Cecily Zamora
Michael Corleone is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in cinema history. In 'The Godfather Part II', Michael has his older brother Fredo killed, which is shocking given his strong devotion to his family. However, Fredo had betrayed Michael and the Corleone family by helping Hyman Roth, who wanted to assassinate Michael, take over. Michael was tormented with guilt over ordering his brother's death, and this alienation from his family is explored in 'The Godfather Part III'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for killing | Betrayal |
| Family member killed | Older brother, Fredo Corleone |
| Michael's role | Don of the Corleone family |
| Michael's feelings about killing Fredo | Tormented with guilt |
| Michael's actions post-killing | Attempts to rehabilitate his reputation through charitable acts |
| Impact on relationships | Alienated from his ex-wife, Kay, and son, Anthony |
| Fredo's motive for betrayal | Resentment over being passed over for a position of power |
| Michael's attitude towards betrayal | Zero tolerance, as seen in his treatment of other betrayers |
| Fredo's fate | Killed at the end of "The Godfather Part II" |
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What You'll Learn
Michael Corleone's guilt over killing Fredo
Michael Corleone is ridden with guilt over his ruthless rise to power, particularly his order to kill his older brother, Fredo. In "The Godfather Part II", Fredo betrays Michael by giving Ola and Roth information that helps to make an attempt on Michael's life at his home. However, Michael understands that Fredo wasn't trying to deliberately subvert the family's interests, but was too weak-minded to think for himself. Michael spares Fredo and warns him not to go against the family again. Unfortunately, Fredo does not listen and continues to betray the family by backing Greene.
Michael is so shattered with guilt that he confesses the murder to Cardinal Lamberto, who later becomes Pope John Paul I. Michael's daughter, Mary, also asks her cousin and love interest, Vincent Corleone, about Michael's involvement in Fredo's death. Michael's guilt over Fredo's death also alienates him from his ex-wife, Kay, and his son, Anthony, both of whom know the truth about what happened to Fredo.
Michael's guilt over Fredo's death is a significant consequence of his actions, and it haunts him throughout "The Godfather Part III". Despite his efforts to rehabilitate his reputation through charitable acts, Michael is unable to escape the guilt and remorse he feels for killing his brother. This guilt is a constant reminder of the ruthless decisions he had to make on his rise to power as the Don of the Corleone family.
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Fredo's betrayal of the Corleone family
Fredo Corleone, born in 1915 or 1919, was the second oldest child of Vito and Carmela Corleone. He was a sickly child, contracting pneumonia as a baby. In Mario Puzo's novel 'The Godfather', Fredo is the second son of the Mafia don Vito Corleone. In the film adaptation, he is portrayed by John Cazale.
Fredo's character is characterised by indecisiveness and a lack of determination, which results in him having little power or status within the Corleone crime family. His primary weakness is his womanizing, a habit he develops after moving to Las Vegas, which earns his father's disapproval. Fredo's feelings of inadequacy and his inability to act effectively on his own behalf lead to his downfall.
In 'The Godfather Part II', Fredo betrays Michael by giving Ola and Hyman Roth information that helps them to make an attempt on Michael's life at his home. Fredo was manipulated by Roth, who used Fredo's naivete and carelessness to his advantage. While in Havana, Fredo accidentally let slip to Geary that he had been to a nightclub with Ola, which Michael overheard, leading him to realise that Fredo was the traitor. Fredo also concealed the allegiance of the Senate Committee's lawyer, Questadt, to the Roths, which was another reason why he was expelled from the Corleone family.
Michael confronts Fredo, delivering the "kiss of death". Although Fredo runs away, he is eventually convinced to return home. Michael, ridden with guilt over his ruthless rise to power, particularly his order to kill Fredo, uses his wealth to rehabilitate his reputation through charitable acts.
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Michael's character development in The Godfather Part II
In "The Godfather Part II", Michael Corleone's character development explores his transition from a kind man to a hardened, ruthless, toxic leader of the Corleone crime family. At the start of the film, Michael is already entrenched as the powerful Don of the Corleone family, having relocated to Nevada and seeking to legitimize the family's business. However, his efforts to distance himself from the criminal underworld are largely unsuccessful due to his growing obsession with revenge and his many enemies.
Michael's character development in the second film highlights the corrupting influence of absolute power. Once he secures his position as Don, Michael becomes the very threat he sought to protect his family from. He abuses his wife, Kay, his brother Fredo, his children, and his underlings. Michael's humanity, which briefly resurfaced during his time in Sicily when he fell in love with Appollonia, is now gone. He is cold, cruel, and distant, as evidenced by his treatment of Kay and his brother Fredo.
Michael's guilt over his ruthless rise to power and his order to kill Fredo, who betrayed him by aiding an attempt on Michael's life, weighs heavily on him. He attempts to rehabilitate his reputation through charitable acts and donations to Catholic institutions, receiving recognition from the Holy See. However, his efforts to redeem himself and the Corleone family are ultimately unsuccessful as he remains entangled in the criminal underworld.
Michael's relationship with his sister, Connie, also showcases his character development. He gaslights and threatens Connie, demonstrating his manipulative and controlling nature. Despite her pleas for her brother's life, Michael does not honor his promise, further isolating himself from his family.
Michael's transformation from a college student seeking to distance himself from his family's criminal business to a powerful and ruthless Don is complete by "The Godfather Part II". The film explores the toxic impact of absolute power on his character, as he becomes the embodiment of the very danger he once sought to protect his loved ones from.
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Michael's relationship with his ex-wife, Kay
Michael Corleone and Kay Adams-Corleone's relationship is a complex one, marked by love, devotion, and ultimately, tragedy. They first met in 1945 when Michael was a student at Dartmouth College, and Kay lived in the same small town of Hanover with her family. Despite being an outsider to the Corleones' world, Kay fell in love with Michael, who embodied her desire for a life separate from his family's criminal enterprises.
Their relationship was not without challenges, as Kay found herself increasingly estranged from Michael due to his involvement with the mafia. In the novel, they get married in New England, with only Kay's family present, symbolizing the initial separation of their relationship from the Corleones. However, as the wife of a mafia don, Kay's character arc has been described as plausible, portraying her concern and eventual alienation as she confronted the moral and emotional toll of Michael's criminal empire.
Kay and Michael's marriage produced two children, Anthony and Mary. However, their relationship deteriorated, and by 1979, they were divorced. Kay had custody of the children and had remarried to a prosecutor named Douglas Michelson. Despite their separation, Michael remained in love and devoted to Kay, even wearing his wedding ring for ten years after their divorce.
In 1979, they had an uneasy reunion, where Kay expressed her dread of seeing Michael and her concern about his continued involvement in the underworld. During this meeting, an argument ensued, with Kay revealing that she and Anthony knew about Michael's role in his brother Fredo's murder. Despite their differences, Kay supported Anthony's decision to pursue a career in opera, contrary to Michael's wishes for him to join the "family business."
In summary, Michael and Kay's relationship began with love and shared dreams of a life away from the Corleones' criminal past. However, as Michael became entrenched in the mafia, their marriage suffered, leading to divorce and estrangement. Despite their separation, Michael continued to hold feelings for Kay, and they shared a complicated dynamic as co-parents to their children.
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Fredo's fate in The Godfather Part II
In The Godfather Part II, Fredo betrays his brother Michael by providing Hyman Roth with information that helps him to orchestrate an attempt on Michael's life. Fredo is manipulated by Roth, who uses him as a pawn, and he unwittingly sets up the assassination attempt. This is not the first time Fredo has betrayed Michael, as he previously sided with Moe Greene against him.
Fredo's character is characterized by indecisiveness and a lack of determination, which leads to him having little power or status within the Corleone crime family. He is portrayed as weak and helpless, and his betrayal of Michael is driven by bitterness and jealousy. Despite his attempts to earn forgiveness, Fredo is considered a threat to the Corleones, and Michael treats him as a business matter, ordering his death.
Michael is ridden with guilt over Fredo's death and tries to rehabilitate his reputation through charitable acts. The revelation that Anthony knows the truth about Fredo's death is a significant plot point in The Godfather Part III.
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Frequently asked questions
Michael Corleone killed his brother-in-law, Carlo, because he was abusive and betrayed Michael to Don Barzini.
Carlo was Connie Corleone's husband and Michael's brother-in-law.
Connie is Michael Corleone's younger sister.
Yes, Michael ordered the killing of his older brother, Fredo Corleone.
Fredo betrayed Michael by giving information to Hyman Roth, which helped in an attempt on Michael's life.
