It's just a strategy to protect Michael.

Yes. Notice that the bodyguard is looking around while Michael is driving--he's doing his job.

Fanucci jumps into the truck Vito is driving with the balance of the dresses they stolen.

They discuss the terms of Fanucci's end of the score.

Fanucci grabs the dresses for his daughters and reminds Vito that they all three owe him $200 a piece.

When doing so, Fanucci puts up his hand in the form of a peace sign to indicate the $200.

In Italy, Sicily and Sardinia, the correct way to indicate 1 is a thumb. Wouldn't the 2 be a thumb and index finger... and not a index finger and middle finger?

Even though Fanucci is a Sicilian in the novel, in the film's screenplay he is a Neapolitan. Perhaps therein lies the answer?

When Sonny goes charging out to confront the FBI guys parked outside Connie's wedding, Paulie follows him at a safe distance. After Sonny spits on the FBI guy's I.D., and turns to go back inside, Paulie, still at a safe distance, makes the sine of the "cornudo" (two fingers) at the FBI guy. Coward!

Yes, I noticed that, TB. Also, in that same scene, Paulie has his hand half way under his jacket appearing ready to draw a weapon. Really? You're gonna pull a weapon on the FBI at The Corleone Mall on the day of Connie's wedding?

Great scene in Casino.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L5Zx34mjUU

"your people will never understand how things work out here"

Just one of the non stereotypical cars Mike rode around in. Seems the only time he rode in a black Cadillac, is when he came back from Italy, and found Kay. The first limo we see him in post Cadillac was the Packard. Great job on describing what the car was It really is a rarity. Took me a while to understand the difference between a Chrysler, Chrysler Imperial and Imperial. This car is different from all three.

If I'm not mistaken, the next limo we see Michael in after the New Hampshire Cad ['47?], was a '54 Imperial as he was pulling up to Moe Greene's hotel.

Good eye.....but did we actually see him in the car? LOL Look closely at the pic. It looks like Fredo in the front seat looking toward the back seat. I would guess that Mike was in the back seat.

Was this Mikes car, or was it Moe Greenes? [img]http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_8442-Chrysler-Crown-Imperial-C-66-1954.html[/img]

May have been the Hotel's "VIP" limo. For that matter, the '58 Ghia Imperial may have been a de luxe airport limo for Michael, not his own ride. He may have had more modest tastes. For example: The car that Kay tries to go shopping in, and was stopped at the gate to the Tahoe compound, was a '57 Buick Special wagon (note the plain-Jane interior), a far cry from the higher end Roadmaster wagon. The rental car that Michael drove to Roth's house was a low-end '58 Ford Custom 500.

For this car buff, GFII is paradise for Fifties classics.

Yeah, tough guy Paulie with his hand on a gun in front of the fbi.

Also noticed today after watching g2 for the 1000th time - noticed the look on johnny fontaines face when Mike presents the " offer " to appear in Vegas and for some of johnnys' friends to do so also - the look is almost like " I knew there would be huge favors asked ".

When barzini is walking through that building prior to bring shot by neri, he is all alone, no bodyguard, no witnesses. That would have been the perfect time to take him out. They could have had 2 or 3 guys in there with knives, stab him to death, walk out and nobody would have known what happened.

Yes it is. The only other Cadillac limo we see,that might be connected with Mike, could be the 56 Cadillac limo parked outside of the Washington Hotel. With its custom rear window, it appear to be a Derham custom.

It does appear with Mike's modest taste in cars, he wanted to keep a low profile. [img]http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_697863.html[/img]

To continue this pleasant automotive hair-splitting:
That Derham Cad was a real find. But, the Checker cab alongside it is a post-Fifties model. What looks like a '56 Buick is waiting at the intersection ahead of the hotel. But the bus beyond it is a Sixties-model GM.

Another nice touch: In Havana, after Roth finishes his soliloquey and goes to take a nap, notice the patronizing look on Johnny Ola's face as he stares at Michael. It's as if he's saying, "You may think you're a bigshot, Michael, but you're a bush-leaguer compared to Mr. Roth."

TB, I interpreted Ola's look as an uncomfortable one, but nothing more. Although Ola apparently worked for Roth, he was Mafioso as Michael was. I never understood how he rationalized his allegiance to Roth instead of to other Mafiosi.

Oli, as I'm sure you know, Johnny Ola is based on a real-life character: Vincent (Jimmy Blue Eyes) Alo (name is an anagram), long-time associate and friend of Meyer Lansky. Alo was a captain-level Mafioso who basically ran interference for Lansky with the Mob. He was not subservient as Johnny Ola is portrayed. Why'd FFC portray Ola that way? Made for a more interesting character is my guess.

I think this has been discussed before on the Board, but I can't remember for sure.

Why wasn't Fredo at his father's funeral?

Also can you car guys tell me what was the make and model of the black and silver car that led Vito's ambulance from the hospital?

Fredo WAS there at the funeral. For whatever reason, he wasn't shown in most of the scenes (especially any close-up shots). But you can see him getting out of one of the cars as the funeral procession first arrived at the cemetery.

Okay, I'll look for that in the Epic. But I wonder why FFC didn't group Fredo, Connie, Michael , and Tom in one of the funeral scenes.

It's a '46 Cadillac Series 62. The two-tone paint is an anomaly--it wasn't a factory option. You see Clemenza getting into the passenger side, but it's not the same '46 Cad that was in his garage in a deleted scene.

Thanks TB. Also, to SC: on Youtube I watched the funeral scene and saw Mama being escorted by Tom followed by Fredo.

This is pure guesswork: there's a lingering shot of Clemenza at the casket, and Michael watching him like a hawk, just before Tessio closes on Barzini just for a second and then comes to Michael. So my guess is that there could some footage of Michael watching Fredo closely, which would require that Fredo be at a distance.

Pete, since I posted my question, I looked at the funeral scene several times based on what SC posted about it. Here's what I
saw.

There's a closeup of the line of limos at the funeral as Dons exit them. Once that finishes, at the distant end of the limo line, you'll see a women in black exit a limo. She's wearing a headdress (just like Mama wears in the shot of seated Corleones). Yes, in both scenes it's Mama. In that distant shot, you can make out Tom escorting her and right behind them is Fredo.

When Michael asks Johnny Ola what he wanted to drink, Ola replies, "Anisette" in a way that made you think he just invented the liquor.

When watching the Epic, I have to ask when did Vito acquire his rowing skills. Remember the scene when he goes after Strollo in the rowboat? He not only rows out to him, but stands up while doing it. Quite a feat.

Perhaps he rowed his way to America after narrowly escaping Don Ciccio's clutches.

Also, Batista is telling the party attendees in Spanish that the rebels are closing in. About halfway through his speech, Michael turns to leave the party. Why? Michael doesn't understand Spanish and there's no translator in evidence.

Also, notice Questadt, the Senate lawyer, sitting behind Roth in that scene.

In the saga version, when fabrizo is leaving his pizza shop, he walks around to get into his car, he unlocks the door and the drivers side window is down. I'm sure ffc did it for effect, but he could have just pulled the door knob up and unlocked it.