Hey i feel stupid asking this, especially being a big GF fan, but can someone please tell me about Don altobello. What is his past with the family? He isnt in the first 2 (im pretty sure) right?
Thanks

Well, CMH, your question underscores one of the many weaknesses of GFIII. Right: Who the hell is Altobello (other than an old acquaintance of the Corleones and Connie's godfather)? Why does he side with Zasa? Why does he betray Michael? Why is he in fealty to Don Lucchese? And why did they choose Eli Wallach to portray him so feebly?

And you don't have the answers to these questions? Wow..

In GF I, at Vito's funeral, isn't Don Altobello seen getting out of a car to make his way to the grave? A non-speaking "extra?" Just another "moustache Pete" making an obligatory appearance and paying his respects...

tony b.

Turnbull (or anybody) please correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Don Altobello a character fabricated solely for the making of GFIII and therefore would not have even existed in any part of The Godfather (either the film or the novel)??? And the old fellow getting out of the car at Vito's funeral - the one who needs chauffer to help him out - wouldn't that have been either Cunneo or Stracci, both of whom are seen earlier at both the wedding and meeting of the Families called by Vito?

As to Altobello's 'past' with the family...if any of the above is true then the only clue to that would be within the dialogue of GFIII.

Apple

Yes, Altobello was strictly a fabrication for GFIII. The old guy getting out of the limo looked like the old guy who sang raucously at Connie's wedding. Some here think they spotted him at the Don's Convention.

Yes, that was the baker Nazorine's father. He sang Gena Luna at Connie's wedding.


Don Cardi

I believe that's...Che La Luna.

JGeoff has the translation - first line of song is w/ referrence to the moon...

http://www.jgeoff.com/godfather.html

Apple

even FREDO KNEW that!

And that's about ALL he knew.

Excepting of course, how do do coctail waitresses two at a time !!

Apple

I see NOTHING wrong with knowing how to do that, nor practicing to make sure you get it perfect lol

Yes Apple, that's the song I was talking about. Thanks for the correct spelling .


Don Cardi

Who said there was anything wrong with it?

If only Fredo had stuck with what he knew - coctail waitresses and Italian songs...he never would've been blown away on the lake WITHOUT EVER KNOWING what was coming.



Apple

I think if FREDO WOULD HAVE KNOWN he was going to get shot then you would only have about 115 posts on this board lol

If you give me a reason to post...I'm gonna post!



AppleOnYa
4071 posts-to-date...and that's WITHOUT using the board on weekends!!!

Maybe you can help me with this question then apple:


In GF1 (I know its not in timeline but it confuses me) In a deleted scene Sonny is talking to Tessio and Tom (I think) when Michael is in the room and Sonny says whos head do we blow off, Clemenza or Paulie? So I take that as him suspecting Clemenza as one of them. Yet right after Vito was shot, Sonny goes to the door with the gun when Clemenza knocks but when Clemenza says "its me" Sonny puts the gun away....why is that?

My theory is that he secretly has the hots for Clemenza and despite initial suspicion of his involvement in Vito's shooting, Sonny still likes to be around the big lug as much as possible.

That's really why Sonny's been carrying on with Lucy...female version of Clemenza & it's the closest he can get without revealing his secret.

I'll be Sonny's real relieved when it becomes clear that Clemenza's innocent !!

Apple

Well at least THAT makes sense lol

and if for some reason thats true, my future son will NO LONGER be named Santino lol

Don Michael,

When Vito is first shot, Sonny probably did not know that Paulie had called in sick, so therefore at the moment he did not suspect Clemenza. But in all likelyhood, later on when Sonny did find out that Paulie had called in sick and realizing that Paulie was brought into the family by Clemenza, they had to suspenct that Clemenza may have been in on the hit. That is why in that deleted scene Clemenza is sitting OUTSIDE the office when Sonny and Tessio are meeting. But at the point of the meeting when Michael walks into the office, they now know that Clemenza had nothing to do with it because of thier man inside the phone company. Michael does not know this yet. The reason that Sonny asks that question is to try and get Michael rattled for his wanting to sit in the meeting. Sonny knew that the Don never wanted Mike mixed up in the business, so he tried to discourage Michael from sitting in by talking about blowing heads off. But at the same time Michael shows his cunningness for business and his ability to analyze the situation by giving the right answer to Sonny. Michael is not phased and is not shaken by the thought of having to decide who needed to be killed and Sonny realizes this with Mike's answer.


Don Cardi

thanks DC

I understand you are saying that Sonny just asked the question to see how Mike would react but do you think Clemenza thought at any point that they were suspecting him?

He probably felt more scared that the Corleone's may hold him indirectly responsible because of Paulie, than of his actually being suspected of setting up the hit itself.


Don Cardi

How do you know it was Nazorines father? Where was that mentioned or implied?

^^^^ Thats the first Ive heard of it too. My assumption is that the guy was just one of Vito's (many) firends.

I have not read it anywhere, nor was it ever implied. But watch the funeral scene very closely. In my opinion the old guy being helped out of the car in that scene looks just like Nazorine The Baker's father, who sang at Connie's wedding. Now if you are asking the question "How do you know it's Nazorine The Baker's father singing at the wedding?" Mama Corleone calls him Nazorine when she asks him up to sing.

SC, "my most valued and trusted friend," you always come up with pictures, do you have one of this old man being helped out of the car at Vito's wedding?


Don Cardi

Sure do. He looks like the same guy who sang at the wedding (also pictured below). Forgive the bluish tinge to the pictures.

"La Luna Mezza"

I have not read it anywhere, nor was it ever implied. But watch the funeral scene very closely. In my opinion the old guy being helped out of the car in that scene looks just like Nazorine The Baker's father, who sang at Connie's wedding. Now if you are asking the question "How do you know it's Nazorine The Baker's father singing at the wedding?" Mama Corleone calls him Nazorine when she asks him up to sing.

SC, "my most valued and trusted friend," you always come up with pictures, do you have one of this old man being helped out of the car at Vito's wedding?


Don Cardi </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I also kinda thought he was at the meeting of the families with Vito. I will have to look at the scene closer again.

What is interesting is in the picture with the old guy singing, right next to him is Vito Scotti, who played Nazorine the baker, which could lead to thinking that the old guy wasn't Nazorine.

Right, Johnny. I don't think he was Nazorine's father--the proximity in that scene just made for power of suggestion. And I don't think Mama called him "Nazorine."

Sonny had found out about his father being shot only seconds before Clemenza knocked at the door. He didn't know Clemenza was at the door, so he whipped out the gun as a precaution. He put it away because, whether or not he suspected Clemenza at that point, Clemenza obviously wasn't planning to harm him right then and there--otherwise he wouldn't have knocked. Sonny had to suspect Clemenza since Paulie was out sick (making him the prime suspect) and Paulie reported to Clemenza. Clemenza had to know he was under suspicion as soon as he learned (as he must have) that Sonny had ordered Tessio's men (not Clemenza's) to guard the hospital.

Speaking of translations: Can anyone give me an accurate translation of what Don Vito says to infant Michael on the steps after he kills Don Fannucci. The transltion says..Michael, your father loves you very much, but what does 'mi galoso'(sp) mean? Thanks