The Godfather: Part II Page #6

Michael is taken aback; he looks at Hagen.

SENATOR GEARY:

...of all three Corleone hotels.

Hagen is frustrated; all his information was wrong.

MICHAEL:

Senator Geary, I speak to you as a

businessman who has made a large

investment in your state. I have

made that state my home; plan to

raise my children here. The

license fee from the Gambling

Commission costs one thousand

dollars; why would I ever consider

paying more?

SENATOR GEARY:

I'm going to squeeze you, Corleone,

because I don't like you; I don't

like the kind of man you are. I

despise your masquerade, and the

dishonest way you pose yourself and

your f***ing family.

VIEW ON HAGEN:

glances at Michael.

VIEW ON MICHAEL:

makes no outward reaction.

MICHAEL:

(quietly)

We're all part of the same

hypocrisy, Senator. But never

think it applies to my family.

SENATOR GEARY:

All right, then let me say you'll

pay me because it's in your

interests to pay me.

VIEW ON GEARY:

rising.

SENATOR GEARY:

I'll expect your answer, with

payment, by tomorrow morning. Only

don't contact me...from now on,

deal only through Turnbull.

He is almost out the door.

MICHAEL:

Senator...

(cold and calm)

...you can have my answer now if

you'd like.

Geary turns back.

MICHAEL:

My offer is this. Nothing...not

even the thousand dollars for the

Gaming Commission, which I'd

appreciate if you would put up

personally.

Geary returns Michael's hard look; then laughs and leaves.

Slowly Michael turns to Hagen.

VIEW ON HAGEN:

embarrassed at being so off the mark.

MICHAEL:

It's all right, Tom, we'll talk

later. Tell Frankie Pentangeli I'd

like him to have dinner at my

family table before we do business.

EXT. THE PAVILION - NIGHT

Now the light has faltered, and the young waiters have put

up the night lights. The tables are all properly set for

dinner, with candles on each one.

The orchestra is playing quiet, unobtrusive dinner music,

and many of the guests have begun to help themselves to the

impressive buffet, under a party tent.

MED. VIEW

Michael sits at a large table with Kay, his son Anthony,

Mama, Hagen and TERESA, Connie and Merle' Fredo and Deanna,

and Frankie Pentangeli.

MAMA:

Cent' Anne.

This, the table of honor, all raise their glasses and repeat

the toast.

DEANNA:

What's 'cent' Anne?'

FREDO:

A hundred years...it's a toast.

CONNIE:

It means we should all live happily

for one hundred years. The family.

If my Father were alive, it'd be

true.

MAMA:

Connie.

CONNIE:

Merle, have you met my sister-in-

law Deanna?

DEANNA:

What a pleasure, Merle.

(shaking hands)

MAMA:

(Sicilian)

Those two are perfect for each other.

MERLE:

What's that mean?

CONNIE:

Mama!

PENTANGELI:

(Sicilian)

Michael, in all respect, I didn't

come three thousand miles for dinner.

MICHAEL:

(Sicilian)

I know.

PENTANGELI:

(Sicilian)

When do we talk?

MICHAEL:

(Sicilian)

After dinner.

By now, the conversation has become exclusively Sicilian,

with Merle and Deanna, looking from side to side like in a

tennis match. Finally, Kay, to be polite:

KAY:

Anthony, you were talking to Mr.

Pentangeli?

ANTHONY:

His name is "Five-Angels."

PENTANGELI:

Yeah, the kid and me talked Sicilian.

A one-way conversation!

INT. TAHOE BOATHOUSE - NIGHT

Pentangeli is angry; but because it is Michael he is talking

to, he keeps his voice low and represses his desire to shout.

PENTANGELI:

Sure, Pete Clemenza died of a heart

attack, but the Rosato Brothers

gave it to him.

MICHAEL:

We were all heartbroken at the

news; but that wasn't cause to

start a war.

PENTANGELI:

Okay, now it's my family in

Brooklyn; and I wanna keep up

Clemenza's loyalty to you. But how

can I run my family with you

challenging my every move? You're

too far from the street, Mike, the

only way to reason with the Rosato

Brothers is to whack 'em and whack

'em fast.

MICHAEL:

You were unfair with them.

PENTANGELI:

Says who?

MICHAEL:

Clemenza promised Rosato three

territories in the Bronx after he

died, and then you took over and

welched.

PENTANGELI:

Clemenza promised them nothing, he

hated the sonsuvbitches.

MICHAEL:

They feel cheated.

PENTANGELI:

Michael, you're sitting up here in

the Sierra Mountains with champagne

cocktails making judgment on the

way I run my family.

MICHAEL:

(suddenly in Sicilian)

Your family still carries the name

Corleone, and you will run it like

a Corleone!

PENTANGELI:

(Sicilian)

And while I feed my family in New

York, you put the knife in my back

in Miami.

MICHAEL:

(firm)

Frankie, you're a good old man, and

you've been loyal to my Father for

years...so I hope you can explain

what you mean.

PENTANGELI:

The Rosatos are running crazy;

taking hostages, spitting in my

face, because they're backed by the

Jew in Miami.

MICHAEL:

I know. That's why I want you to

be fair with them.

PENTANGELI:

How can you be fair with animals?

They recruit n*ggers and spicks;

they do violence in their own

Grandmother's neighborhoods. And

everything is dope and whores; the

gambling is left to last. Let me

run my family without you on my

back. I want them taken care of.

MICHAEL:

No. There are things that I have

planned with Hyman Roth. I don't

want them disturbed.

PENTANGELI:

You give your loyalty to a Jew over

your own blood.

MICHAEL:

Frankie, you know my father

respected Roth, did business with

him.

PENTANGELI:

He did business...but he never

trusted him.

Pentangeli takes his hat, and leaves.

NERI:

Should he go?

MICHAEL:

The old man had too much vino

rosso, or he'd never talk openly

that way. Let him go back to New

York; I've already made my plans.

(he checks his watch)

It's late; I've spent so little

time at the party.

EXT. THE LAWNS AND TABLES - FULL VIEW - NIGHT

By now the sun has fallen and the lawns of the Corleone

estate are lit by moonlight. Beautifully dressed couples

dance as the orchestra plays a foxtrot of the late fifties.

VIEW ON THE DANCE FLOOR

Deanna has been dancing with Fredo; she has gotten drunk and

it teasing her husband by flirting with other men on the

floor.

DEANNA:

I wanta dance...whatsa matter with

that?

FREDO:

Dancing is alright; you're falling

on the floor.

DEANNA:

Whatsamatter, you don't want me to

dance with him 'cause he's a man!

FREDO:

Deanna, I'm going to belt you right

in the mouth!

DEANNA:

These Eye-ties are really crazy

when it comes to their wives.

By now guests are starting to notice the disturbance;

Michael is with Kay, and some friends; Rocco catches his eye.

DEANNA (O.S.)

Jesus, never marry a WOP, they

treat their wives like sh*t.

VIEW on Kay, listening, embarrassed by her flashy sister-in-

law.

VIEW ON FREDO AND DEANNA

Rocco passes by Fredo and whispers:

ROCCO:

Freddie, Mike says take care of it,

or I have to.

DEANNA:

He's a friend of your brother!

Without another word, Rocco grabs firm hold of her and

whisks her out of the crowd.

DEANNA:

"Shuffle off to Buffa...

Shuffle off to Buffa...

Shuffle off to Buffalooooo..."

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