Originally posted by Salvatore Tessio:
Although I am asking others for their opinion, I think I could give one of my own. Fredo Corleone was given a title to keep him happy, while Tessio in GF1 and Lampone in GF2 [b]really was the underboss. Fredo was happy with his title until he figured out that he really didn't have much of a role in the family position at all.
~Sal[/b]
Could be, ST. I believe a more likely explanation is that the FBI simply got it wrong. They figured that, since Fredo was Michael's older brother, he must be an underboss. They probably didn't know the details of Fredo's weaknesses, or might have misinterpreted them. For example, we know that Fredo had a nervous breakdown after the Don's wounding, so Sonny sent him to Nevada to recuperate and "learn the hotel business." But since the Corleones eventually relocated to Nevada, maybe the FBI saw Fredo as the Family's leading edge and pioneer? We know that Moe Green slapped Fredo around, and that Michael had Moe killed. Maybe the FBI thought Fredo was bossing Moe around, and that Fredo had him killed?
