In the novel, Fredo's primary weakness is his womanizing, a habit he develops after moving to Las Vegas and which earns his father's disfavor. In the films, Fredo's feelings of personal inadequacy and his inability to act effectively on his own behalf are character flaws leading to greater consequences.
The ending of Godfather III was pure pathos. No. He wasn't terribly bright, but he wasn't mentally handicapped. He was just a weak individual who resented his place in the pecking order and the opinion his weak behavior earned him among a family and peers who valued strength over all in men.
Fredo was the second child of Vito and Carmela Corleone, born October 18, 1915. In his youth he was a sickly child, contracting pneumonia as a baby. In The Godfather Returns, it is implied that Fredo was molested as a child by his parish priest, and he is portrayed as having secret sexual relationships with men.
Fredo betrayed his brother to rival gangster Hyman Roth, who used him as a pawn in a plot to destroy the Corleone Family. Fredo provided unspecified information on the Corleone family in return for receiving compensation (what kind is never specified) independently of the family.
Fredo betrayed Michael by working with Johnny Ola and Hyman Roth behind the scenes, when the Corleone and Roth organizations were negotiating a business deal. It's unclear exactly what Fredo told Johnny Ola - rather, it's implied that Fredo is just kind of stupidly naive and probably said too much about the family.
This is unlikely because Fredo seemed completely unaware of the situation. Fredo later explains to Michael that Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) and Ola had assured him it was not going to be an actual hit, just a ruse to frighten Michael into being more cooperative in his business negotiations.
In The Godfather II, Vito Corleone chooses his younger son, Michael, instead of his older son, Fredo, as his successor. This decision is based on Michael's intelligence and ability. Fredo, who is considered weak, is dismissed to do more menial tasks for the family.
In the dream, Fredo warns Michael about an unspecified threat, and asks him why he had his own brother killed. Much of the novel portrays Michael dealing with his guilt over Fredo's murder.
He found his brother tried to have him and his family killed. How could you ever trust him? Even if you cut ties with Fredo, Michael would always have to fear the possibility of Fredo going to the cops or planning another hit. He thought he and Fredo were good and Fredo betrayed him over jealousy.
The kiss is known as "Il bacio della morte," meaning "the kiss of death." In this instance, it was to signify to Fredo that he was marked for death for betraying his brother to Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) and his right-hand man Johnny Ola (Dominic Chianese) in The Godfather Part II.
Roth secretly plans to assassinate Michael, partly to avenge Moe Greene's murder (as depicted in The Godfather). Roth instructs Ola to befriend Michael's brother Fredo, who provides Ola (and Roth) information about Michael that enables them to make an attempt on his life.
In The Godfather: Part II Fredo betrayed Michael by giving Ola and Roth information that helped to make an attempt on Michael's life at his home. Fredo was careless and naive (which Roth used to his advantage), and he probably didn't have any actual bad intentions against Michael.
Michael is cold-blooded, ruthless, smart, and determined. His ability to think clearly under fire, to be decisive, and to command respect makes him an excellent Godfather. Of Vito's children, he is certainly the best candidate to take over the family.
I always liked him." ―Salvatore Tessio[src] Salvatore "Sal" Tessio was one of Don Vito Corleone's most trusted friends and caporegimes, ruling over the Corleone family's territory in Brooklyn. A Sicilian born youth raised in New York, Tessio married his wife Lucille in 1908.
Zasa later wiped out most the Commission, yet Michael and his old friend Don Altobello escaped. Michael had a diabetic stroke, and whilst incapacitated, Connie gave Vincent and Al Neri the go-ahead to kill Zasa.
Michael made the only decision possible in killing Fredo. The entire story of the Godfather, is the idea that doing terrible things for the sake of your family is justifiable and even virtuous. That's the story, a man who will literally do anything for his family will ultimately destroy his own family.
2. Michael and Vito might have placed some of the blame for Sonny's assassination on Tom. Though it turns out that Carlo Rizzi plotted with Barzini to set Sonny up, Michael and Vito probably believed that Tom didn't do enough to stop Sonny from leaving the safety of the family compound that day to find Carlo.
Connie (who was unaware of her husband's role in Sonny's murder), hysterical after Carlo's death, blames Michael, denouncing him in front of his wife, Kay.
Because Fredo remained a threat to his family. As long as Fredo was bitter about being stepped over, and he always would be, he was a threat. Michael triumphed over his enemies because he was cold, ruthless and logical. Remember that last time he spoke with Fredo: “It isn't what I wanted!” Fredo would remain a risk.
This cold intelligence and calculating ruthlessness would be inherited by Vito's youngest and favorite son, Michael, who would be the one to take vengeance for his older brother's murder.
Orson Welles - Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather (1972)
Welles was also the preferred choice of Paramount studios. Luckily, they eventually caved to Coppola's insistence that no one but Brando could do justice to the role.
Michael finally relents at Kay's urging. She privately tells Michael that Anthony knows that he had Fredo killed. Anthony's career is a success, and he is set to make his operatic debut as the lead in Cavalleria Rusticana, in Palermo, Sicily, on Easter Sunday. His family joins him in Sicily, for the premiere.
4 Answers. Well, at the time of Don Vito Corleone's death by heart failure, Fredo had been sent off to Las Vegas to begin the process of securing the family real estate and business(es) as well as ensuring that local politicians and senior police are either bought, or otherwise neutered.
Meanwhile, Kay decides to leave Michael and take their children with her, believing Michael will always live in a world of crime and violence. Michael asks her to reconsider, but Kay reveals she aborted their unborn son because she refused to bring another of his children into the world.