How Did Vito Corleone know Don Fanucci Was A Fraud? 

The biggest thing really is...a mob boss is never the one who does the collecting or threatening. That should have made anyone suspicious.

You made some good points. I'd add that Vito learned from Fannucci how NOT to act. Fannucci made threats to everybody; Vito almost never threatened, until after being reasonable had failed. Instead he did favors for people. Fannucci tried to instill fear, Vito inspired loyalty.

Fenucci was like the "bad" kid at your school who everyone's afraid of, until you see them get beaten senseless by someone worse.

Don Fanucci didn't have the makings of a varsity athlete

Vito deliberately gave Fannuci an amount less then he was asking. When Fanucci accepted the lesser amount, Vito knew that he was a paper tiger.

I think if you tried real hard, you might be able to get the background music a little louder. I know it would be a challenge but I believe you could do it.

When he saw that Fanucci didn't exact retribution from the punks who slashed his throat -- he killed one but allowed himself to be bought off by the families of the other two. No true mafiosi would have allowed himself to be bought off in this manner -- he would have killed the other two as well. It's all in the book.

Hey, turn up the music I can almost hear the dialogue

Fanucci fucc'ed up when he said he was going to send the police to shut down their rackets. No mobster would do that.

Dang, I've seen this movie countless times and never thought about Fanucci not being a real mobster. Now it all adds up. I'll never see it the same way. Awesome video and thank you for this.

because he saw 2 teenagers jump Fanucci and slit his throat behind Abandando's grocery store. (deleted scene) He also knew guys like Joe the Greek from 2nd avenue that told Fanucci to Eff himself and paid 0 tribute. Tessio and Clemenza spaghetti scene. Fanucci was always alone too. never had any crew with him.

He knew when he negotiated with him when he said he didn't have all the money. That's a clear sign of weakness in the streets.

I love that Don Vito's story...even on the other side of the world...is about legacy and what his bloodline is made of. The type of people they were. His father didn't pay tribute. Lost his life for the stance. His brother vowed revenge for the murder of their father and lost his life. His mother died saving him. No way the Don disgraces his blood by paying up to some charlatan. Even if Fanucci was actually powerful, I dont think Vito pays a dime. He honors his family by taking the stand no one else will

A Don wouldn't be living in a stinking walk up apt. He'd have his own separate dwelling and a bodyguard.

When you've been discovered to be a paper tiger, you get taken out even more critically..

You didn’t pay attention because you left out the biggest clue. Vito found out that there were people in the neighborhood who didn’t have to pay Fenucci anything.

Vito saw Fanucci get attacked by some young punks, getting his throat slashed.

7 minutes of loud italian music with some mild background talking . 7/10 stars.

when he made the verbal threat of going to the police

When Fanucci call the cops in the alley Vito knew Fanucci was a fraud

Music is too loud. 😂

a deleted scene is not the act of a friend just charge a bit more, after all we're not communists

make the music louder I can’t rly hear it

My Dad remembered a guy who used to walk around the Drive in Vancouver in the early 70's who dressed similarly to Fannucci. He put on a show, but never openly said he was connected. Then one day he got beat to hell (his friend was hospitalized) and disappeared back to Calabria for a few years. When he came back, the act was dropped and he would never say who beat him and why he left so quickly back to Italy. Rumours circulated, of course.

I always thought about how Vito could make his bones with no retaliation. What you pose makes sense and answers some questions. Well done.

One thing that puzzles me is that he apparently name dropped a real mafia boss.. I mean, it looks like he was extorting a lot of places. You would think one of this mafia boss's soldiers would have eventually tried to extort businesses in the same area of new York and found out an imposter was extorting businesses in his bosses name? I guess vito figured it out before that happened?

The book Explains it.

Wouldnt the real mafia have killed him for pretending to be a mobster?

Well done. Enjoyed this. Godfather's brilliance just grows the older it gets

Legend has it that one of the punks who cut Fannuci was a young Barzini.

The white suit problem: The suit thing is a bit off. Here is why: The suit is white. That means he is different from all the rest because white (at that time) could not stay white. It would easily get dirty because streets were muddy and people used coal. Coal makes everything filthy. Nothing stays white. A working man could not have a white suit. It is not practical. The famous first white wedding dress was worn by British Queen. Nobody wore white at that time because it would get dirty very fast. It was also a one use dress.

Can the music get any louder

Fannucci was a con artist and Vito seen it and recognized it a mile away

When Vito was shot there weren't any men around to help him either. Another interesting detail: Vito took 200 dollars from Clemenza and Tessio, but he paid Fanucci 150. That means he robbed his friends.

He was taking money from his own people and yet provided nothing in return but threats. A true godfather actually does provide for "their" people. Just as in the opening scene of the godfather.

Don fanoik

The problem with this is that if Fanucci was simply a con man running a scheme then he would have been dead long ago. There's no way that the actual Mafia would not have heard about this. The Mafia would never permit someone like that to live. There's also the fact that Vito and his crew rise to power in the neighborhood immediately after killing Fanucci. Promotions within the Mafia often were predicated by killing a "boss". The Mafia likely respected Vito for his initiative and, seeing that he was a much better boss than Fanucci, permitted Vito to take his place.

I read the book. I know the answer. The deleted scene is in the book.

Fanucci's actor is a great one. The Italian Gastone Moschin (MOSKEE'N)

I did always wonder "where's his crew?" And "hell send the police? Why not his enforcers?" Just never clicked in me that he was a fake boss. Now it all makes sense.

In order to fully understand you need to read the book, NOT just watch the movie. Vito, though he broke bad late in life realized he could see the whole picture with just a few pieces of the puzzle. He also knew how to keep his head and not be easily shaken or lose his temper which is rare among Sicilian men. Also, in Sicilian culture, threats are considered a sign of weakness even if carried out, which was one red flag for Vito concerning Fanucci. BUT, the thing that clinched it was when Fanucci accepted the deal of less money. As soon as he did that he signed his own death certificate. Vito knew then beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was just a big fat bag of BS. If he truly was the badass he made himself out to be he would’ve killed Vito on the spot as an example to his friends and made them pay him even more than his original ask, probably along with a good workover to boot 🤷🏻‍♀️

The real reason Vito knew Fanucci had no real power is that the neighborhood hated him. Vito knew a real boss is respected and admired in his community, that's what gives him his power, and that's what Vito became.

Interesting analysis. Question - if he was a fraud, wouldn't other established mobsters move in and take over Fanucci's hustle?

0:13 Pastassin's Creed

2:06 The first introduction to the world of crime in the US. The first was when Vito's father and brother were murdered in Siclaly.

6:19 i have been to de book store.

Sonny followed Vito across the rooftop and saw his dad kill fanucci

The answer to this is based on a deleted scene. Vito witnessed a few young punks beat up and knifed Fannuci, and Vito knew he never retaliated against them.

Your analysis is impeccable.

I don't buy this at all. Fanucci was not a BIG boss for sure, but he wasn't a total fake either. If Fanucci had been a total fake, there was no need to kill him at all. He was a nuisance in neighborhood normal people dare not fight against, and he MUST have earned his reputation somehow. I think the last straw that triggered Vito's flame of revenge was the moment that Fanucci slapped Vito's face after taking his money. That reminded Vito of all the evils that humiliated and suppressed his family. That moment killed the Vito who believed US was a place he could live his life as a law-abiding and hard-working husband and father.

Please can you make the music any louder, I can almost hear the narration?

So basically Tuco versus Gus in terms of gangster leadership effectiveness

Music too loud can’t hear the narrator

the thing that annoys me is how stupid fannuci is he's been doing this for a long time, why did he not start hiring his own crew? like imma put myself in his shoes, i'm making myself a name for being a wiseguy instead of pissing off everyone the more logical thing is to make friends to be on your side idk if it was Fannuci being dumb or greedy, or even both. but he could've actually ran a local mob and become an actual Don rather than being a fake Don

This is awesome and yes it makes complete sense. After all these years thank you for pointing this out!

I love getting into the lore of the Godfather and Godfather 2. (The 3rd doesn't exist) I'd love to get the history of the major players in Sicily in a video.

Read the book - its in the book.

That explains the huge scar Fanucci had on his neck!. I assumed it was to show Fanucci was a gangland attack survivor!!.

Extreamly astute and excellent points!! We have to remember how Vito Andolinni (Corleone) came to the U. S. Vito was an 8 year old child running for his life after his entire family was brutally murdered by a true, cold blooded, Sicilian gangster. Because Vito was raised in Italy surrounded by true mafia gangsters, he knew early on that Facucchi was a fraud based on his behavior and demeanor that actual mob bosses would never do....like involve police and telling the boss you're going to pay him less. Vito knew that interacting with the real mafia with that disrespect was an instant death sentence.

music is too loud and covers up the narrative. Error around 3:45 to 4:!0; Vito kills Fanucci at the beginning of his rise to power; Vito returns to Sicily to kill Don Ciccio in revenge much later in his career

It was a deleted scene. Teens kick his ass and he runs yelling for help after they cut him. There was no reprisal.

I have a important question for everyone... Did Jimmy two times ever get the papers get the papers???

Enzo The Baker told him.

After all your analysis I could see Fanucci, was just a con man, there never was any muscle to back him or guard over him as was the case in all the other dons in the God Father. real men of power in the mafia were smarter and did not act alone or recklessly.

All I know is that now I´ll have to watch the whole saga again. For the millionth time.

Did they ever explain why they deleted the scene of Fanucci getting cut by the kids?? That;s reallyt interesting

I zoned out about two minutes in and have no idea what you're even talking about anymore.

Because it was written in the script.........Ya f***in mook !

Donald Trump reminds me of Don Fanucci.

Honestly this Music completely destroyed the vid. next time tune it down....

Robert Deniro ruined his legacy with his political views.

I enjoyed your video overall. As others have mentioned, I'd love to hear the background music mixed at a let volume in your future vids. Cheers! 👍🏼

Opinions on a movie LOL :) I think it was in the SCRIPT that's all!

Still can't believe Tessio betrayed the family 😢

He was definitely a con artist after seeing this. You make some very good points.

You are trying to make a point as if it was a real story, not a movie😂😂😂😂😂

Vito's father stood up to the local mafia don in Sicily. As a direct result, his entire family was murdered and Vito himself had to flee to America to escape Ciccio's wrath. That all happened because his father didn't pay up like he was supposed to. So, I'm convinced Vito knew Fanucci was a fraud from the jump. A real boss wouldn't do his own collecting, overlook Genco's insult, let a violent street attack go unavenged or threaten to call the police on Vito. All of those things either wouldn't have happened in the first place or else they would've been turned over to an enforcer if they did (somehow) happen. Vito had Fanucci's number from the beginning, I think.

Music is too loud, voice too quiet. Feels like im trying to listening to someone while an orchestra is playing

Deleted scenes can't be considered canon as they were deleted for a reason and aren't part of Vito's story. Fanuci has the scar in the book, but he got it long before Vito came along, and Coppola knew the scene wasn't true to the story, so he cut it. You _can_ go to the cops when _they_ work for _you_ , very common still to this day. Fanuci was using the threat of bureaucracy - and how he controls it - against a 'poor immigrant'. Vito didn't see the inside of Fanuci's apartment until he was shot. That leaves the low balling as the only real reason, other than the same clothes thing every day and no guards which I think was the only real reason, and that's all Vito needed. I see your point, I agree Vito thought he was lowly, but I don't agree with your proofs. Production note: My friend, pick _one_ 'old timey cinema' filter and commit to it. I think I saw a few 'snow' filters mixed in before you removed it half-way through.

So... basically he shot a rando in a suit. That's all I got from this part of the movie. But appearance matters, soft power is just as powerful as hard power when used right.

Did the narrator turn into Tu PAC near the end all of a sudden ?

Good vid, and I like the fact that you picked up on the fact that he threatened to call the cops on him, when a normal boss would have sent a couple of buttons to beat the money out of him...but man, turn the music down, easier to hear

It’s a fake movie that’s why

Great video. Really enjoyed the music. Don't get why you decided to put some kind of whisper noise behind it, but I don't complain.

Sounds like the Donald?

More like Don Fanooki, amirite?

That's easy. He read the script!

I do not believe your theory at all. If he was a fraud just using the name of the black hand, their people would’ve got wind it and he would’ve been dealt with by them.

They covered this in the book

Fanucci extorted Italians. That upset Vito. 😊

That gunshot in the mouth. Don't recall seeing it before. Deleted scene?

the endless music sux

So Don Fannucci was a faker and not a bigshot... it looks like he didn't even have a car, which would be odd for a big boss.

Just a bit of advice, tone down the music. Made it very difficult to hear your dialog. Otherwise, excellent video.

Vito knew he was a fraud when Fanucci said, “ I told them I wanted a cut of the action, and those punks took it literally hehe.”

Music is way too loud

I always wondered why nobody tried to get revenge.

Fanucci stole from people. Don Vito was respected. Helped people. Big difference.

Cliff Notes used to be the way that students crammed for final exams in the pre- smartphone era. I think English as a Second Language schools like seeing these type of videos. It’s not about knowing the movie- it’s whether they have creators making videos on subjects like this… so they know that students are ENROLLING in the ESL classes.

This was great! The music is a really good match for the scenes. One small issue though, in a couple of places I thought I could hear someone talking faintly behind the music.