Maybe one of you can answer this question for me. Do you think that Connie knew what was going to happen to Fredo. Seems to me that she may have known what was going to happen because she called Michael's son from the boat. But nothing was ever said. Or was she totally innocent in this and just called Mike's son because she was told too. Been wondering about this for years. What's your take on this?

She definitely did not know. She thought all was well between the two brothers.

No, I don't think she knew.

She would absolutely not have called Tony in if she knew what would happen to Fredo once she did.She most likely had been told by Michael.

She certainly did not know. After all, she had just brought about what she thought was a reconciliation between Mike and Fredo. Mike probably dispatched her to take Anthony to the car.

She certainly did not know at the time.

I think by the time of GF III, she knows, but she is carrying on a charade with Michael, "It was so sad, Fredo drowning that horrible way," which allows them both to engage in a little denial about it.

I think it could go either way.

In one scenario, Connie was completely innocent and just followed Michael's order to bring in Anthony from the boat because he's in charge. She was never really deep inside of the family business at that point, and she would have no reason to have detailed knowledge about why Michael would go to the length of killing Fredo.

In the other scenario, Connie's character has clearly transformed from the first film from a passionate newly wed to more of a resigned sister to Michael. Her bitterness and distance from Fredo causes her to go along with Michael's wishes to kill him and she doesn't interfere, taking Michael's side... To add to this, we learn that Kay knows about Michael killing Fredo. I can easily imagine her and Connie sharing thoughts...


Francis Ford Coppola cleverly skipped over the aftermath of Fredo's death and funeral, leaving everyone to guess how many people actually did know the truth about Fredo's death. In my personal opinion, Connie did know and just acted out of pity for Michael so that he wouldn't have to bear the full weight of his sins when he was trying to come clean.

No.

She called Anthony from the boat simply because she was sent to get him, by Michael.

Oh...then why is Michael still sitting in the boathouse when Fredo is shot you ask??

Perhaps we can surmize that the shooting happens while Anthony is in his bedroom, packing for the trip to Reno with the help of his Aunt Connie...and since Neri has brought the boat way out into the middle of the lake, they do not hear the gunshot.

But then why does Michael hear the shot you ask?

Perhaps because Michael knew it was coming, was standing right there in the boathouse, and was listening for it.

Like Sponge Bob Squarepants says....

IMAAAAAAGINATION !!!!

Apple

Actually, I think FFC 'skipped over' the aftermath of Fredo's death because 1) it was absolutely irrelevant to the story, 2) to include it would have COMPLETELY ruined the impact of the ending of GFII, and 3) he most likely did not foresee that a bunch of nuts wondering about it on a yet to be invented internet keyboard some 30 years later.

Apple

ps - Personally, after that embrace at their mother's wake I think only 2 people on earth knew of Fredo's eventual demise: Michael Corleone and Al Neri. We could even go out on a limb and guess that Tom had suspicions just from being with the Family all his life and knowing Michael so well. But that's still speculation since as we see he is in no way involved with the killing.

IMAAAAAAAAAGINATION !!!!