I was watching GFII this morning and I am just pondering a thought. Do you think Fredo had any idea what was going to happen to him being alone, in the lake with Al Neri? Do you think when Connie took Anthony back to the compound he just kinda said to himself OHHH hail mary....

I don't, but some people here think he did--and resigned himself to his fate. Try our search function to see some of this discussion.

He knew he was going to die. Thats why he said the Hail Mary.

why would fredo think al neri would want to go fishing with him? sure he may be stupid but hes not that stupid

True but technically Fredo's an underboss so wouldn't Neri have to follow his orders along with Michael and Tom?? If Fredo says I want to go fishing Neri would have to go.

At that point Fredo was not the underboss anymore.

The issue of Fredo being an underboss has been debated often here, and with no conclusive answers. Sure, he's listed as "Underboss" on the FBI chart at the Senate hearing. And Michael tells Tom, before leaving the compound, that he gives Tom power over "...Fredo and his men." But Fredo picks people up at the airport, runs a brothel and Mickey Mouse nightclubs, and is bitter about it--hardly the stuff of an underboss.

Likely guess: the FBI chart was wrong. That chart was modeled on the charts shown at the Senate Valachi hearings and were based only on what Valachi told them. He wasn't high enough in the Mafia to know who was really who. Perhaps the Corleone chart was based on info Pentangeli gave them--and he was wrong about Fredo.

Ok I see what you're saying. I just thought since he had the last name Corelone, Fredo had some kind of power.

Likely Willie Cicci, as Pentangeli was high enough to be in the know. As a street boss in New York, Pentangeli would have been aware of the administration.

I laughed the first time I saw Cicci. I told myself hey that's Rocky's boss.

Fredo was underboss in name only but regardless he was still "official underboss" so the chart was not incorrect. Also i do believe that fredo knew what was gonna happen. He took his death like a man

What happened to fredos body after he was killed?

Thrown in the lake.

I don't believe that Fredo knew he was going o die. Michael made him believe he was forgiven at Momma Corelone's funeral. Maybe that hug was a false sense of security and also Michael also made Connie believe Fredo was forgiven when s.he begged Michael to forgive Fredo in the boathouse

MICHAEL: Yeah -- there's a lot I can't tell you Tom -- and I know that's upset you in the past.

TOM: A little.

MICHAEL: Yeah -- you felt it was because of some lack of trust or confidence. That's why at his moment you're the only one I completely trust. FREDO -- ah, he's got a good heart -- but he's week, and he's stupid, and this is life and death.

TOM: Then why did you make him underboss?

MICHAEL: Well, you know ....

TOM: I mean, that's a critical position Michael. I agree, Fredo is weak and stupid, so why'd you do it?

MICHAEL: Well, I wanted to give him something other than that Mickey Mouse stuff. You know me Tom. I've always been a nurturer. I like to help people be all they can be.

TOM: But, the guys, the capos and soldiers...there's been some rumblings about it. They resent the hell out of it.

MICHAEL: Tom, you worry too much. By the way, do you fish?

Eh, he told Anthony minutes before that he always said a Hail Mary when fishing. So it can be taken either way.

That is my exact point. I take it as he didn't know about his future in the bottom of the lake.

Notice how FFC always throws in some religious theme or music when murders are about to occur--Anthony's baptism and the Great Massacre of 1955; Fredo's Hail Mary before he's killed; the Easter Mass from "Cavalleria Rusticana" when all the bad guys are being killed...

TB, that's one of the many things I appreciate about the Trilogy - the continuity, not to mention the religious themes.

Yes, and notice in II we hear Fredo say MOST of the "Hail Mary" if you say the rest of it in the same cadence, the shot does not go off until he would have said, "...now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Nice touch

Just watch this clip (again), and judge for yourself. I think Fredo sure as hell knew he was going to get clipped; he couldn't stop saying Hail Mary up to the moment he died...

When Connie wants to bring Anthony to Reno and he gets out, Fredo goes "ah shit" and rides with Neri. Personally, I felt there was some resignation in his voice when he said "okay Al, let's go", like he knew what was coming.

It's subtle, but that's how I interpreted it based on how he said it.

We've discussed this before:
http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=619267

I was always under the impression that Fredo knew what was coming when Connie collected Anthony from him, the hail mary was said in a way as if he knew he was going to die.

I thought it was like a score, similar to the baptism/murder scene "Do you renounce satan..." score.

Fredo knew what was coming. Yes we all know Fredo was not the smartest guy in the world but he wasnt a retard. He had been around the mafia all his life even though he wouldnt have made a good boss he still knew how the mob works

Fredo died in real life a young man wtf happen?

What do you mean? Real life Fredo?

Yes Real Life Fredo I can't think of his name you can google it, was in a few films and then he passed not sure what happen it was before my time.

John Cazale died of bone cancer in 1978 aged 42. Tragic loss as he was a fine actor.

Taken from his Wiki page:

During his six-year film career, he appeared in five films, each of which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter. He is the only actor to have this multi-film distinction