I posted this in another thread about a different subject and didn't get any responses and figured it was nothing big. During Vito's funeral in GF1 after Clemenza pays his respects to the godfather (tossing his rose) he walks over to a man, says something to him, than that man walks over to Barzini(or Barzini's "people") and says something to them. Anyone have an idea of what was said? Was it in the novel? Mabye It's as simple as that Clemenza was having him tell Barzini's group they could pay their respects.

Any ideas?

I think he was saying, "Buddy I forgot my next line could you do me a favor and take the scene over to the Barzini people..."

In other words, no...nobody can possibly know what was said, unless they make something up, such as "...Clemenza was having him tell Barzini's group they could pay their respects.." Except that I would assume that had already been done at Vito's wake.

Remember, as with Connie's wedding this is a time when all Five Families, even though enemies, come to pay respects to each other.

It was unscripted, unrecorded and obviously the typical screen screen business that is used to fill scenes in which several people are involved. Especially in the type of business in which these people are involved. It makes sense FFC would direct Castellano and the other actors to do precisely what they did. We don't have to hear any dialogue to have that feeling conveyed.

Apple

Maybye this scene was made to put the audience - and Michael - off the scent for a while. For a moment, it looks like Clemenza was the traitor. Shortly after it becomes clear that it was Tessio. Unlike Michael I don't think that this was a smart move!

Of course it was the 'smart' move.

Had Michael not been forewarned by his father as to the fact that there would be a traitor and exactly how that traitor would proceed...the plot would've worked and Tessio would've been sitting pretty.

It was the smart move.

Apple

The plot WOULD HAVE worked, but it didn’t. So in the end, it was NOT smart! I think Michael would have been suspicious anyhow, even without Vito’s warning, because of Tessio’s and Clemenza’s request for permission to form their own families.It was obvious that they weren’t comfortable with the whole situation anymore. Tessio was a businessman and Michael knew that his loyalty was based on that. Michael wasn't that naive.

It was smart in the way it was carried out.
It was a smart tactical move...only problem was it was foreseen by others.

Also, Michael and Vito had been planning the massacre of the Families all along, so they knew what to expect and when to expect it. Which was NOT foreseen by anyone else.

Apple

Despite the dramatic possibilities, he was probably telling him that it was their turn to walk by the casket.