ultimately, Tessio was willing to sacrifice his relationship with Vito in order to get what he wanted. He thought that Vito had betrayed him by not rewarding him for his loyalty, so he committed the ultimate betrayal.
Why does Clemenza say leave the gun?
Clemenza says to “leave the gun” because he knows that any evidence of the crime, including the murder weapon, must be disposed of in order to avoid detection. With a gun as the murder weapon, it would be a crucial piece of evidence that law enforcement could use if found.
Therefore, it is essential for a clean getaway for the criminals to rid themselves of any potential evidence in the form of the gun, which is why Clemenza tells them to leave it behind.
Who did Clemenza shoot?
In the Godfather, Clemenza shot Paulie Gatto (played by John Martino) in the end of the movie. Clemenza was instructed by Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) to assassinate Gatto after Gatto revealed to mobsters Barzini and Tattaglia that Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) had ordered the murder of Tattaglia’s son.
Gatto knew that if the other families knew about Michael’s involvement in the murder, it would cause war within the families. This is why Clemenza was ordered to take care of Gatto. During the climactic scene from the movie, Michael arrives at the lake where Clemenza and Gatto were waiting.
Gatto, who believed that he had negotiated an agreement to work for Don Corleone, is shocked to discover the true mission. Clemenza shoots Gatto in the head, killing him instantly. It is a somber moment and serves as a symbol of the consequences of gang violence.
Who ordered the hit on Michael Corleone?
It is never clearly stated who orders the hit against Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Godfather. However, there are a few theories as to who was behind it.
The most popular theory is that it was a move by the combined Five Families, the mob bosses of New York, who could not tolerate Michael’s successful rise to power. In the film, we see several attempts by Michael to create a new peace between the five families, resulting in the “Tattaglia-Roth” meeting.
After refusing to cooperate, the Five Families could have felt that the only way to maintain their power was to have Michael removed.
Another possibility is that Sollozzo, a Mafia boss from the Tattaglia family, was behind the hit. He was one of the most vocal opponents to Michael’s attempts at peace, and his dislike of Michael had been evident since the film’s beginning.
He had already tried to have Michael killed once before and could have been behind this attempt, though this has never been confirmed.
The truth is, we may never know who actually ordered the hit against Michael Corleone. The Godfather is one of the most beloved movies of all time and its enduring mystery only adds to its power.
What was the deal between Michael Corleone and Hyman Roth?
The deal between Michael Corleone and Hyman Roth was a carefully crafted agreement involving the joint ownership of a Las Vegas casino and of course a share of the profits and potential earnings. Michael agreed to invest $2 million in the venture and take one third of the ownership.
Hyman agreed to take the remaining two thirds as well as handle all of the other various aspects of the business. In exchange for his stake, Hyman granted Michael a right of first refusal, in case there was any future need for outside investors.
In addition, it was also agreed that Hyman would be the one to manage the operation. This was an important agreement between the two legendary mafia bosses which created a powerful and prosperous alliance that lasted many years.
How does Michael know it was Hyman Roth?
Michael Corleone had heard stories of Hyman Roth for years, and he suspected it was Roth who was behind the attempted assassination of his father, Vito Corleone. At the wedding of Michael’s sister, Michael finally came face to face with Hyman Roth when he entered the kitchen and saw the older man talking to one of his associates.
When Roth saw Michael, he gave him a knowing look and said, “Just like your father. ” This was a reference to the phrase Vito had once uttered, “Leave the gun, take the cannoli. ” The phrase had been repeated by both Michael and Roth in earlier conversations, proving that Roth had been closely monitoring the Corleone family.
Michael now knew without a doubt that it was Hyman Roth who was behind the attempted assassination of his father.
Who was most loyal to Don Corleone?
Tom Hagen was undoubtedly the most loyal to Don Corleone. Known as the “Consigliere” of the Corleone Family, Tom was a surrogate son to Don Corleone and acted as the legal advisor, representing the Don in all business dealings.
He often put himself in harm’s way to protect his Don and even served three years in prison at Don Corleone’s behest. Tom took on a variety of tasks, ranging from negotiating deals to settling disputes, and was always willing to do what was necessary to uphold the honor of his family and serve the interests of the Don.
Tom’s dedication, loyalty, and self-sacrifice was one of the reasons why the Corleone family rose to power and maintained their influence.
How did Michael know his brother betrayed him?
Michael knew his brother had betrayed him because of the way he acted around him. His brother acted uncomfortable and shifty whenever they were together and refused to look him in the eye. Michael also noticed that his brother rarely came home and stopped confiding in him about things, which was a drastic change from their typical relationship.
Michael also noticed his brother was speaking to a lot of new people but refused to tell Michael who or why. He knew something was off, and after some time and investigation, Michael figured out that his brother had betrayed him.
What did the Corleone family do to make money?
The Corleone family was a prominent and powerful mafia family in New York City, first established by Vito Corleone. The Corleone family’s wealth and influence was derived from organized crime and illegal activities such as extortion, loansharking, political corruption, gambling, racketeering, and smuggling.
They used their connections in the Italian community to build a large empire in the city. In addition to these criminal activities, they also had several legitimate businesses such as cantinas, olive oil importing companies, construction firms, shipping companies, and a couple of retail stores.
The Corleone family was also known for their protection racketeering, or providing protection from threats or coercion in exchange for a fee. They provided protection to other organized crime families and businesses for a fee and “favors”.
The Corleones were considered the one of the most feared Mafia families in the city and worked hard to maintain their power and influence.
The Corleone family also had a significant presence in the entertainment industry. They had connections to major Hollywood movie productions and had taken over several local nightclubs. They were also rumored to be involved in illicit drugs, such as opium and cocaine, which they smuggled into the States.
