I was watching Part II for the hundredth time the other night. I'm curious about something, and hopefully someone can help out.

At the Senate hearing where Frank Pentangeli recants his statements about Michael, what does Tom whisper to Frankie's brother?

He tells Vincenzo " sta posto" which translates into everything is fine, everything is ok. In other words he's telling him that his brother Frank did not testify against Michael, that the "family honor" was safe and intact.


Don Cardi

Speaking of that particular scene...I always enjoy the way Tom literally grandstands just prior to speaking to Frankie's brother...

"SENATOR! This committee owes an apology - an apology SENATOR!...." And then simply sits down to quietly reassure the old man. As if he knows he will be ignored but must nonetheless take a stand on behalf of his Don.

In a way, very uncharacteristic of Tom himself but also an expected action of the role he plays in the Family.

Apple

Yea I also always found that scene an especially interesting one when it came to Tom, because him shouting like that is really out of character. I always wondered whether Michael dissapporoved of this outburst at all, but it seems as though he was alright with it, and may have even instructed Tom to do something of that sort.

I think his outburst was an opportunity for him to emote outside the family. Inside the family, he always comported himself with restraint. But in that scene he was dealing with outsiders who he knew couldn't harm him, so he let go.

It was typical lawyer style grandstanding. And a smart strategy by Tom to display that kind of emotion.

It was a show for the public and the press. As if to say "See, I told you my client was innocent! I told you all along that this hearing and these accusations were an outrage, now don't ever bother him again!"

If Tom would have quietly walked away, how would that have looked? It may have given the appearance that he and the Corleones had just dodged a bullet, (which they did of course) and that they were quietly realizing that they just got away with it.

But by making that small scene, it gave the appearance that he and the Corleones were appalled that these accusations had even been made against Michael in the first place.

Gotti's lawyers did exactly the same thing when Gotti was aquitted in his trials.

It's the smart move.


Don Cardi

TOM HAGEN WAS A GENIUS AS A LAWYER,TAKES SOME SERIOUS SAVY TO JUMP THROUGH THE HOOPS LIKE HE DID AND COME OUT UNSCAVED. NO ONE EVER DID JAIL TIME DUE TO A HAGEN SLIP UP. I LIKE THE WAY HAGEN DISPLAYED TOTAL LAWYER SKILLS IN EXPLAINING TO KAY THAT HE COULD NOT TAKE HER LETTER SHE HAD WRITTEN TO MICHAEL FOR IF HE HAD IT WOULD IMPLY THAT HE KNEW OF MIKE,S WHEREABOUTS. REAL SMOOTH! KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, BUT KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER

That may be true...but we must not forget that Santino eventually died due at least in part to a 'Hagen slip-up'.
As is detailed in the novel (dammit, there I go referencing the novel again)...the setup of Sonny was enabled because things had calmed down in the war between the families, leading Tom and The Corleones into a lull and off their guard. Sonny was led into a trap that could have been prevented.

So it's true...though his skill as a lawyer shined through in those hearings years later, Tom was just not a 'wartime consiglieri'.

Apple

Tom is echoing what Michael asked previously... to restore his good name with the energy with which they had besmirched it. Tom knew there was going to be no apology, but he also knew this outburst would probably be reported in the press...after all they did have newspaper people on the payroll. The fact that he could calmly sit down right away, and tell Frankie's brother that his family honor was intact shows what a good lawyer he was. Good lawyers NEVER lose their temper in court, and if they appear to it is all for show.

Santino's death was his own fault. He brought Carlo into the family, he insulted Carlo at the table and treated him in such a way that Carlo turned traitor, he was too hot headed and ignored Tom when Tom warned him against taking off without guards.

How can Tom be held accountable as not a wartime consigliere and a non-Sicillian when the Sicillians totally overlooked it as well?

I am not one who thinks Mike or anyone held Sonny's death against Tom. Maybe Tom felt guilty himself, but at several points there is evidence that Mike and Vito did not blame Tom. When Mike moves Tom out Vito goes out of his way to say his dead son was a bad don, and that Tom was not a bad consigliere. In GFII Michael says he has kept things from Tom not because he did not trust him but because he respected him.

Here I go again ... but the novel goes into interesting detail as to why Tom WAS at least in part responsible for allowing Santino's death. Because he was not a wartime Consiglieri and he did not foresee what Genco might have foreseen. Tom knew it and Vito knew it although he never once openly mentioned Tom or let Tom feel that he blamed Tom in any way.

Yes it was Sonny's short temper that did him in but there were other factors as well.

Of course, the movie touches on none of this except very slightly when Tom is declared 'out' by Michael much later on.

Apple

WE ALL KNOW THAT SANTINO WAS A BAD DON. TOM HAGEN COULD ONLY ADVISE HIM BUT SANTINO DID NOTHING TO LISTEN TO TOM. BESIDES TOM WAS JUST THE LAWYER AND THE HAND OF POWER WAS GIVEN TO SANTINO, WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILTY. SANTINO MADE EVERYTHING PERSONAL NOT BUSINESS. TOM WAS ABOUT BUSINESS.SORRY. TOM WAS ONE OF THE FAMILIES GREA TEST ASSETS.

No, I still feel that Tom was just availaing himself of the opportunity to emote. Such emoting was totally out of character for him which may have been due to the fact that he suppressed his emotions. No, I think he just yelled at the Committee because there were would be no consequences and he was getting things out of his system.