I just noticed something in The Godfather

[frank 2,144]

Michael goes to the hospital and the nurse says the police made the guards leave. There is no way they would have left, and if they did, they would have called and told someone. She said they left 10 minutes ago, so maybe they did call someone, but it doesn't seem so.

 

Also, it insists upon itself.

[tanatastic 2,061]

I like the money pit. That is my answer.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Look for all the Orange symbolism in the movie. Especially where he had the orange peel in his mouth playing with the kid. He was actually goofing off with the kid between takes and the director turned on the camera and it made it in the movie.

[BiPolarBear 476]

Michael goes to the hospital and the nurse says the police made the guards leave. There is no way they would have left, and if they did, they would have called and told someone. She said they left 10 minutes ago, so maybe they did call someone, but it doesn't seem so.

 

Also, it insists upon itself.

I took it to mean they were police guards, so no call.

[vuduchile 1,941]

I took it to mean they were police guards, so no call.

Interesting. I'll have to look at that scene again. What did Michael actually ask the nurse?

 

Did he say, "Where are the guards?" or "Where are my father's men?" or something else?

[Mike Honcho 4,015]

Interesting. I'll have to look at that scene again. What did Michael actually ask the nurse?

 

Did he say, "Where are the guards?" or "Where are my father's men?" or something else?

 

Here's the scene:

 

 

From one analysis ---

 

Suddenly, police cars pull up and policemen storm through the hospital gates, grabbing Michael. The Police Captain, McCluskey, orders Michael to be taken to the station, even though his officers assure him that Michael is a war hero and not involved in his family's 'racket'. Michael refuses to go, accusing McCluskey of removing police protection from the hospital because he is on Sollozzo's payroll. In response, McCluskey punches Michael in the face - hard. Another car pulls up and Tom Hagen runs out to grab Michael, who is slumped over. A flurry of men come flooding through the gates - private detectives, Tom clarifies - hired to protect Vito Corleone and licensed to carry firearms. He threatens McCluskey that if he interferes, the Family will take him to court. The cops retreat and the detectives stake out the hospital.

 

This is how I always interpreted the scene. Don Corleone is a pretty important and has connections to the police and would be under police protection. Under normal circumstances another family would never kill 2 cops, to whack the Don, hence the crooked McCluskey involvement.

 

From Wiki---not sure if this is includes info from the book:

 

 

Virgil Sollozzo unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Don Vito Corleone after a failed attempt to obtain financing and police and political protection for his emerging heroin business. When Sollozzo learns Corleone survived, he sends agents to the hospital for another attempt after he has Captain McCluskey (Sterling Hayden), a New York City police captain on Sollozzo's payroll, arrest Don Corleone's personal guards at the hospital and removes the police officers stationed outside the Don's hospital room.

 

[Drizzay 645]

Its got a valid point to make! It's insisting!

[vuduchile 1,941]

 

Here's the scene:

 

Hmm. He asked what happened to the guards. She said his father had too many visitors and the police made them leave 10 minutes ago.

 

When he called Sonny, he said nobody was there. No Tessio's men, no detectives, nobody.

 

Frank is right. Even if the cops strong-armed Tessio's men and made them leave, they would have called Sonny or Tom right away.

[BiPolarBear 476]

I was mistaken. The nurse said the police made the guards leave. They had only ben gone 10 minutes.

[mighty_thor 115]

Look for all the Orange symbolism in the movie. Especially where he had the orange peel in his mouth playing with the kid. He was actually goofing off with the kid between takes and the director turned on the camera and it made it in the movie.

 

The Luca Brasi scene where he practices his wedding speech to the Godfather was added because the actor was so bad at making the speech. James Caan talks about that scene at the 20:45 mark of this clip:

 

[vuduchile 1,941]

It would have made sense if they'd resolved this discrepancy by either:

 

A. Showing us that those guards were either beaten up or killed by the cops or Sollozzo's men.

 

or

 

B. Showing us that the guards had turned and were actually working for Sollozzo.

[GobbleDog 816]

It would have made sense if they'd resolved this discrepancy by either:

 

A. Showing us that those guards were either beaten up or killed by the cops or Sollozzo's men.

 

or

 

B. Showing us that the guards had turned and were actually working for Sollozzo.

 

I thought it was just assumed they were on the take.

[MDC 5,890]

It would have made sense if they'd resolved this discrepancy by either:

 

A. Showing us that those guards were either beaten up or killed by the cops or Sollozzo's men.

 

or

 

B. Showing us that the guards had turned and were actually working for Sollozzo.

Yes, B. This is even a question?

[BufordT 371]

I thought this thread was going to be about Fredo not being at Don Corleone's funeral.

[cbfalcon 824]

Hmm. He asked what happened to the guards. She said his father had too many visitors and the police made them leave 10 minutes ago.

 

When he called Sonny, he said nobody was there. No Tessio's men, no detectives, nobody.

 

Frank is right. Even if the cops strong-armed Tessio's men and made them leave, they would have called Sonny or Tom right away.

It had only been 10 minutes. I don't think Tessio's guys had cell phones. Good chance the cops escorted them to the front door, and with as annoying as hospital parking is, they may not even be back for their cars yet.

[Chronic Husker 85]

It would have made sense if they'd resolved this discrepancy by either:

 

A. Showing us that those guards were either beaten up or killed by the cops or Sollozzo's men.

 

or

 

B. Showing us that the guards had turned and were actually working for Sollozzo.

Dramatic effect. That's a pretty intense scene where the audience learns with Michael the guards are gone.

 

I think I agree the guards are on the take from Sollozo. The guards are likely not on their first week of payroll. I mean, you put someone with loyalty of Luca Brasi on that job, right?

 

The nurse told Michael they were "interfering in hospital business". If Mc Cluskey came in there with that, there would likely be a fight, no?

 

But there was no fight. The way Coppola filmed it was best, imo.

 

Also, those guards better have gotten a killer payoff. Price on all their heads. (Unless they did call Tom right away and weren't on the take.)

[vuduchile 1,941]

 

Here's the scene:

 

 

From one analysis ---

 

 

This is how I always interpreted the scene. Don Corleone is a pretty important and has connections to the police and would be under police protection. Under normal circumstances another family would never kill 2 cops, to whack the Don, hence the crooked McCluskey involvement.

 

From Wiki---not sure if this is includes info from the book:

 

 

When Sollozzo learns Corleone survived, he sends agents to the hospital for another attempt after he has Captain McCluskey (Sterling Hayden), a New York City police captain on Sollozzo's payroll, arrest Don Corleone's personal guards at the hospital and removes the police officers stationed outside the Don's hospital room.

 

 

 

 

 

Aha. The arrest of the guards makes sense. McCluskey takes the guards into custody on some trumped up charge.

 

This allows Solozzo's men to move in before they're processed and allowed to make a phone call.

 

Works for me.

[vuduchile 1,941]

McCluskey says to Michael when confronted:

 

"I thought I got all you guineas locked up"

 

When Michael asks him what happened to the men guarding his father, he replies, "Why you little punk. What are you doing telling me my business. I had all them guys taken off of here."

 

This seems to indicate that McCluskey arrested them.

[vuduchile 1,941]

Also. Michael's Italian wife's nipples are completely flesh colored. It's like there's no aereola at all.

 

Completely smooth. Not pink. Not brown, but the same color as the rest of her skin.

[edjr 5,556]

 

I thought it was just assumed they were on the take.

 

 

Wonder how Posty feels about this

[TimmySmith 2,782]

The guards leaving was symbolic that there was an opening in the power structure. Loyalties were up for grabs. Michael was strong enough the reclaim them.

[vuduchile 1,941]

The guards leaving was symbolic that there was an opening in the power structure. Loyalties were up for grabs. Michael was strong enough the reclaim them.

The dialogue in the movie doesn't support that theory. See above.

[parrot 789]

I noticed I wouldn't have wanted to be the guard in the toll booth.

[Cruzer 1,992]

Seems plausible - it's not like they had cell phones.