at the end of the godfather, when neri closes the doors on kay, they show clemenza kissing michael's hand, along with another man. i'm assuming that the new second capo is rocco, but i'm not sure. if it is, i got the impression from the movie that rocco was one of tessio's men. those who have read the book or seen the movie more than i have, please correct me if i'm wrong. if he did work for tessio, wouldn't you want your no. 3 guy to be someone who won't get pissed cause you killed his boss? i guess he would probably be less likely to betray michael because he knows first hand what would happen to him, but still...

Rocco was promoted to take Paulie's place in the family after Paulie betrayed the Don. He was promoted by clemenza. In the book he is the one who shoots Paulie in the car with Clemenza shortly after the Don had been shot. This is shown in the movie too, but not sure if the movie shows Rocco or someone else shooting Paulie. Hope this helps. This was my first post!!!

In the novel, Rocco served under Clemenza, and a lengthy explanation is provided with regard to how Clemenza selected Rocco to replace Paulie.

But later in the novel, and in the first, prior to the day that Michael assassinates his enemies, Tom Hagen makes reference to a "secret regime" being formed by Rocco (this may have been a deleted scene in the movie; I'm not sure). So apparently Rocco got yet another promotion somewhere along the line, altho neither the book nor the movie explain how or why.

In the novel, Puzo writes that after Tessio is eliminated "Neri was sent to take command of the Tessio regime".

So the novel and film go separate ways on this point.

The book would seem to indicate that there were now three regimes: Clemenza's, Tessio's (now headed by Neri), and Rocco's.

But the film, in the "hand kissing" scene, would seem to indicate that there were still only two: Clemenza's, and Rocco's.

What happened to Tessio's men is left to our imagination.

Although there's no suggestion in Part I that Neri took over a regime, Neri was in that scene, too. He's the one who closed the door.

The book makes reference to the fact that Neri was "Michael's Luca". I don't remember if the film does as well, or not. Maybe in a deleted scene?

Given Neri's "special talents" I would have thought he'd be more valuable to Michael in a "Luca" role than as a Capo. Maybe that's where I got the idea that only Clemenza and Rocco were Capos after Tessio's demise.

After his introduction as a character, I think Neri was pretty much always at Michael's side. Same for Part II, except when MC was in Cuba.

I think we can safely infer from that that he was more than a Capo.

Actually, now that I think about it some more, it's kind of strange that he would be put in charge of Tessio's men as he was in the book. Why not simply promote from within? Tessio surely had a few capable underlings deserving of the spot.

Because Tessio had betrayed Michael and the family, perhaps there was reason to believe that some of Tessio's men had been involved in the plot in some shape or form (at least on a peripheral basis) and thus it was necessary to place a loyal man in charge. Even if Tessio's men were not suspect, Michael was still solidifying his power and probably wanted a truly loyal man in charge of Tessio's former regime.

in the movie it is Rocco who kills paulie in the back of the car; theres a removed scene before of Rocco arraiving at Clemenzas place before the murder and this is how he "makes his bones."

To answer the original question, Rocco served under Clemenza until he became a capo himself at the end of Part I. After the hit on Paulie, Rocco became Clemenza's right-hand man, so to speak. As has been said, the novel has three regimes after the "Day of Reckoning":

1) Clemenza (same as before)
2) Rocco (secret regime so Barzini and Co. wouldn't know it existed.)
3) Neri (took over Tessio's regime, later becomes Head of Security when the family becomes "legit")

Sonny's regime was, if I recall, broken up and the men re-assigned to Clemenza and/or Rocco, although I don't remember if this is actually stated in the novel (I think Tom says this when Michael tells him that "[he's] out".)

Now the film has just Clemenza and Rocco as capos by the end of Part I. Neri is the "special enforcer" and doesn't exactly have a regime (although he probably has the authority to command buttonmen). HOWEVER, I'm certain that after the Lake Tahoe hit Tom asks Michael about Rocco and Neri's men, so that would imply that Neri is a capo, albeit also the "Chief of Security" for the Family.

Sonny don't have a regime in the film

Surley neri is above rocco.

Neri was recruited by both Mike and Vito. He is Mike's bodyguard. He was paid a salary as opposed to being given a living like Rocco. It is still a phenom that Puzo would construct a family with 1,000 soldiers with only two capos!

What was neri's role in Gf3.was he just the bodyguard

He was basically a glorified bodyguard. At the end of GFII, we saw Neri pushing past Rocco and making moves on Tom to replace him as Michael's #2 man, perhaps even consigliere. But in III, Michael's "legit" (or thinks of himself as "legit"). BJ's his lawyer (not consigliere--Michael always was his own consigliere, even before he went "legit"). Vincent shortly pushed his way in to become Michael's alter-ego and successor. Neri wound up kissing Vincent's hand.

I think that throughout all three films Neri has played many roles within the family. He has been a loyal bodyguard to Michael, he took over Tessio's caporegime in #1 and was always a button man. Even in GFIII the family relies on him to light a candle for the archbishop. He is truly a valued and useful member of the family.

As Puzo described in the book Neri was the best thing to happen to the family since Luca Brasi.

Neri roles in all GF's are interesting roles

There were always three regimes. Movie and book.

Clemenza's, Tessio's, Sonny's. Sonny did have a regime.

Later, it was Clemenza's, Neri's, and Rocco's. Neri took over for Tessio, Rocco's was a new scret regime. Sonny's old regime was split up in the existing regimes.

Then, later of course it was Pantangeli, Neri, and Rocco.

In the Novel there was always 3 regimes. But in the Movie there were only 2. But later on a 3rd one is formed in the film. Sonny never had one in the film.