Sonny and Vito were of two totally different mentalities. The Corleone family was being pushed by Vito towards legitimacy. Unfortunately, there’s no way to go completely legitimate if you’re a criminal enterprise. Sonny himself would have dragged the family further into criminality. Had Sonny had his way. The Corleone family probably would’ve done very well in drugs, avoided the assassination attempt on Vito, avoided the war, avoided the assassinations coordinated by Michael…etc.
85% of the damage, is on Santino, because he saw to the outsider, that he is interested in his deal. 15% of the damage, is on Don Vito, because he had only only one guard, (and that was Fredo), who in fact, was not by his side. ready to shoot every possible attacker, as he should have been (Even civilian at time Michael and Enzo the baker, managed to scare the second task of killers, just with their look and moves-they had no guns). A Don, and every person of Power, must have an intelligent and heavy security, because, no matter how Powerful you are and how much dominance you have established, you never know, when an enemy is going to make a move on you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sonny worked on emotions. He would of started a war with the 5 Families. Tom learned alot from his surrogate dad, Don Corelone But the Don should of had better guards then Paulie and Fredo. Paulie was greedy and Fredo was a Gutless wonder. He even told Michael in Cuba that Mom didn't think he really belonged. A Weak link can bring down an empire, family
We have a saying in my country: ”play fool fi ketch wise” pretend to be a fool or feign ignorance to your own benefit. I saw that brilliantly played out in “usual suspects”
Sonny had absolutely no self control. He couldn't control his mouth. He couldn't control his temper . He couldn't keep it in his pants . The Corleon family would have ended almost as soon as he took over if he became Don . Just look at what happened as soon as he became acting Don when Don Vito was hit . He immediately started a war , without knowing who his enemy even was .
He was responsible for almost getting his father killed he was just bad luck all around and indirectly drew Michael in that drove him out of country causing Appolonia to lose her life he was cursed just bad luck all around. Acting like a rabid 🦇 and unfortunately had to be put down
Sonny was the one who figured out immediately that Paulie was the traitor and wasted no time whacking him. In the deleted scene, he tested Michael on it to see if he was caught up to speed on the issue
nowdays you can't even let family know because they educate the adversary for personal gain and even start working for them or they may prove to be the weak link in your chain, in that situation they may turn out to be more dangerous for you than your actual enemy family members and adversaries want to use each other against you and either is more than happy to help the appropriate contemporary saying would be - never let your shadow know what you are thinking aa' actually watched a movie where a person's shadow betrayed him - some people attack his home, he hides safely, but his shadow falls on the ground which he could not hide, so the attackers found and crucified him moral - if you are not careful and your time is not in your favour even your own shadow can betray you
What Family?not everyone has a family. America is a parenting failure. I would have rather grown up around mafia influences than I how I did in shole Upper Midwest, MN. Capiche Paisano?
Vito may not have made up his mind completely before the meeting. But he should have told Sonny (and maybe other Corleones in the meeting) that he was going to say no so they knew what to expect. Sonny made a mistake, but Vito could have prevented it by bringing him into the decision before the meeting.
@@khriss867 true, vito could prevent a lot of things by being a little far sighted but as often vito's famous one liners often come after the damage has been done, it appears he was more interested in appearing witty than actually being wise because sonny was the heir apparent after vito, michael wanted to be seen nowhere around the family bussiness while fredo was invalid, it was only when vito was assaulted that michael decided to take things in to hands and solozzo the turk was aware of that, so he devised to take out vito anonymously so he could mutually strike a deal with sonny as don which was not possible as long as vito was around
Tom’s second word was probably an S word, but I think it probably was a different four letter S word. He’s going to have to be the front man in doing damage control. And that one reveal by Sonny is going to lead to a lot of damage. Tom’s is the trickiest situation because he is the visible chief operations guy for the family. In short it was probably “Oh, *hit!’ It’s an object lesson in the value of omertá. An idea which pre-dates Greene’s 48 Laws of Power. As did Machiavelli’s Prince. As well as Sun Tzu & Miyamoto Musashi. And von Clausewitz, who provided the theoretical foundation. Comparing The Godfather with The 48 Laws of Power is an interesting concept. But these ideas all were around long before Greene bundled them up into his book. Mario Puzo doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as a writer. The Godfather is far more than just a paperback crime novel.
Every time I watch that scene go down, I always say that Clamenza’s thinking, “Oh damn, somebody’s gonna get their ass kicked.” And Tom’s thinking, “Oh, godammit, Sonny…” 😅
Don Vito really was an amalgamation of all the best, his patience being key. Imagine giving your word never to retaliate knowing that you will have to wait years and be dead. When your son can eventually step up and get justice
I don't think it was a betrayal but because Sonny was so impulsive and hot headed he was the type to speak without thinking. I don't think he even realized what he was doing by speaking out of turn.
So law 4 is a lot like that old saying which I will paraphrase. “Better to be quiet and let people think you’re an idiot than open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
"Lets face it, with all due respect, the Don, rest in peace, was slipping. Ten years ago, could I have gotten to him? Sollozzo to Tom Hagen after the Don's shooting thinking Vito was dead. Sending Luca Brasi to infiltrate the enemy - if you know that story you know he was Don Vito's most loyal soldier and would be the last to turn against the Corleone family. The Don was worried about the situation but his lone bodyguard, Paulie, was coming down sick far to regularly and wasn't replaced. Don Vito in his prime would have chosen another agent and would have seen through Paulie's treachery right away and then he would have turned Luca Brasi loose.
I think that line means the drug deal with Sollozzo not the attempted hit / it meant Vito was not hungry for the Life ,a friend does not refuse a friend .
If you’re a crime boss, you can’t be limited by morals. Sonny, very well would have done better simply going into drugs. No war- lots of money… …but Vito was determined to push the family towards legitimacy. By Godfather 3, the Corleones were RICH, but the family WAS DESTROYED.
The problem drugs have a diffrent set of issues. You need to know the business and not just asume that one business will work in another area. The Coreleone family had a diffrent set of businesses. A football star might not know how to run a steel mill and would fall flat if he tried with out a detailed knowledge of that business. That takes time. So don't just think it's an easy transition. It's not.
@@UtahGmaw99 The Turk just wanted permission to sell drugs in the Don’s side of town. He didn’t say anything about needing any of his soldiers to move the drugs. He was going to be more so an investor over running the business had he taken the deal
@@Ah-ws9nm If Don Corleone said, he'd LET the Turk operate in his domain, but he wouldn't risk putting his men in the drug business, I guarantee, Turk would have NOT bothered having a hit on Don Corleone. They'd have all made money and things woulda been fine. INSTEAD: they had a MOB WAR. WAR = WE ARE RIGHT. It's a battle between Corleone's traditional values and desire to move towards legitimacy vs. Turk's desire to make money fast at the expense of selling drugs. IRONICALLY, in 2022, they literally sell MARIJUANA and VAPES across the streets from SCHOOLS now.
Hagen, in the book, knew that Sonny "was hot for the deal" before the Solozzo meeting. It showed in the movie. Sonny was eager for independence from the Don. Sadly, the Don didn't think he needed to caution Santino to not say a word during the upcoming meeting with Solozzo.
Sonny was to blame tactically, Vito was to blame strategically. Sonny speaking up made the hit on Vito happen. Their enemies, knowing Sonny wanted the deal, had a reason to want to kill Vito. Strategically, Vito made the mistake saying no. The proof is that ultimately he agreed to the deal, during the peace conference with the other bosses. This means he could have agreed way back at the start with Sollozzo. I think people use this law instinctively sometimes. For example, let's say someone asks you for a big favor and you say no. Then they ask you "Why not?". At this point you have two options. You can give your reasons or you can simply repeat that the answer is no. if you're dumb enough to give your reasons then they will seek a way to get around your reasons. If you say "It's because..." then they will figure out a way to help you with that so that you will have to change your answer to yes. If you provide no reason then they have no way of eliminating your reason which means the answer remains no.
It is a great deal /1-2 million and a guarantee of 4 million in less than 3 years.The Turk just needed the loan .1 million &30%of the cut&Sollozzo pays the cops and Tataglia family out of his cut .
@@darrenjohnson7857 I think he rejected the deal in the same way that business men who are very successful doing things one way will hesitate to adapt to anything new. Look at companies like Kodak and Polaroid and how they missed the boat on digital cameras. The younger generation, Tom and Sonny, knew it was a good deal.
The other big mistake that Sonny made was trying to involve himself in his sister's bitter marriage. After the physical abuse, he publicly beat Carlo in front of everyone. If he was to put his hands on Carlo, it should have been done in private. Once Barzini got whiff of this internal conflict, it opened up a weakness in the Corleone family. Sonny couldn't control his emotions just like he couldn't control his feelings in this meeting with Sollozo. His father Don Vito told him not to involve himself in another man's marriage.
It couldn't have been the first time Sonny screwed up. He was also cheating on his wife, after all---AND with his own sister's friend! Couldn't even be bothered to keep it zipped on Connie's wedding day. (－‸ლ) Don Vito would have considered that behavior sloppy, reckless, selfish, undisciplined and unmanly.
@@nancymcmonarch the video is about him screwing up business wise. sonny cheating on his wife didn’t effect business at all. The only way that would’ve been a problem is if he was sleeping with someone’s wife or girlfriend from another family. And don Vito couldn’t have felt that strongly about it, if he did I doubt sonny would’ve did it in his house. Literally every mob figure out there cheated on their wives. They literally was murdering ppl and u think they draw the line at infidelity.
sollozzo came to the don with his deal in 1945. the file says he was 43, but the birth date is listed as 1929, which would have made him 16. sollozzo was probably born in 1902-03
Yeah they erroneously did the math by what year the movie came out versus the year this scene was set in. Forty-three yrs from Sollozzo's birth year (1949) is 1972.
My favorite is the scene when the young Vito "talks" to the landlord of his wife's friend apartment. He got a lot for her without saying anything. The power of silence.
Best commentary yet. I love the comparison to Louie XIV. Two different Kings thinking the exact same way. In Michael's case he takes this law to an entirely higher level. A man who reveals nothing, controls everything. That is the code of conduct Michael Corleone elevated to an unprecedented art form. BARZINI, TATTAGLIA, SOLOZZO, STRACHI, CUNEO. Along with Michael's greatest victim, Hyman Roth. The underworld woods were littered with the hapless victims of Michael Corleone. Even the brilliant Roth had his true intentions uncovered by the wily Michael. With the words "Who gave the order? I know I didnt, " Michael triggered an emotional outburst from Roth that betrayed his true intentions. Michael was a brilliant musician, playing Roth like a banjo. He outplayed everyone else as well.
"You're telling me that Tataglia family guarantees our investment"---Santino "Sonny" Corleone.. That one statement jump started all that followed after.. Another cold banger Culture Mafia..you're on pure fire🔥
You could even go on to say just by speaking or even showing any interest through body language, he almost got his dad killed. Vito should have better taught his kids to stfu when adults are talking.
Don Vito also spoke more then he should have at the meeting, there was no need to tell Sollozo " I have a sentimental weakness for my children, they're are spoiled and speak when they should listen". Don Vito gave away the ball game with that line. If I'm Sollozo I interpret that as the whole Corleone family is weak.
Look what happened to Sollozo. No matter what the laws say, never underestimate your equals. That's what gets you killed. Even a snake's head is dangerous after separated from the body.
I'm still trying to understand why Fredo was even allowed to sit in on that meeting with Solozzo when he wasn't allowed to sit in those meetings at the beginning of the movie.
Keep in mind that Vito had already made up his mind well before the meeting which besides a courtesy, was meant to be a fact finding opportunity for the boys to learn a lesson about the larger mechanizations of Sollozzo’s enterprise. This lesson can be applied to other scenarios in the future.
@@owenmccord5078 Makes me think that Tom Hagen was more of a Corleone than Michael was. Never forget: "Now listen, whoever comes to you over this Sollozo business; he's a traitor. Don't forget that." - Vito Corleone Also Vito Corleone 5 minutes earlier: "I'm drinking more wine. More than I used to."
Sonny's mindset got Vito shot and killed Bruno; but made up for his mistakes but fending off the 5 Families after Michael killed The Turk and Police Captain.
I would like to share my thoughts on this topic. First of all, I want to say that I absolutely adore don Vito corleone. He is the best man in the entire godfather series and is the perfect combination of intelligence, strength and morals. But having said that, despite being so smart, don Vito corleone made a few mistakes that I would like to point out below: 1. Before the meeting with sollozzo, Vito discussed the matter with Tom and sonny, and They were in favour of the deal with Tom correctly predicting that if they didn’t take the deal, the other families would become more powerful and put pressure on the corleone family ( Something that eventually happened anyway but at the cost of sonny getting killed ). If Vito was going to refuse sollozzo ( which by the way wasn’t based on money), he should’ve have told Tom and especially sonny ( considering Sonny’s short sightedness ) BEFORE the meeting with sollozzo not AFTER it. Vito’s refusal took even sonny by surprise and if Vito would’ve discussed it beforehand, Sonny’s outburst during the meeting wouldn’t have happened. 2. He pretty much sent his enforcer Luca Brasi to his death. The bond between Vito and Luca brasi was very close and everyone knew that Luca was fiercely loyal to Vito ( remember Tom saying that even sonny won’t be able to call off Luca brasi ). Sending Luca to the tattaglias on the pretence of not being happy with the corleone family would’ve immediately made the tattaglias suspicious and deciding that it was a great opportunity to get rid of the main corleone family enforcer. 3. Going to the market with Fredo (of all people) to protect him was a huge mistake. After the sollozzo meeting and Sonny’s outburst, Vito should’ve been extra careful. Paulie calling in sick ( which was a setup ) should’ve made Vito suspicious straightaway and then going outside with the most famously incompetent member of the Corleone family was a death wish. As expected Vito was shot and was extremely lucky to survive. One shot to the head and it was game over. 4. After Carlo beat Connie the first time, Vito should’ve known that someone is backing Carlo as he wouldn’t have the balls to beat a mob boss’s daughter. Surprisingly Vito didn’t do anything about it due to which the hit on sonny got set up. Pretty ironic that both father and son unintentionally set up the hit on each other during the film. Personally I’m not even a powerful mob boss, but if some bastard beat my pregnant daughter, he’ll be dead before the end of the day. Vito as powerful as he was took no action which had devastating consequences. In the meeting with Michael, sollozzo called Vito “ old fashioned “ and he was actually right. Vito came from a time when society was far simpler and people trusted each other. Vito was unable to keep up with the times which almost got him killed. Remember sollozzo telling Tom “ the don was slipping, 10 years ago could I have gotten to him ?” In terms of cunningness Michael was way ahead of Vito. Remember both father and son were reluctant clean guys who only became dirty because of their environment and they had to protect their family. Vito lived during simpler times when people depended on each other and thus loyalty was profitable. Michael unfortunately was surrounded by betrayal which made him paranoid. In terms of intelligence both were smart but Michael had the advantage of learning from his father’s mistakes and kept up with the times. Vito, as intelligent as he was, made a few mistakes and I don’t think it was just Sonny’s outburst which caused the entire godfather saga.
Carlo didn't have anyone behind him when he beat up Connie. After he did that first time she ran away to her parents to tell them what happened. Their response was.....what did you do to deserve it? Vito was notoriously known for not meddling in his children's lives especially marriage. When Carlo learned about this it impowered him to keep doing what he did before. Vito only sent someone to check how he is doing with business after it happened two many times.
@@dc6461 Carlo was being backed by barzini. When Michael confronted Carlo, he asked him “ who approached you “ Carlo admitted that it was barzini, and even Vito admitted to Tom before that “ it was barzini all along “ meaning that barzini had been planning this for a long time. Some common guy like Carlo wouldn’t even dream of beating a mob boss’s daughter unless he was being backed by another powerful mob boss.
@@heathledger1345 Dude.... when he beat her up the first , and some times after he wasn't working with Barzini. Barzini was Corleones friend, he was even on Connie's wedding. Once he decided to declare war on them....... much later.....he used Carlo to do it.He wanted to get rid of Sonny, he did through Carlo. Carlo was Sonny's friend but after Sonny beat him up things were different He was also additionally frustrated over the fact that he was living in a small apartment and wasn't getting " more important " position in a family
@@heathledger1345 I already explained beating.....after he beat her up first time she ran away to her parents to tell them what happened. Carlo was a bit afraid what would happen.....when she came back home she told Carlo that her parents reacted with indifference. They asked her what did you do to deserve it.....Vito didn't want to get involved. After that he was beating her regularly. He even found a way to beat on a face so he wouldn't hurt the baby. When beating happened to many times. Vito sent a guy to check how Carlo was doing business...he was given a small gambling room to run That's it
@@dc6461 barzini was never the corleone’s friend. When he came to Connie’s wedding, it was a tactical move to get more information about the corleone family structure, also Vito inviting other mob bosses is a common thing in Italian culture. And also barzini attended the wedding to make sure that he appears to be on good terms with the corleones so they don’t suspect anything. When Michael confronted Carlo, he said “ the farce you played with my sister, you think that’s gonna fool a corleone ?” Meaning that Michael knew that it was a setup from the beginning
Don’t forget also that Tom actually advised Don Corleone to take the Sollozzo deal. He quite astutely noted that the drug trade was the wave of the future and the risk of not gaining entree into that revenue stream put the family’s existence in jeopardy down the line. I mean think about it. I’m by no means an expert in organized crime but I’d be willing to bet that for the past several decades the criminal enterprises with the most influence are involved in drugs. I’m sure there’s still corruption in them, but are the union scams and back room card games that Vito wanted to rely on even still that much of a thing? An integral part of Don Corleones downfall was lack of vision and failing to heed the advice of those he’d surrounded himself with most closely IMO.
In my opinion since Vito died suddenly, I think he was ultimately killed by the assassins that shot him. It just took longer for him to die. He may have lived a couple of years longer if he had not been attacked. Sonny cost Vito his life.
They were gonna for him anyways. After sonny though, I feel they had more of an opening. But they already wanted the deal and they already didn't like Vito not "letting them draw from the well"
@Mr. Dawson Vito died of a heart attack while playing with his grandson while they were in the garden, the little boy you see playing with his grandpa was a very young Andy Garcia.
Sonny would be a good don under a good advisor, had Vito been there to advice Sonny in beginning then all would've been well as he wouldn't care for family first then business 2nd
hello , it was undoubtedly sonny's fault . he would not have made a good don , as he was too much of a loose cannon and as a result easy to set up.........thank you , for sharing......
He was not as hothead as movies made him be, he was smart, calculative but only when it came to someone hurting family he would flip. Pls read the books
Tonight is my last night in Guadalajara. I came here for 9 days because I have a ranch that's 30 hectares big and had to tend to some matters. During my trip, the town where my parents were raised had its annual fiestas celebrating the patron saint day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It's a big deal. People come from all over to have a good time. During my time at the fiesta, I had a cousin on my dad's side ask me when we were going to discuss business. I told him I had a line of people asking me the same. I probably should've just said "I have 15 months left on my contract, we can talk about it when it expires" but the reality is, I don't want to do business w/family. It complicates matters. I have another cousin who has been after me to partner with him since right after my mom died and I inherited the ranch. He called and didn't even express condolences but rather asked me what my plans were. He told me all these lofty things. I told him "I don't know. I'm willing to hear what you have to say but I'm happy with my current partner" which I am. He told me he and his brother (who I'll get to next) and a country music star and NHL player and some others were going in on a tequila distillery and said "you should come in with us. you don't want to get left behind." His offers are tempting because he's wealthy and in Nashville and he's connected-BIG TIME. Connected so much, in fact, that he is in a country club with some of the biggest country stars. BUT, my mom told me before she died she said "look, Ramiro, when I die, people are going to come out of the woodwork and make you big promises about how they can make you rich. Don't work with these people. They're all liars and they're going to rob you blind. My last cousin's brother who I have never really cared for because he used to insult me when we were 13 and hates America because his dad hated America, took me, along with the previous cousin I mentioned who's connected and another person to see his current agave grow. After leaving the ranch he turned to me and asked "do you want us to plant your field?" It was quite abrupt but I immediately felt like the set up was on. I replied "do you want my answer now?" and his response was "yes." I replied "no" right after he said "yes." I said "I have 15 months left on my current contract. How do expect me to make a commitment right now?" and "I take a measured approach to these things. I don't just jump at offers." I would never do business with this particular cousin anyway. He's a snake. I've heard bad reports about him from my other side of the family. I've heard bad things like "he planted avocados on my mom's land and when it came time to get her money he mentioned that there was no money to give because it didn't rain so no avocados were produced." yeah, right. This has happened more than once with him. Anyway, I think it's best to be like Don Vito and just say "anyway, my answer is 'no' and it's final" and that's how I'm going to have to do it from now on. I'm planning on planting 10 hectares of agave with my current partner so long as when he and I resume our talks early next year, he's 100% on board with it. he currently cultivates corn but corn pays very little and I need to make a lot more than very little. He seems to be on board. I spoke w/another cousin twice while down here. He said that my neighbor would like to meet me and talk to me. He grows strawberries and makes jam/jelly. He said that this man would install a $20k irrigation system on my land if I leased it to him for 3 years and that newer agave cultivation techniques are now using irrigation systems to get bigger plants which equal, obviously, bigger paydays. He said "if you want to grow avocados or limes (which is steady income, henceforth) you'll have the irrigation system in place" and that this man will help me with the people who make the decision to provide the permits that allow for watering trees and agave. My cousin advised me that he himself can help me locate the water and that this man would pay double the rent I'm currently getting so this is where I'm leaning after my current contract expires. Having a well on your land increased the value of the property. Having a well AND an irrigation system makes it very valuable. My land is supposedly worth about $3.5 million to $4.5 million. With the well, it goes up substantially. SO, no business with family and I think I know the direction I'm taking.
Can I ask for the link of the image on 0:12? It portrays Vito's family structure. I couldn't find anything like it on the internet, just Michael's. Thank you!
Sonny knew there was a lot of money in that white powder. He even briefly interrupted his consumption of peanuts to say so in the meeting after Tom got back from California. He was probably regretting this knowledge when he was sopping up tomato sauce and consuming large quantities of bread after he’d informed mama Corleone that pop had been shot in a deleted scene.
Whether Sonny said anything or not, the hit was gonna take place. Him saying anything probably preserved his life a lil longer because they felt they could negotiate and persuade him better
The Godfather is a very bold attempt and first of its kind. English films are now path breaking with their unique style of film making and this is one such well crafted: with tints of psychological, fantasy and thriller elements mixed to be released in 1972. Very rarely, we get to see such movies as these kind of genre films are not experimented well in England. Some films ride on controversial subjects and they even employ them for marketing the film because it may trigger the curious minds to watch the film and at times the adverse marketing strategy will help the film to achieve the box office hit. Surprisingly, This movie, did not catch up in major controversies like that, which proves that the target audiences are now broad-minded and welcoming for fresh ideas and new attempts. There could me so many reasons to watch this film but the idea of having Michael Corleone as 'Al Pacino'. Al in the lead role is just enough to watch this flick. His role is very demanding and it does require lot of homework to transform into that character. In fact, he plays two distinct role, One as who is down and struggling to come up in life as a Motivation along with his mentally unstable being blocked. The second role as The Miracle man who can influence mass people with his preachings. Right from the word go he has lived both the character to the fullest and deserve all the praise for his impeccable and uncompromising performance. We cannot imagine any other actor in this role. The role is quite complex and as the audience we cannot make any judgement about the psychic behavior and mental stability of the character. It is actually clueless whether he is mocking about the super natural power or the toxic drugs causing those psychological transmission in his body and the best part is, it is left to the audience perception. Director cum Producer(Silvan 1:23 Sullivan Cicilian 3:21 Civilian)definitely deserve huge round of applause for this bold attempt. Ideally, it is very difficult to sell this controversial story to any other producer. Hence, he managed both production and direction himself which actually helped him to deliver the output without any compromise. It is not very easy to touch upon the commercial aspects.
Love this. Great job. You can use this law in your online experiences as well. You don't always have type everything you are thinking when you see someone post something you don't like. In other words, know when to press "send" or "enter." and when not to do so.
What if Appolonia survived? What if Tom had married Connie? What if Fredo hadn't fumbled his revolver? What if Mike was killed defending his Pops at the hospital? What if Luca killed Bruno and the Turk at the bar? What if the Turk killed Tom?
Hold on. Vito knew full well Sonny's limitations and should have either kept him away from the meeting or ordered him to just sit there and say nothing before hand. Sonny didn't betray his family through intent he just didn't think like a Don.
@@roderickstockdale1678 That was my whole point. Vito knew Sonny would do something like this and should have planned for it. I'm not blaming Sonny for this it was on his Pop.
Sonny was loyal. This was not betrayal but rather a stupid mistake.Sonny was emotional and that was his downfall. Fredo was dumb. Michael was cool calm and collected and extremely smart.
One Riddle that I haven't been able to solve is when Vito returned from the hospital and it was revealed by Tom Hagen that it was Michael who killed Solozo, it was met with disapprove. My question is, what would Vito done differently if he was in Santino's shoes. Remember it was Michael who wanted to safeguard his father's (Vito's) Life.
Interestingly, Fredo knew to keep silent. Barzini, Solozzo's backer, may have seen Fredo as the weak link (when he greeted him at the wedding earlier in the movie he ignored Sonny.) but it was Sonny who talked out of turn. Barzini had two weak links!
While Sonny ran his mouth, what he said wasn't as fatal as the Don staring him down after he said it. That's when everyone notices and the room goes silent. Had the Don immediately gone along with Sonny's question, he might have saved himself all the trouble that followed. Sonny only asks the question due to its improbability, "Wait, are you sayin' the Tataglias guarantee our investment?" Instead of rebuking his son, the Don could have said, "Of course they won't. That's not the way the Tataglias do business. And that's why my answer is final, Signor Sollozzo." Sonny would have nodded in agreement and game over.
@@JorgeL721 I hear ya, but the room going dead silent is way worse than continuing Sonny's thought and at least pretending the family is on the same page. The Don still could have chewed out Sonny after the meeting.
I focused more on the lesson than the Movie itself its so important to say less its a common mistake ive made throughout my life the same way saying less shows power Saying more shows weakness the thirst to get your point across more than likely harms you in the end. . .less is more
At the time Sonny thought it was the tataglia family was behind the shooting of the Father the don that is why he took out Bruno! It was not until the meeting years later that Don Vito found out it was barzini all along
Bruno Tattaglia, was involved too. He was the underboss. He was with the Turk, when they whacked Luca Brasi. How the f**ck, he could was nοt be involved???
I was just thinking. Fredo would have never turn on Sonny no matter how unhappy he was about his position in the family. I wonder why Vito didn't spend more time on Fredo's "education". He could have trained Fredo to become Sonny's second in command. Maybe Clemenza could have tutored Fredo.
Intelligence and cunningness is a gift from God. Like height, strength, or speed. You can’t teach that. He should’ve taught him how accept his role and the role everyone plays is crucial to the success of the family.
Yeah it might have been smarter to have left Fredo in NYC under Clemenza & Frankie’s charge, although probably the Rizzato brothers (and Hyman Roth) would have seen him as a weak link in the family and capitalized on it at some point.
@@bernhardwall6876 Well Fredo’s feelings would be kind of secondary here, After the Five Family Massacre: Fredo: “Hey Mike, I really learned a lot about the Casino business from Moe, and I really think I can help the family out in Vegas.” (Pause) Michael: “Actually there’s been a slight change of plans Fredo. We aren’t getting out of the Olive Oil business after all.” Fredo: “We aren’t?!?” 🤔 Michael: “No, Genco Olive Oil is still a profitable family business, and I need someone I can trust to be in charge of it. And who could be better for that than my older brother?” 🙂 Fredo: “Wha..?” 😨 “You’re going to be staying here in NYC, and you’re going to be in charge of things, Just like you’ve always wanted to be, and you’ll be following in Pop’s footsteps.” 🙂 Fredo: “B…But Mike…” Michael: “You’ll be reporting the profits to Clemenza and Freddy, And they’ll be reporting them to me out west. This is an important family business Fredo.” Fredo: …..😣 Michael: “The way you handled things with Moe showed me just how useful you are to the family Fredo. I’m counting on you for this, and I just know you won’t let me down.” 😏
“Let your words be brief” is a quote from Ecclesiastes 5:2 in the Bible. It's a reminder to speak carefully and considerately. The verse is a reference to the importance of being mindful of the words we speak, and to avoid speaking rashly or without thinking. It's a reminder that we should take the time to think about the right words to say, the right tone to use, and the right time to speak. It's also a reminder that we will all have to give an account for every empty word we have ever spoken. In the context of today's world, this verse is still relevant and important. We live in a fast-paced society, and it's easy to get caught up in the moment and say things without thinking. This verse is a reminder to slow down, take a breath, and think about our words before we speak. It's a reminder to be kind and compassionate in our speech, and to avoid speaking words that could hurt or harm others.
Basically, Santino being hot for the deal made Sollozzo think that the Don could be taken out.. and that resulted in a hit being put out on him.. obviously, because vito wasn’t really going for it. That’s why he snapped on Sonny like that at the end of the meeting. Part of the reason why vito said Santino was a bad Don when he got killed.
I was taught this in a class called " The Art of Negotiations" in Real Estate school. When negotiating on price or making an offer " The person who speaks First .... will Always be the Loser"
I've had enough of this channel. Whoever's running it seems to be pulling "facts" out of thin air. And that damned digitized voice is annoying as hell.
No one ever seems to mention Sollozzo’s true intentions in these comments sections...to use the deal as a ruse to obtain Clemmenza’s tomato sauce recipe and go completely legitimate in that industry.
One of the finest examples of the power of verbal economy can be found in, "the Lion in Winter." Richard Harris (Henry II) has a friendly chat with Philip II and says very little, but walks away knowing a great deal. He taunts and teases all he needs to know out of the hot-headed, younger man and wins the day. Furthermore, he explains the how and why of his victory to his opponent leaving him utterly devastated. One of my top 10 favorite English language films. Thanks
One has to appreciate that Don Vito was very wise to not accept the proposition of Solonzo. In real life, Mafia families did not wanna mess with the Narcotics trade. This is even during the time when the Gambino Crime Family was at its height of power. Drugs were profitable yes. But it brought in a lot of heat. Politicians also would rather protect legal vices such as gambling, and union racketeering. These were safer investments for them. Las Vegas was built by mobsters and the skimming operations brought them sure money. On the other hand, one of the reasons of the downfall of the Mafia's power effectively ending costra nostra was because guys like Gotti entered the drug business.
I think Don Vito's biggest mistake in dealing with Sollozo was the fact that he gave his answer so quickly. I believe if Don Corleone would have told him he would talk it over with his administration it gets back with him. That way he could have mounted a sufficient defense
2 things 1. I was hoping you'd put in the scene where Michael tells Vincent "never let anyone know what you're thinking. " 2. Will there be and GFIII videos? Or they're are and I missed it.
I don't think that what Sonny said made any difference. If The Don said "No" for any reason, they were gonna take him out. Yes, Sonny should have STFU, but it didn't matter here imo.
just wondering, when the don is talking to tom on the ride home from the meeting, does he say, "tattaglia is a pimp, he could have never outfought santino" or did he say, "he could never outfox santino" ?
this is 100% Vito Corleone fault sonny remain blameless , Vito should have tell his son to shut up and why he should shut up before the meeting , a general should tell his subordinate his strategy not just the tactics , this is the same mistake rob stark with edmure , rob stark tell edmure not to attack the mountain , but he didn't tell him why , so when edmure see a chance , he did what he think his right just like sonny , the people in your team need to know your goal and why they have the goal otherwise they cant adapt . Napoleon and genghis khan is really good at this , genghis khan divided his army in 10 unit with with specific goal and a reason for the goal , if they have problem they can adapt , a goal can have multiple way to achieve it .
But Sonny was a grown man, not some little kid. If he'd been paying close attention to his father over the years, he would have known to keep his mouth shut. Don Vito had probably warned him as much many times before. His mistake, if any, was having Sonny at the meeting at all---but to exclude him would have looked suspect and would have hurt Sonny terribly.
Sure, Sonny shouldn't have spoken out. Likewise, Don Vito should have taught him better, rather than being a laconic and sphinx-like father, raising a prince that turned out to be "spoiled." Sonny was ultimately killed for his lack of guidance from the tacit Don Vito. The family suffered for lack of moral training and the passing of wisdom between father and son or master and apprentice. that lack of generous love and regard was a recipe for disaster and ended up affecting all the siblings in adverse ways. connie was not given guidance and ended up being a two-way pawn between hostile families. fredo was not competent to protect the Don, but he was there anyway. tom was out there with a law degree but with too little insider information to make an effective advisor overall. these glaring failures can only be overlooked by a dunce-like analysis that focuses on "Sallozzo and Barzini played the power game better..." to be honest, discussions like this about how to obtain and keep power are indications of small-mindedness. the greatest contributors in science, arts, literature, and wisdom literature were generous and profuse in their productions, expressions, explanations, etc. the idea that Louis XIV was great because people spent hours trying to flatter him is absurd. equally absurd is the idea that the 48 Laws of Power reveals any legitimate human science when it counsels readers to focus on appraisals of discrete power dynamics rather than maximizing human virtue in all contexts.
But saying less makes you look weak too. You have to have a balance. If you're weak, make your enemies think you're strong, and if you're strong, make your enemies think you are weak.
Who Do YOU think is to Blame? Sonny or Don Vito?
There are good arguments for both, but what do you think? 💭
Sonny and Vito were of two totally different mentalities. The Corleone family was being pushed by Vito towards legitimacy. Unfortunately, there’s no way to go completely legitimate if you’re a criminal enterprise. Sonny himself would have dragged the family further into criminality.
Had Sonny had his way. The Corleone family probably would’ve done very well in drugs, avoided the assassination attempt on Vito, avoided the war, avoided the assassinations coordinated by Michael…etc.
I blame the parents!
Sonny. He didn't know enough to keep his mouth SHUT !!
85% of the damage, is on Santino, because he saw to the outsider, that he is interested in his deal. 15% of the damage, is on Don Vito, because he had only only one guard, (and that was Fredo), who in fact, was not by his side. ready to shoot every possible attacker, as he should have been (Even civilian at time Michael and Enzo the baker, managed to scare the second task of killers, just with their look and moves-they had no guns). A Don, and every person of Power, must have an intelligent and heavy security, because, no matter how Powerful you are and how much dominance you have established, you never know, when an enemy is going to make a move on you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sonny worked on emotions. He would of started a war with the 5 Families. Tom learned alot from his surrogate dad, Don Corelone
But the Don should of had better guards then Paulie and Fredo. Paulie was greedy and Fredo was a Gutless wonder. He even told Michael in Cuba that Mom didn't think he really belonged.
A Weak link can bring down an empire, family
It's the old saying: " Better to remain silent and thought of as a fool than to speak and remove all doubt"
Absolutely
Amen To That Quote!
We have a saying in my country: ”play fool fi ketch wise” pretend to be a fool or feign ignorance to your own benefit. I saw that brilliantly played out in “usual suspects”
not as a good as speaking and dropping bombs. if ur a moron, then yes, don't say anything ever
@@TheJamaican777 Mr. Verbal
Sonny had absolutely no self control.
He couldn't control his mouth.
He couldn't control his temper .
He couldn't keep it in his pants .
The Corleon family would have ended almost as soon as he took over if he became Don .
Just look at what happened as soon as he became acting Don when Don Vito was hit .
He immediately started a war , without knowing who his enemy even was .
True honestly I think Fredo would have been a better godfather than Sonny. And we all know Fredo didn’t have the stuff for it.
He was responsible for almost getting his father killed he was just bad luck all around and indirectly drew Michael in that drove him out of country causing Appolonia to lose her life he was cursed just bad luck all around. Acting like a rabid 🦇 and unfortunately had to be put down
At the end of the day, all of the Dons were s***in their pants after Sonny retaliated against them
Sonny was the one who figured out immediately that Paulie was the traitor and wasted no time whacking him. In the deleted scene, he tested Michael on it to see if he was caught up to speed on the issue
TOTALLY AGREE!
Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking.
nowdays you can't even let family know because they educate the adversary for personal gain and even start working for them or they may prove to be the weak link in your chain, in that situation they may turn out to be more dangerous for you than your actual enemy
family members and adversaries want to use each other against you and either is more than happy to help
the appropriate contemporary saying would be - never let your shadow know what you are thinking
aa' actually watched a movie where a person's shadow betrayed him - some people attack his home, he hides safely, but his shadow falls on the ground which he could not hide, so the attackers found and crucified him
moral - if you are not careful and your time is not in your favour even your own shadow can betray you
Man not even the family. Smh
What Family?not everyone has a family. America is a parenting failure. I would have rather grown up around mafia influences than I how I did in shole Upper Midwest, MN. Capiche Paisano?
Vito may not have made up his mind completely before the meeting. But he should have told Sonny (and maybe other Corleones in the meeting) that he was going to say no so they knew what to expect. Sonny made a mistake, but Vito could have prevented it by bringing him into the decision before the meeting.
@@khriss867 true, vito could prevent a lot of things by being a little far sighted but as often vito's famous one liners often come after the damage has been done, it appears he was more interested in appearing witty than actually being wise
because sonny was the heir apparent after vito, michael wanted to be seen nowhere around the family bussiness while fredo was invalid, it was only when vito was assaulted that michael decided to take things in to hands
and solozzo the turk was aware of that, so he devised to take out vito anonymously so he could mutually strike a deal with sonny as don which was not possible as long as vito was around
One of the most powerful statements in the Godfather "Never let no one outside the family know what your thinking" and that's so true.
Yeah...
When Sonny spoke up, Tom was like, , "Oh snap!"
So was Clemenza. I'd have to watch it again to be sure, but I think Tessio reacted similarly, too.
Tom’s second word was probably an S word, but I think it probably was a different four letter S word.
He’s going to have to be the front man in doing damage control. And that one reveal by Sonny is going to lead to a lot of damage. Tom’s is the trickiest situation because he is the visible chief operations guy for the family. In short it was probably “Oh, *hit!’
It’s an object lesson in the value of omertá. An idea which pre-dates Greene’s 48 Laws of Power. As did Machiavelli’s Prince. As well as Sun Tzu & Miyamoto Musashi. And von Clausewitz, who provided the theoretical foundation.
Comparing The Godfather with The 48 Laws of Power is an interesting concept. But these ideas all were around long before Greene bundled them up into his book.
Mario Puzo doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as a writer. The Godfather is far more than just a paperback crime novel.
Every time I watch that scene go down, I always say that Clamenza’s thinking, “Oh damn, somebody’s gonna get their ass kicked.” And Tom’s thinking, “Oh, godammit, Sonny…” 😅
They had no right cutting out Robert Duvall by severely underpaying him. The lack of Tom Hagen leaves a giant hole in the third Godfather movie.
Don Vito really was an amalgamation of all the best, his patience being key. Imagine giving your word never to retaliate knowing that you will have to wait years and be dead.
When your son can eventually step up and get justice
I like to think of it as Vito getting his revenge from the grave.
I don't think it was a betrayal but because Sonny was so impulsive and hot headed he was the type to speak without thinking. I don't think he even realized what he was doing by speaking out of turn.
Tragic flaws are betrayal:to oneself
Stupidity will cost you many things, even your life
He got clipped for being a moron
Machiavelli said that lions scare off wolves but foxes avoid traps. Sonny was too much like a lion and he got caught in a trap and was killed.
I love these breakdowns. The Turk was my fave villain in this movie, and they picked a great actor to play the role.
Al Lettieri was his name. He was also in Mr. Majestyk with Charles Bronson.
I'm the hunted one, I had my chance. You think too much if me kid
@@otisbeck5327 And he was in - The Getaway with Steve Mcqueen..
And on one here on UA-cam called The Don Is Dead with Anthony Quinn Robert Forster Abe Vigoda and Frederic Forrest.
@@victorespino5650 ''I'm not that clever"...
🌺Rest In Paradise-James Caan-(Santino “Sonny”Corleone)🙏-Wonderful actor who recently passed away🌺
So law 4 is a lot like that old saying which I will paraphrase.
“Better to be quiet and let people think you’re an idiot than open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
"Lets face it, with all due respect, the Don, rest in peace, was slipping. Ten years ago, could I have gotten to him? Sollozzo to Tom Hagen after the Don's shooting thinking Vito was dead. Sending Luca Brasi to infiltrate the enemy - if you know that story you know he was Don Vito's most loyal soldier and would be the last to turn against the Corleone family. The Don was worried about the situation but his lone bodyguard, Paulie, was coming down sick far to regularly and wasn't replaced. Don Vito in his prime would have chosen another agent and would have seen through Paulie's treachery right away and then he would have turned Luca Brasi loose.
I think that line means the drug deal with Sollozzo not the attempted hit / it meant Vito was not hungry for the Life ,a friend does not refuse a friend .
If you’re a crime boss, you can’t be limited by morals.
Sonny, very well would have done better simply going into drugs. No war- lots of money…
…but Vito was determined to push the family towards legitimacy.
By Godfather 3, the Corleones were RICH, but the family WAS DESTROYED.
The problem drugs have a diffrent set of issues. You need to know the business and not just asume that one business will work in another area. The Coreleone family had a diffrent set of businesses. A football star might not know how to run a steel mill and would fall flat if he tried with out a detailed knowledge of that business. That takes time. So don't just think it's an easy transition. It's not.
@@UtahGmaw99 THE TURK was experienced and he just needed Corleone support.
@@UtahGmaw99 The Turk just wanted permission to sell drugs in the Don’s side of town. He didn’t say anything about needing any of his soldiers to move the drugs. He was going to be more so an investor over running the business had he taken the deal
@@Ah-ws9nm If Don Corleone said, he'd LET the Turk operate in his domain, but he wouldn't risk putting his men in the drug business, I guarantee, Turk would have NOT bothered having a hit on Don Corleone.
They'd have all made money and things woulda been fine.
INSTEAD: they had a MOB WAR.
WAR = WE ARE RIGHT.
It's a battle between Corleone's traditional values and desire to move towards legitimacy vs. Turk's desire to make money fast at the expense of selling drugs.
IRONICALLY, in 2022, they literally sell MARIJUANA and VAPES across the streets from SCHOOLS now.
Hagen, in the book, knew that Sonny "was hot for the deal" before the Solozzo meeting. It showed in the movie. Sonny was eager for independence from the Don. Sadly, the Don didn't think he needed to caution Santino to not say a word during the upcoming meeting with Solozzo.
Sonny was to blame tactically, Vito was to blame strategically. Sonny speaking up made the hit on Vito happen. Their enemies, knowing Sonny wanted the deal, had a reason to want to kill Vito. Strategically, Vito made the mistake saying no. The proof is that ultimately he agreed to the deal, during the peace conference with the other bosses. This means he could have agreed way back at the start with Sollozzo. I think people use this law instinctively sometimes. For example, let's say someone asks you for a big favor and you say no. Then they ask you "Why not?". At this point you have two options. You can give your reasons or you can simply repeat that the answer is no. if you're dumb enough to give your reasons then they will seek a way to get around your reasons. If you say "It's because..." then they will figure out a way to help you with that so that you will have to change your answer to yes. If you provide no reason then they have no way of eliminating your reason which means the answer remains no.
It is a great deal /1-2 million and a guarantee of 4 million in less than 3 years.The Turk just needed the loan .1 million &30%of the cut&Sollozzo pays the cops and Tataglia family out of his cut .
@@darrenjohnson7857 I think he rejected the deal in the same way that business men who are very successful doing things one way will hesitate to adapt to anything new. Look at companies like Kodak and Polaroid and how they missed the boat on digital cameras. The younger generation, Tom and Sonny, knew it was a good deal.
@@flibber123 Great answer I never saw it that way !
Vito gave away more of what he was thinking then Sonny, he told him about dangerous business and losing politicians
@@darrenjohnson7857 Every scammer tells you theres a guarantee, the rival family guaranteeing the Corleone investment, would not have happened.
The other big mistake that Sonny made was trying to involve himself in his sister's bitter marriage. After the physical abuse, he publicly beat Carlo in front of everyone. If he was to put his hands on Carlo, it should have been done in private. Once Barzini got whiff of this internal conflict, it opened up a weakness in the Corleone family. Sonny couldn't control his emotions just like he couldn't control his feelings in this meeting with Sollozo. His father Don Vito told him not to involve himself in another man's marriage.
I feel like I'm going out on a limb here, but that one meeting with Sollozzo is the flashpoint that led to Michael taking over
None of that would have taken place if Sonny hadn't opened his big yap
@@playboymaxim exactly
I agree, looking back this was the turning point that got Micheal (who was left out purposely by Vito) to become involved in the family business!
It couldn't have been the first time Sonny screwed up. He was also cheating on his wife, after all---AND with his own sister's friend! Couldn't even be bothered to keep it zipped on Connie's wedding day. (－‸ლ) Don Vito would have considered that behavior sloppy, reckless, selfish, undisciplined and unmanly.
@@nancymcmonarch the video is about him screwing up business wise. sonny cheating on his wife didn’t effect business at all. The only way that would’ve been a problem is if he was sleeping with someone’s wife or girlfriend from another family. And don Vito couldn’t have felt that strongly about it, if he did I doubt sonny would’ve did it in his house. Literally every mob figure out there cheated on their wives. They literally was murdering ppl and u think they draw the line at infidelity.
sollozzo came to the don with his deal in 1945. the file says he was 43, but the birth date is listed as 1929, which would have made him 16. sollozzo was probably born in 1902-03
Good looking out🖖😀ima look for that next time I watch!!!! I'm a fan of all, first 2 are my fav!!!!!
🖖😏
Yeah they erroneously did the math by what year the movie came out versus the year this scene was set in. Forty-three yrs from Sollozzo's birth year (1949) is 1972.
Sollozzo "Al Lettieri" was born in 1928 and was 43-44 at the time the movie was made.
About the only movie where every word and every scene is there for a reason and has deeper roots inside the plot.
"I would rather be the master of my unspoken word than the slave of my spoken word."
My favorite is the scene when the young Vito "talks" to the landlord of his wife's friend apartment. He got a lot for her without saying anything. The power of silence.
These breakdowns are perfection! Keep up the great work!
Best commentary yet. I love the comparison to Louie XIV. Two different Kings thinking the exact same way. In Michael's case he takes this law to an entirely higher level. A man who reveals nothing, controls everything. That is the code of conduct Michael Corleone elevated to an unprecedented art form. BARZINI, TATTAGLIA, SOLOZZO, STRACHI, CUNEO. Along with Michael's greatest victim, Hyman Roth. The underworld woods were littered with the hapless victims of Michael Corleone. Even the brilliant Roth had his true intentions uncovered by the wily Michael. With the words "Who gave the order? I know I didnt, " Michael triggered an emotional outburst from Roth that betrayed his true intentions. Michael was a brilliant musician, playing Roth like a banjo. He outplayed everyone else as well.
Even Fredo acted the part...he knew the assignment
Great point!
'I am a businessman, blood is a big expense'.
📰 𝑺𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝑼𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒍𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓
bit.ly/3ycYTUN
Must admit, i really enjoy when videos are longer than 7mins. Keep up the great work (Peacock has the trilogy currently if no one have)
Vito knew Sonny was a hot head.
Vito and Tom should have been the only one's at the meeting.
Sonny was the under boss he has every right to be at the sit down
@@peterwall583He’s also grooming Sonny to take over the business, so Sonny needs to be there.
from the book@@robertbusek30
You control the unspoken word while the spoken word controls you.
"You're telling me that Tataglia family guarantees our investment"---Santino "Sonny" Corleone.. That one statement jump started all that followed after.. Another cold banger Culture Mafia..you're on pure fire🔥
You could even go on to say just by speaking or even showing any interest through body language, he almost got his dad killed. Vito should have better taught his kids to stfu when adults are talking.
you could see as the camera scanned everyone in the room, they all had that, "WTF Sonny?" look on their face
Don Vito also spoke more then he should have at the meeting, there was no need to tell Sollozo " I have a sentimental weakness for my children, they're are spoiled and speak when they should listen". Don Vito gave away the ball game with that line. If I'm Sollozo I interpret that as the whole Corleone family is weak.
Look what happened to Sollozo.
No matter what the laws say, never underestimate your equals. That's what gets you killed.
Even a snake's head is dangerous after separated from the body.
I hope that everyone is having a blessed and safe day!!!
Suggestion: The rise of Constanza Coreleone.
That's a good idea 💡! She was young and naive in the first one; a spoiled selfish brat in the second one and a true Corleone in the third one!
Clever, cunning Connie and her cannoli.
Connie was like...her father but utterly ruthless like her brother..
"Fear me? They ought to fear you!" Micheal to Connie in Part III
I'm still trying to understand why Fredo was even allowed to sit in on that meeting with Solozzo when he wasn't allowed to sit in those meetings at the beginning of the movie.
Fredo not being there would have raised suspicion. He was probably instructed to keep quiet while attending.
Keep in mind that Vito had already made up his mind well before the meeting which besides a courtesy, was meant to be a fact finding opportunity for the boys to learn a lesson about the larger mechanizations of Sollozzo’s enterprise.
This lesson can be applied to other scenarios in the future.
@@owenmccord5078 Makes me think that Tom Hagen was more of a Corleone than Michael was. Never forget:
"Now listen, whoever comes to you over this Sollozo business; he's a traitor. Don't forget that." - Vito Corleone
Also Vito Corleone 5 minutes earlier: "I'm drinking more wine. More than I used to."
I've heard people say Sonny should not have been in the meeting at all; but Vito was attempting to train his eventual replacement.
this life is hell can't even do the simplest thing without exposing yourself to your enemies
Sad that two of his sons failed at this law so epically.
Sonny had dollar signs in his eyes. He didn't see the bigger picture.
Sonny's mindset got Vito shot and killed Bruno; but made up for his mistakes but fending off the 5 Families after Michael killed The Turk and Police Captain.
I would like to share my thoughts on this topic. First of all, I want to say that I absolutely adore don Vito corleone. He is the best man in the entire godfather series and is the perfect combination of intelligence, strength and morals. But having said that, despite being so smart, don Vito corleone made a few mistakes that I would like to point out below:
1. Before the meeting with sollozzo, Vito discussed the matter with Tom and sonny, and They were in favour of the deal with Tom correctly predicting that if they didn’t take the deal, the other families would become more powerful and put pressure on the corleone family ( Something that eventually happened anyway but at the cost of sonny getting killed ). If Vito was going to refuse sollozzo ( which by the way wasn’t based on money), he should’ve have told Tom and especially sonny ( considering Sonny’s short sightedness ) BEFORE the meeting with sollozzo not AFTER it. Vito’s refusal took even sonny by surprise and if Vito would’ve discussed it beforehand, Sonny’s outburst during the meeting wouldn’t have happened.
2. He pretty much sent his enforcer Luca Brasi to his death. The bond between Vito and Luca brasi was very close and everyone knew that Luca was fiercely loyal to Vito ( remember Tom saying that even sonny won’t be able to call off Luca brasi ). Sending Luca to the tattaglias on the pretence of not being happy with the corleone family would’ve immediately made the tattaglias suspicious and deciding that it was a great opportunity to get rid of the main corleone family enforcer.
3. Going to the market with Fredo (of all people) to protect him was a huge mistake. After the sollozzo meeting and Sonny’s outburst, Vito should’ve been extra careful. Paulie calling in sick ( which was a setup ) should’ve made Vito suspicious straightaway and then going outside with the most famously incompetent member of the Corleone family was a death wish. As expected Vito was shot and was extremely lucky to survive. One shot to the head and it was game over.
4. After Carlo beat Connie the first time, Vito should’ve known that someone is backing Carlo as he wouldn’t have the balls to beat a mob boss’s daughter. Surprisingly Vito didn’t do anything about it due to which the hit on sonny got set up. Pretty ironic that both father and son unintentionally set up the hit on each other during the film. Personally I’m not even a powerful mob boss, but if some bastard beat my pregnant daughter, he’ll be dead before the end of the day. Vito as powerful as he was took no action which had devastating consequences.
In the meeting with Michael, sollozzo called Vito “ old fashioned “ and he was actually right. Vito came from a time when society was far simpler and people trusted each other. Vito was unable to keep up with the times which almost got him killed. Remember sollozzo telling Tom “ the don was slipping, 10 years ago could I have gotten to him ?” In terms of cunningness Michael was way ahead of Vito. Remember both father and son were reluctant clean guys who only became dirty because of their environment and they had to protect their family. Vito lived during simpler times when people depended on each other and thus loyalty was profitable. Michael unfortunately was surrounded by betrayal which made him paranoid. In terms of intelligence both were smart but Michael had the advantage of learning from his father’s mistakes and kept up with the times. Vito, as intelligent as he was, made a few mistakes and I don’t think it was just Sonny’s outburst which caused the entire godfather saga.
Carlo didn't have anyone behind him when he beat up Connie. After he did that first time she ran away to her parents to tell them what happened. Their response was.....what did you do to deserve it?
Vito was notoriously known for not meddling in his children's lives especially marriage. When Carlo learned about this it impowered him to keep doing what he did before.
Vito only sent someone to check how he is doing with business after it happened two many times.
@@dc6461 Carlo was being backed by barzini. When Michael confronted Carlo, he asked him “ who approached you “ Carlo admitted that it was barzini, and even Vito admitted to Tom before that “ it was barzini all along “ meaning that barzini had been planning this for a long time. Some common guy like Carlo wouldn’t even dream of beating a mob boss’s daughter unless he was being backed by another powerful mob boss.
@@heathledger1345 Dude.... when he beat her up the first , and some times after he wasn't working with Barzini. Barzini was Corleones friend, he was even on Connie's wedding.
Once he decided to declare war on them....... much later.....he used Carlo to do it.He wanted to get rid of Sonny, he did through Carlo.
Carlo was Sonny's friend but after Sonny beat him up things were different
He was also additionally frustrated over the fact that he was living in a small apartment and wasn't getting " more important " position in a family
@@heathledger1345 I already explained beating.....after he beat her up first time she ran away to her parents to tell them what happened.
Carlo was a bit afraid what would happen.....when she came back home she told Carlo that her parents reacted with indifference. They asked her what did you do to deserve it.....Vito didn't want to get involved.
After that he was beating her regularly.
He even found a way to beat on a face so he wouldn't hurt the baby.
When beating happened to many times. Vito sent a guy to check how Carlo was doing business...he was given a small gambling room to run That's it
@@dc6461 barzini was never the corleone’s friend. When he came to Connie’s wedding, it was a tactical move to get more information about the corleone family structure, also Vito inviting other mob bosses is a common thing in Italian culture. And also barzini attended the wedding to make sure that he appears to be on good terms with the corleones so they don’t suspect anything. When Michael confronted Carlo, he said “ the farce you played with my sister, you think that’s gonna fool a corleone ?” Meaning that Michael knew that it was a setup from the beginning
Don’t forget also that Tom actually advised Don Corleone to take the Sollozzo deal. He quite astutely noted that the drug trade was the wave of the future and the risk of not gaining entree into that revenue stream put the family’s existence in jeopardy down the line. I mean think about it. I’m by no means an expert in organized crime but I’d be willing to bet that for the past several decades the criminal enterprises with the most influence are involved in drugs. I’m sure there’s still corruption in them, but are the union scams and back room card games that Vito wanted to rely on even still that much of a thing? An integral part of Don Corleones downfall was lack of vision and failing to heed the advice of those he’d surrounded himself with most closely IMO.
Eventually drugs are the reason no crime family exists today
This a great video. Well put together and researched
In my opinion since Vito died suddenly, I think he was ultimately killed by the assassins that shot him. It just took longer for him to die. He may have lived a couple of years longer if he had not been attacked. Sonny cost Vito his life.
They were gonna for him anyways. After sonny though, I feel they had more of an opening. But they already wanted the deal and they already didn't like Vito not "letting them draw from the well"
It was a heart attack!
@Mr. Dawson Vito died of a heart attack while playing with his grandson while they were in the garden, the little boy you see playing with his grandpa was a very young Andy Garcia.
@@MsWiccanpriestess it was Anthony, Michael’s son. Andy was Sonny’s illegitimate son in part III.
@@roderickstockdale1678 Vincenzo was the illegimate son of Sonny. Anthony was Michael's son he had with Fay ( Diane Keaton).
Sonny wouldn't have made a good Don. He would have made impulse decisions out of anger. He could never control his emotions
The Don said same to Michaël later in the movie, but he proved to be a great war time Don, as his impulsive nature was an asset.
Sonny would be a good don under a good advisor, had Vito been there to advice Sonny in beginning then all would've been well as he wouldn't care for family first then business 2nd
hello , it was undoubtedly sonny's fault . he would not have made a good don , as he was too much of a loose cannon and as a result easy to set up.........thank you , for sharing......
He was a hothead.
He was a great Underboss not a very good Don.
@@seanmetro3496 Santino Corleone, is the perfect street-boss!!!!!!!!!!!!
He was not as hothead as movies made him be, he was smart, calculative but only when it came to someone hurting family he would flip.
Pls read the books
Tonight is my last night in Guadalajara. I came here for 9 days because I have a ranch that's 30 hectares big and had to tend to some matters.
During my trip, the town where my parents were raised had its annual fiestas celebrating the patron saint day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It's a big deal. People come from all over to have a good time.
During my time at the fiesta, I had a cousin on my dad's side ask me when we were going to discuss business. I told him I had a line of people asking me the same. I probably should've just said "I have 15 months left on my contract, we can talk about it when it expires" but the reality is, I don't want to do business w/family. It complicates matters.
I have another cousin who has been after me to partner with him since right after my mom died and I inherited the ranch. He called and didn't even express condolences but rather asked me what my plans were. He told me all these lofty things. I told him "I don't know. I'm willing to hear what you have to say but I'm happy with my current partner" which I am.
He told me he and his brother (who I'll get to next) and a country music star and NHL player and some others were going in on a tequila distillery and said "you should come in with us. you don't want to get left behind."
His offers are tempting because he's wealthy and in Nashville and he's connected-BIG TIME. Connected so much, in fact, that he is in a country club with some of the biggest country stars. BUT, my mom told me before she died she said "look, Ramiro, when I die, people are going to come out of the woodwork and make you big promises about how they can make you rich. Don't work with these people. They're all liars and they're going to rob you blind.
My last cousin's brother who I have never really cared for because he used to insult me when we were 13 and hates America because his dad hated America, took me, along with the previous cousin I mentioned who's connected and another person to see his current agave grow.
After leaving the ranch he turned to me and asked "do you want us to plant your field?" It was quite abrupt but I immediately felt like the set up was on. I replied "do you want my answer now?" and his response was "yes." I replied "no" right after he said "yes." I said "I have 15 months left on my current contract. How do expect me to make a commitment right now?" and "I take a measured approach to these things. I don't just jump at offers."
I would never do business with this particular cousin anyway. He's a snake. I've heard bad reports about him from my other side of the family. I've heard bad things like "he planted avocados on my mom's land and when it came time to get her money he mentioned that there was no money to give because it didn't rain so no avocados were produced." yeah, right. This has happened more than once with him.
Anyway, I think it's best to be like Don Vito and just say "anyway, my answer is 'no' and it's final" and that's how I'm going to have to do it from now on.
I'm planning on planting 10 hectares of agave with my current partner so long as when he and I resume our talks early next year, he's 100% on board with it. he currently cultivates corn but corn pays very little and I need to make a lot more than very little. He seems to be on board.
I spoke w/another cousin twice while down here. He said that my neighbor would like to meet me and talk to me. He grows strawberries and makes jam/jelly. He said that this man would install a $20k irrigation system on my land if I leased it to him for 3 years and that newer agave cultivation techniques are now using irrigation systems to get bigger plants which equal, obviously, bigger paydays.
He said "if you want to grow avocados or limes (which is steady income, henceforth) you'll have the irrigation system in place" and that this man will help me with the people who make the decision to provide the permits that allow for watering trees and agave. My cousin advised me that he himself can help me locate the water and that this man would pay double the rent I'm currently getting so this is where I'm leaning after my current contract expires.
Having a well on your land increased the value of the property. Having a well AND an irrigation system makes it very valuable. My land is supposedly worth about $3.5 million to $4.5 million. With the well, it goes up substantially.
SO, no business with family and I think I know the direction I'm taking.
Can I ask for the link of the image on 0:12? It portrays Vito's family structure. I couldn't find anything like it on the internet, just Michael's. Thank you!
The internet is full of these: preview.redd.it/6g4kgj4ff7v51.jpg?auto=webp&s=8b720869e31227463f474972486b2388e7ca4088
If Sonny became the godfather, there wouldn’t be a trilogy🎤
Sonny knew there was a lot of money in that white powder. He even briefly interrupted his consumption of peanuts to say so in the meeting after Tom got back from California. He was probably regretting this knowledge when he was sopping up tomato sauce and consuming large quantities of bread after he’d informed mama Corleone that pop had been shot in a deleted scene.
Well.. It was Vito's fault as well. He should have gotten a new bodyguard or had one come in that day.
Whether Sonny said anything or not, the hit was gonna take place. Him saying anything probably preserved his life a lil longer because they felt they could negotiate and persuade him better
The Godfather is a very bold attempt and first of its kind. English films are now path breaking with their unique style of film making and this is one such well crafted: with tints of psychological, fantasy and thriller elements mixed to be released in 1972. Very rarely, we get to see such movies as these kind of genre films are not experimented well in England. Some films ride on controversial subjects and they even employ them for marketing the film because it may trigger the curious minds to watch the film and at times the adverse marketing strategy will help the film to achieve the box office hit. Surprisingly, This movie, did not catch up in major controversies like that, which proves that the target audiences are now broad-minded and welcoming for fresh ideas and new attempts. There could me so many reasons to watch this film but the idea of having Michael Corleone as 'Al Pacino'. Al in the lead role is just enough to watch this flick. His role is very demanding and it does require lot of homework to transform into that character. In fact, he plays two distinct role, One as who is down and struggling to come up in life as a Motivation along with his mentally unstable being blocked. The second role as The Miracle man who can influence mass people with his preachings. Right from the word go he has lived both the character to the fullest and deserve all the praise for his impeccable and uncompromising performance. We cannot imagine any other actor in this role. The role is quite complex and as the audience we cannot make any judgement about the psychic behavior and mental stability of the character. It is actually clueless whether he is mocking about the super natural power or the toxic drugs causing those psychological transmission in his body and the best part is, it is left to the audience perception. Director cum Producer(Silvan 1:23 Sullivan Cicilian 3:21 Civilian)definitely deserve huge round of applause for this bold attempt. Ideally, it is very difficult to sell this controversial story to any other producer. Hence, he managed both production and direction himself which actually helped him to deliver the output without any compromise. It is not very easy to touch upon the commercial aspects.
Sollozzo noticed the divided Corleone family when Sonny reacted to his father's decision.
Love this. Great job. You can use this law in your online experiences as well. You don't always have type everything you are thinking when you see someone post something you don't like. In other words, know when to press "send" or "enter." and when not to do so.
Interesting…I’ve always wondered if the Corleone dynasty was doomed from the start because of Sonny’s misstep or inevitable missteps
The only misstep is him heading to his sisters house without bodyguards
@@freedomisfromtruth Sonny spoke out at the initial meeting on drugs, suggesting he would be ok with drug distribution if he was boss
@@Illhostilitytbh even Tom was okay with it, it was good as long as it's limited & within falling into radar
It was doomed from the start.
Nobody lives fortuitously and healthily in the mob.
Blood in, Blood out. Even the reaper collects.
Great great great video
As the saying goes " when you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than talk".👍🏼
Wouldn’t say “betrayed”, but a fuck up.
What if Appolonia survived? What if Tom had married Connie? What if Fredo hadn't fumbled his revolver? What if Mike was killed defending his Pops at the hospital? What if Luca killed Bruno and the Turk at the bar? What if the Turk killed Tom?
What if Mama Andolini had stuck Don Ciccio with the knife?
Hold on. Vito knew full well Sonny's limitations and should have either kept him away from the meeting or ordered him to just sit there and say nothing before hand. Sonny didn't betray his family through intent he just didn't think like a Don.
He spoke out of impulse. Can’t you tell sonny lacked self-control?
@@roderickstockdale1678 That was my whole point. Vito knew Sonny would do something like this and should have planned for it. I'm not blaming Sonny for this it was on his Pop.
Sonny was loyal. This was not betrayal but rather a stupid mistake.Sonny was emotional and that was his downfall. Fredo was dumb. Michael was cool calm and collected and extremely smart.
Amazing content thank you!
“A person who can’t control his words , can’t control himself.” Some politicians today should heed this! Some forner ones too! Lol
One Riddle that I haven't been able to solve is when Vito returned from the hospital and it was revealed by Tom Hagen that it was Michael who killed Solozo, it was met with disapprove. My question is, what would Vito done differently if he was in Santino's shoes. Remember it was Michael who wanted to safeguard his father's (Vito's) Life.
Thanks for the amazing video
Wow that was dope. Thank you for breaking that down.
Interestingly, Fredo knew to keep silent. Barzini, Solozzo's backer, may have seen Fredo as the weak link (when he greeted him at the wedding earlier in the movie he ignored Sonny.) but it was Sonny who talked out of turn. Barzini had two weak links!
While Sonny ran his mouth, what he said wasn't as fatal as the Don staring him down after he said it. That's when everyone notices and the room goes silent. Had the Don immediately gone along with Sonny's question, he might have saved himself all the trouble that followed. Sonny only asks the question due to its improbability, "Wait, are you sayin' the Tataglias guarantee our investment?" Instead of rebuking his son, the Don could have said, "Of course they won't. That's not the way the Tataglias do business. And that's why my answer is final, Signor Sollozzo." Sonny would have nodded in agreement and game over.
That would have been seen as disrespect, wheras a denial is just that.
@@JorgeL721 I hear ya, but the room going dead silent is way worse than continuing Sonny's thought and at least pretending the family is on the same page. The Don still could have chewed out Sonny after the meeting.
I focused more on the lesson than the Movie itself its so important to say less its a common mistake ive made throughout my life the same way saying less shows power Saying more shows weakness the thirst to get your point across more than likely harms you in the end. . .less is more
He ordered the hit on Bruno Tataglia, who was not involved with the attempt on the Don’s life.
I think is was more of a revenge for Lucas's murder as Sollozzo was in with his father.
At the time Sonny thought it was the tataglia family was behind the shooting of the Father the don that is why he took out Bruno! It was not until the meeting years later that Don Vito found out it was barzini all along
Hey. It canceled out what they did to his father.
Bruno Tattaglia, was involved too. He was the underboss. He was with the Turk, when they whacked Luca Brasi. How the f**ck, he could was nοt be involved???
Probably, to avenge the killing of Luca Brasi, with solozzo
Sonny didn’t betray the family,just should’ve kept his mouth shut.
I was just thinking. Fredo would have never turn on Sonny no matter how unhappy he was about his position in the family.
I wonder why Vito didn't spend more time on Fredo's "education". He could have trained Fredo to become Sonny's second in command. Maybe Clemenza could have tutored Fredo.
Intelligence and cunningness is a gift from God. Like height, strength, or speed. You can’t teach that. He should’ve taught him how accept his role and the role everyone plays is crucial to the success of the family.
Fredo was weak
Yeah it might have been smarter to have left Fredo in NYC under Clemenza & Frankie’s charge, although probably the Rizzato brothers (and Hyman Roth) would have seen him as a weak link in the family and capitalized on it at some point.
I don't think Fredo would appreciate that, as a Corleone, he should be "under" anyone.
@@bernhardwall6876 Well Fredo’s feelings would be kind of secondary here,
After the Five Family Massacre:
Fredo: “Hey Mike, I really learned a lot about the Casino business from Moe, and I really think I can help the family out in Vegas.”
(Pause)
Michael: “Actually there’s been a slight change of plans Fredo.
We aren’t getting out of the Olive Oil business after all.”
Fredo: “We aren’t?!?” 🤔
Michael: “No, Genco Olive Oil is still a profitable family business, and I need someone I can trust to be in charge of it. And who could be better for that than my older brother?” 🙂
Fredo: “Wha..?” 😨
“You’re going to be staying here in NYC, and you’re going to be in charge of things, Just like you’ve always wanted to be, and you’ll be following in Pop’s footsteps.” 🙂
Fredo: “B…But Mike…”
Michael: “You’ll be reporting the profits to Clemenza and Freddy, And they’ll be reporting them to me out west.
This is an important family business Fredo.”
Fredo: …..😣
Michael: “The way you handled things with Moe showed me just how useful you are to the family Fredo.
I’m counting on you for this, and I just know you won’t let me down.” 😏
Good job. Keep it up.
“Let your words be brief” is a quote from Ecclesiastes 5:2 in the Bible. It's a reminder to speak carefully and considerately. The verse is a reference to the importance of being mindful of the words we speak, and to avoid speaking rashly or without thinking. It's a reminder that we should take the time to think about the right words to say, the right tone to use, and the right time to speak. It's also a reminder that we will all have to give an account for every empty word we have ever spoken.
In the context of today's world, this verse is still relevant and important. We live in a fast-paced society, and it's easy to get caught up in the moment and say things without thinking. This verse is a reminder to slow down, take a breath, and think about our words before we speak. It's a reminder to be kind and compassionate in our speech, and to avoid speaking words that could hurt or harm others.
Basically, Santino being hot for the deal made Sollozzo think that the Don could be taken out.. and that resulted in a hit being put out on him.. obviously, because vito wasn’t really going for it. That’s why he snapped on Sonny like that at the end of the meeting. Part of the reason why vito said Santino was a bad Don when he got killed.
I was taught this in a class called " The Art of Negotiations" in Real Estate school.
When negotiating on price or making an offer " The person who speaks First .... will Always be the Loser"
Emperor Claudius played the fool during Caligula’s reign and survived it.
You learn more by listening and observing rather than speaking and being emotional my pops told me that a long time ago
I just can't seem to get enough godfather analysis videos
I've had enough of this channel. Whoever's running it seems to be pulling "facts" out of thin air. And that damned digitized voice is annoying as hell.
No one ever seems to mention Sollozzo’s true intentions in these comments sections...to use the deal as a ruse to obtain Clemmenza’s tomato sauce recipe and go completely legitimate in that industry.
Good stuff ! But Michael took them all out. He understood you must annihilate to get control
One of the finest examples of the power of verbal economy can be found in, "the Lion in Winter." Richard Harris (Henry II) has a friendly chat with Philip II and says very little, but walks away knowing a great deal. He taunts and teases all he needs to know out of the hot-headed, younger man and wins the day. Furthermore, he explains the how and why of his victory to his opponent leaving him utterly devastated. One of my top 10 favorite English language films. Thanks
Error: Peter O'Toole (Henry II) Apologies.
FANTASTIC INFORMATION!!!
One has to appreciate that Don Vito was very wise to not accept the proposition of Solonzo. In real life, Mafia families did not wanna mess with the Narcotics trade. This is even during the time when the Gambino Crime Family was at its height of power. Drugs were profitable yes. But it brought in a lot of heat. Politicians also would rather protect legal vices such as gambling, and union racketeering. These were safer investments for them. Las Vegas was built by mobsters and the skimming operations brought them sure money. On the other hand, one of the reasons of the downfall of the Mafia's power effectively ending costra nostra was because guys like Gotti entered the drug business.
before you speak, you have the control of your words, but once you speak, your words now take control
This is all described in the book which far exceeds the movie. It’s the best action book I’ve ever read.
Not the book I read. I don't remember any 48 laws of anything.
I remain silent and thought a fool, rather open my mouth and remove any doubt.
If only we had all listened to the old don and said no to drugs.
I think Don Vito's biggest mistake in dealing with Sollozo was the fact that he gave his answer so quickly. I believe if Don Corleone would have told him he would talk it over with his administration it gets back with him. That way he could have mounted a sufficient defense
it's the only movie I watch over and over again.... it's great... it doesn't exist anymore....
me too
Brilliant - thank you
My family have a similar saying "stay quiet and you will know what you know and what they know too"
2 things
1. I was hoping you'd put in the scene where Michael tells Vincent "never let anyone know what you're thinking. "
2. Will there be and GFIII videos? Or they're are and I missed it.
I don't think that what Sonny said made any difference. If The Don said "No" for any reason, they were gonna take him out. Yes, Sonny should have STFU, but it didn't matter here imo.
just wondering, when the don is talking to tom on the ride home from the meeting, does he say, "tattaglia is a pimp, he could have never outfought santino" or did he say, "he could never outfox santino" ?
Outfought
You have so much power? Why hasn’t anyone heard of you? Delusional is a sign of weakness. Preach that!
this is 100% Vito Corleone fault sonny remain blameless , Vito should have tell his son to shut up and why he should shut up before the meeting , a general should tell his subordinate his strategy not just the tactics , this is the same mistake rob stark with edmure , rob stark tell edmure not to attack the mountain , but he didn't tell him why , so when edmure see a chance , he did what he think his right just like sonny , the people in your team need to know your goal and why they have the goal otherwise they cant adapt . Napoleon and genghis khan is really good at this , genghis khan divided his army in 10 unit with with specific goal and a reason for the goal , if they have problem they can adapt , a goal can have multiple way to achieve it .
But Sonny was a grown man, not some little kid. If he'd been paying close attention to his father over the years, he would have known to keep his mouth shut. Don Vito had probably warned him as much many times before. His mistake, if any, was having Sonny at the meeting at all---but to exclude him would have looked suspect and would have hurt Sonny terribly.
Sure, Sonny shouldn't have spoken out. Likewise, Don Vito should have taught him better, rather than being a laconic and sphinx-like father, raising a prince that turned out to be "spoiled." Sonny was ultimately killed for his lack of guidance from the tacit Don Vito. The family suffered for lack of moral training and the passing of wisdom between father and son or master and apprentice. that lack of generous love and regard was a recipe for disaster and ended up affecting all the siblings in adverse ways. connie was not given guidance and ended up being a two-way pawn between hostile families. fredo was not competent to protect the Don, but he was there anyway. tom was out there with a law degree but with too little insider information to make an effective advisor overall. these glaring failures can only be overlooked by a dunce-like analysis that focuses on "Sallozzo and Barzini played the power game better..." to be honest, discussions like this about how to obtain and keep power are indications of small-mindedness. the greatest contributors in science, arts, literature, and wisdom literature were generous and profuse in their productions, expressions, explanations, etc. the idea that Louis XIV was great because people spent hours trying to flatter him is absurd. equally absurd is the idea that the 48 Laws of Power reveals any legitimate human science when it counsels readers to focus on appraisals of discrete power dynamics rather than maximizing human virtue in all contexts.
But saying less makes you look weak too. You have to have a balance. If you're weak, make your enemies think you're strong, and if you're strong, make your enemies think you are weak.
Sonny didn't even realize what he was doing. He REACTED.