Lifeboat #1: The Corleone Family

[Scutter01]

How about a new game instead of the usual Scutter01's Inquisition? This is called Lifeboat.

The rules: The four people in the poll are on a sinking ship. There is only one lifeboat, and sadly, there is only enough room for three people. One of them is going to drown. You have to decide who.

Difficulty: No loopholes. If you're looking for a loophole, then you're missing the point of the game.


In this scenario, we're looking at the Corleones, not the actors who played them.

• You've got Vito, the family patriarch. The founder of the most powerful of the five families.
• Michael, the focus of the film, and the Godfather, who entered as a simple army sniper.
• Sonny, the hotheaded brother who was a good son, but a terrible Don.
• Tom Hagen, the consiglieri.

I chose Tom over Fredo for this lifeboat because let's face it, Fredo's already sleeping with the fishes.


This is a really really tough decision. It's easy to say "Tom", because he's not a Corleone, but he is more loyal to the family and cares more about it than many Corleones. Vito gets a pass because he built the family business from nothing. Michael is a cold-blooded, calculating, ruthless S.O.B. and the perfect Godfather. I gotta go with Sonny. Without Sonny's passion standing as a stark contrast to Michael's coldness, I think you lose a little something, but Sonny also can't keep his mouth shut and that gum-flapping almost got his brother killed. Plus, he couldn't see his own hit coming. Sorry, Sonny, but there's no room for you on this lifeboat.

 

[SmileDocHill]

They would all be torn between Tom (because he isn't family) and Sonny because he is unofficially known by them all to be the bottom of the pecking order. The dynamic, however, would play out by Michael volunteering to "take one for the team" and go overboard making up an excuse of him being the youngest. That would let the seriousness of the situation take hold of Sony and Tom and give them the ability to make the decision based on what is best for the family rather than "how do I save myself". They would not allow Michael to do it since he was the Don's favorite son. Tom had much greater character and would present a better argument for why he should be the one, Sonny would be satisfied with looking like he "tried" to volunteer to be the one but would be OK with letting Tom "win".
Tom would end up going over.

That is how I'd write it. Full of respect for the family.

 

[Scutter01]

They would all be torn between Tom (because he isn't family) and Sonny because he is unofficially known by them all to be the bottom of the pecking order. The dynamic, however, would play out by Michael volunteering to "take one for the team" and go overboard making up an excuse of him being the youngest. That would let the seriousness of the situation take hold of Sony and Tom and give them the ability to make the decision based on what is best for the family rather than "how do I save myself". They would not allow Michael to do it since he was the Don's favorite son. Tom had much greater character and would present a better argument for why he should be the one, Sonny would be satisfied with looking like he "tried" to volunteer to be the one but would be OK with letting Tom "win".
Tom would end up going over.

That is how I'd write it. Full of respect for the family.

Michael would never go over willingly. After the incident in the restaurant, he changed completely into a cold and ruthless Don. It would not happen. As for Tom, Michael himself said that Tom was his brother. No member of the Family would ever think that Tom wasn't as much a family member as any Corleone.

 

[SmileDocHill]

Michael would never go over willingly. After the incident in the restaurant, he changed completely into a cold and ruthless Don. It would not happen. As for Tom, Michael himself said that Tom was his brother. No member of the Family would ever think that Tom wasn't as much a family member as any Corleone.

Good points! I think this could be discussed with different outcomes and dynamics at different points in time withing the series.

 

[CLR]

Tom would go willingly. He is very loyal and blood is thicker than water. He would take the honorable route.

 

[jkfletcher]

I say Sonny goes. Sonny is the hothead. Hotheads get mad and go off of emotion without thinking about what they're doing. He'd be the most likely to do something stupid in the heat of the moment that could take down everything the rest had worked to build.

 

[Shadow]

Pffffffff this is easy -- all of them over board --their in the italian mafia - its a irish mafia life boat

 

[Scutter01]

Good points! I think this could be discussed with different outcomes and dynamics at different points in time withing the series.

It's not meant to be easy.

Pffffffff this is easy -- all of them over board --their in the italian mafia - its a irish mafia life boat

No loopholes!

 

[Shadow]

No loopholes!

OH !! Dang ittttttttttttttttttt !!!

 

[Rhoadmar]

If it was my decision Sonny. He's to unstable to be considered a long term asset.

 

[lovemachine]

I have to agree with the OP's scenario.

But. Vito did have deep love for all his kids, and even thought Tom as a son.

I can see him sacrificing himself for all of them.

 

[miguel]

Vaffanculo, Tom!

He is not a wartime consiglieri!

 

[Bill B]

Is this before or after Vito was shot?
Not looking for a loophole, but it is imortant.
If it is before he was shot, I think Sonny goes in the drink as Vito has high amibitions for Michael and is still firmly in control of the family. While he loves Sonny, he knows that Sonny is not ready to lead the family. Tom, while not blood, is a son as well and not only a trusted advisor, but the legitimate legal front for the family, no way he goes.
It it is after Vito was shot, Vito sacrifices himself for the family after making the boys promise to go fully legitimate, which is why he wanted Michael to be a Senator, to take the family legit.

 

[Scutter01]

Is this before or after Vito was shot?

You don't have to fit this lifeboat scene into the films somewhere. You just have to decide who goes in the water.

 

[Bill B]

You don't have to fit this lifeboat scene into the films somewhere. You just have to decide who goes in the water.

Ok, Sonny's toast...see above

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

sonny, easy choice. he is high in the organization because of his name alone. the rest have brains to back it up.