Originally posted by Don Matteo:
This leads to another question - Given the opprotunity, would Fredo have betrayed Mike while Vito was alive? Bear in mind that he was already "passed over" while Vito was living.
No, for two reasons:
1. "Hope springs eternal..." As long as Vito was alive, Fredo would have deluded himself into thinking that he had a shot at being named the Don eventually, even with Michael taking day-to-day control of the family. We saw an example in the Moe Green scene, when Fredo suggests going over Michael's head to the Don to settle the affair. Remember, too, that Fredo knew that the Don never wanted Michael to be involved in the "olive oil business." So he could have hoped that Michael's stewardship was just temporary. Not realistic, but Fredo was no rocket scientist.
2. Fredo didn't plan to betray Michael: he reacted to an opportunity in which he saw something to gain. He didn't have that opportunity when the Don was alive. Barzini approached Carlo to betray Sonny, and Tessio to betray Michael--he didn't approach Fredo. Roth would never have made a move on Michael while the Don was alive. But with the Don gone and Michael moving in on his Western and Cuban gambling empires, Roth made Fredo "an offer he couldn't refuse." That's when the opportunity for betrayal knocked on Fredo's door.
