What the Fredo Kiss Meant for ‘The Godfather’ Franchise?
It’s one of the most memorable scenes in movie history: Al Pacino, as Michael Corleone grabs his brother Fredo’s (the late, great John Cazale) face, gives him a long kiss on the lips and says, “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!” Fredo then stares at his brother, terrified, and runs away into the crowd. 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. Michael eventually has him killed, although certain events have to occur before Michael orders his death.
Today, this kiss has become so famous that it’s been used as a comedic tool in shows like Brooklyn 99 and New Girl, where it was called “The Fredo Kiss.” But, the significance of the kiss is what makes it famous; the unthinkable act of having a sibling killed for any reason seemed so shocking, particularly between two siblings who, before this incident, seemed to love each other dearly. After all, this was a series about a family, so the idea of familicide goes against the grain.
