Here’s how Vito Corleone survives the assassination attempt in The Godfather (1972):
How Vito Survives
-
Vito refuses a business proposition from narcotics trafficker Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo, who is backed by the Tattaglia family. Sollozzo wants Vito’s political connections to protect the drug deal.
-
After rejecting the offer, Vito is ambushed while buying oranges at a street market. He’s shot five times. His bodyguard, Paulie Gatto, who should have been there, is conspicuously absent (officially “sick”), and Vito’s son Fredo—meant to be part of his protection—drops his gun and cannot stop the hitmen.
-
Severely wounded, Vito is taken to a hospital. A second attempt is made on his life there: Sollozzo uses corrupt police Captain Mark McCluskey to remove Vito’s guards, leaving him vulnerable in the hospital.
-
Michael Corleone intervenes. He discovers the guards have been removed, moves Vito to another ward, and—with help from Enzo the baker and hospital staff—stalls or scares off the would-be assassins. Michael is physically beaten by McCluskey but successfully protects his father.
-
After these dangerous moments, Vito begins to recover and while still weak takes no part in the violent revenge but orders his family to handle the fallout.
If you want, I can pull up how these events differ in the novel (trusting related context), or how they’re dramatized in key scenes.
Sources
Provider metadata
Tap to read source excerpt