Originally posted by olivant:
...Vito died saying that life was so beautiful; Michael died alone with a little dog his only company, a consequence of his choices.
True. Due to the those 'differences' in personality that I mentioned in the previous post. Has nothing to do with Michael's degree of intelligence in comparison to his father.
Originally posted by olivant:
...Also, I'm not buying the no choice. "Leaving" his father might have seemed analagous to patricide, but it was still a choice.
Sure, it was 'a choice'...but it really wasn't. The moment he really had a 'choice' was when he decided to go through with the murders of Solozzo/McClusky. After that, there was really no turning back. As many have stated here on the Gangster BB...it was his 'destiny'.
Originally posted by olivant:
...I would have murdered to protect my father, but now that he is dead, there is nothing to protect that would warrant murder.
That's because you weren't raised in the Corleone Family Business. Neither you nor I can really say what we would do, what 'choices' we would make if we had grown up in that kind of world.
Originally posted by olivant:
...Michael perceived that murder was to be used quite frequently for him to get his way...
Again, just like any other 'Don'.
And what do you consider 'frequently'? Let's take a look at all the murders Michael either committed or ordered, and the reasons for them.
Solozzo - Had twice tried to murder his father and would surely make another attempt.
McClusky - Hired to 'protect' Solozzo. Like it or not, he had to go as well.
JUMP several years forward after the death of his father who had advised, guided and planned with Michael during the final years of his life.
Barzini & Heads of ALL other Families - Settling of all 'Family Business'; payback for Sonny/Sicily (Appolonia); preservation of the Corleone Empire which would surely have come under attack after Vito's death.
Moe Green - Refused Michael's 'buyout'; backed by Barzini.
Tessio - Turned traitor to Michael and the Corleone Family.
Always liked him, it was 'only business'.
Carlo - Turned traitor to the Corleone Family; fingered Sonny for the Barzini hit.
JUMP several years ahead to life at the Nevada Compound:
Geary's prostitute - that was Tom's baby; can't be pinned on Michael.
Johnny Ola - had to be killed to get to Hyman Roth.
Hyman Roth - attempted to undermine/overthrow the Corleone Family; recruited Michael's dumb brother to unwittingly aid in assasination of Michael. Orchestrated Senate Hearings in further attempt to ruin Michael Corleone
Frank Pentangelli - turned traitor after being duped by Roth. (Actually, Michael didn't even need to order this hit; Frankie knew what he had to do.)
Fredo Corleone - turned traitor for personal gain & nearly enabled the murder of his brother.
I cannot address GFIII since I wasn't there...but so far, seems to me to be alot of good reasons for a mafia Don to have people killed.
As for Michael's 'choices'...of course they had an effect on the course his life took. But choices are also sometimes the result of 'circumstances'.
As Michael tells Kay in that lovely scene in GFIII...he loved his father. After Sonny died and even before...he had to make certain choices because of that love.
Apple
