The Godfather Part II: Seeing is Believing
The Godfather: Part II is a film which, in my opinion, offers great cinematic value to viewers by providing specific visual cues which remind the viewer of the original film, as Berliner writes, while at the same time differing starkly from the first in subject matter and tone. One scene in the film which has remained imprinted in my memory since I first saw it, while at the same time being one that I have never fully understood, is that in which Michael finally realizes that his brother Fredo betrayed him to Hyman Roth during New Years in Havana.
The scene starts with a camera dolly following Michael, Fredo, and their guests including Senator Geary as they descend into a nightclub in Havana. This movement, the set design of the hazy club, as well as the puzzling show that will unfold all contribute to creating a sense of darkness, mystery, and unease that permeate the scene.
The show that they are spectating can only be described as some sort of underground sex performance. A helpless women in a white dress is dragged out from behind the curtains by two women in black robes, and tied to a large pole in the middle of the stage as a group of musicians plays music. A tall man in a red robe is led out from behind the curtains, to which Fredo responds “That’s him; that’s Superman.” Superman was a real performer in pre-revolution Cuba, who starred in live sex shows at a club called Teatro Shanghai in the Chinatown neighborhood of Havana. As Superman prepares to drop his robe, the camera cuts to Fredo with a look of sheer anticipation, and then to Michael, who remains stone faced and distracted. Throughout this scene, and much like the entire Cuba sequence, Fredo is lighthearted and cheerful while Michael hardly ever cracks a smile, studying his brother from afar. The entire Cuba sequence up until this point has been defined by this observer relationship, and it will come to a head here. The nightclub is the space of the underworld, and of betrayal. In contrast to the ties that bind the helpless women to the pole in front of superman, this is the space where family ties will be broken.
When Superman drops his robe, the crowd cheers, and the dialogue plays out as follows:
Fredo: What did I tell ya?
Senator Geary: I don’t believe it, things gotta be a fake
Fredo: That ain’t no fake its real, thats why they call him Superman
Senator Geary: Hey Fredo, where did you find this place?
Fredo: Johnny Ola told me about this place, he brought me here. I didn’t believe it, but seeing is believing, huh?
Of course, it is at this moment that Michael realizes it was Fredo who betrayed him to Hyman Roth, as in the previous scene Fredo pretended to have just met Johnny. However, there is much more going on in this exchange than simply calling back to Fredo’s response to Johnny in the previous scene. When Fredo tells Senator Geary “seeing is believing,” he is talking about the nature of this film itself. When I first saw this film, I had a similar response to many of the critics that Berliner quoted in his essay: the plot was too confusing! With even more side characters than the first, complicated political tension, and many shifting locations, the actual plot of the film itself can be very hard to follow on a first viewing. However, this scene remained for me as one of the most memorable and powerful across both films, and I believe that is due to the very idea of “seeing is believing.” Everything that unfolds visually on screen informs the viewer of what they need to know, even if some of the plot itself may be going over their heads.
Firstly, in costume design, Fredo is immediately framed as separate from Michael, sporting a flashy white suit and hat the same style as that of the Senator’s, while Michael and his bodyguard Busetta remain in a black suit. Fredo and the Senator are cheerful, giving off the impression that they have nothing to worry about and are simply there to enjoy the show. In contrast, Michael is sinister, with his bodyguard hovering in the dark background behind him, implying that they must be vigilant of plans against the family which Fredo is not concerned with. Michael is observes Fredo from behind, studying his every move. Already, even before Fredo reveals his relationship to Johnny, it is clear that Fredo and Michael are not on the same page.
