When Michael comes home to the Lake Tahoe estate after Cuba he seems very depressed. What do you guys think Michael is thinking about? I mean he seems afraid of Kay and goes to ask advice from his Momma (which seems uncharacteristic). To me this is one of the greatest and saddest scenes in the trilogy because so much is said without any words. Any thoughts on what was running through his head at this time?

Remember that right before Michael comes home, he has just learned from Tom that Kay had a miscarriage (he doesn't know yet that it was really an abortion).

He obviously has a heavy heart about losing his unborn son. He cannot even bear to talk to Kay because he is so distraught. He sees her at the sewing machine and doesn't even talk to her, he doesn't even know what to say.

Here's a question: what is Kay sewing? I think she is sewing new replacement drapes for the bedroom window, as the older set were ripped with bullet holes.

This scene is portraying that times have changed. Back in the old days when Vito was around the whole family was there, the house was always crowded with happiness. Now that micheal is Don everythings empty, everythings depressing, his sister ran off to be a whore, his wife has an abortion. People are trying to get rid of Micheal. Its showing how times have changed drastically from when Vito was Don.

He also is fresh from giving the "kiss of death" to Fredo - he's already made the decision that Fredo has to go. Which probably doesn't do very much to perk up his mood.

He's thinking about "losing his family," as he explains to Mama at the end of that scene. He lost his unborn son and is about to "lose" his brother, who he's already thinking he has to whack. He's probably also thinking he's losing Anthony, if you take the significance of that little electric car that Hagen bought him for Xmas on behalf of Michael, now abandoned in the snow.

Indeed.

The two none too subtle references to the electric car are very significant.

Michael asks Tom in a matter of fact way, what he allegedly got his son for a present.

Lo and behold, it meant so much to Anthony that it is already discarded when Michael arrives back at the house!

This really was the start of the trough of Michael's low ebb, right up until the upturn at the start of Part III. Doubtful he could have sunk any lower in terms of being family man.

Believe it or not, over all these years and in all the times I've watched GFII I NEVER noticed that toy car 'gift' Michael looks at in the snow (and its significance)...until reading about it here on this Board (in a previous thread many months ago)!!

Just drives home once again that there's ALWAYS some new revelation to be found in this film (even more so than in The Godfather)!

Apple

I too agree it is a very sad scene and time - I always thought that Michael was sad where his life was going. Here he is such a powerful man but has very little waiting for him. The whole thing in Cuba was very scary - I mean he new they were going to kill him - then his brother, his family, betrays him - that's all he had. He comes home to a sad home - there were no kids playing in the living room, no toys scattered on the floor like any "happy family home" would have. The depressing news that his wife lost a baby. It's like he wanted a happy close family like his papa had, but in the end he comes home to a sad, quiet home. It's like he felt he failed somewhere?

It's all his own fault too and he knows it, which I think plays a part in it. He's thinking, I've done all the right things and look at where I am in life...

I agree with where you are going, DBCH. Michael comes back to see that the family he "tried to protect" is falling apart anyway. He is literally reaping what he has sown in this scene -- a nice tie in to the next scene with Mama, "by being strong for the family, can you lose your family?"

I always assume that Kay knows Michael has arrived, but does not take the time to stop sewing to greet him. Certainly she was advised by Michael's men that he would be arriving. She is furious that Michael left immediately following the assasination attempt and manages to miss Christmas in the process. The odd part about his time away is that he apparently never even called home to see how everyone was. Not until he returned to Nevada did he learn of the "miscarriage" or discuss with Tom the Christmas gift given to Anthony. After all of this Kay certainly felt estranged and probably felt no obligation to initiate conversation with Michael.

Don Matteo- you have a very good point. You know, as many times as I've seen this scene - I never thought about the point that Michael never called - you're right, he wasn't there for Christmas - yeah, I guess I would play the silence game to my husband too.

I don't think Kay knew he was in the room in that scene. Although I could understand why she would be mad at him, I don't think she would have just ignored him. I always wondered why he didnt say hello to his wife and hug and kiss her after being gone so long.

Eventually they spoke to each other. It might have been interesting to hear the dialogue that took place during that encounter.

Didn't Steely Dan have a song about the title of this thread?

When Michael comes home
So good
He's the pride of the neighborhood
He's the raw flame
The live wire
He prays like a Roman
With his eyes on fire

Its the price one pays for having this life and its the price one pays even more when you are ttrying to remain alive as long as you can while living that life.