This guy is a sneaky bastard! On screen he acts like a kind dying old man, but off screen (Like Barzini) he causes some serious problems to the Corleone family. The worse part is he's an allie to the family and knows all about them which he will hold against them. He's also hard to kill because of the power and security he has. Still not convinced why I put him as my 10th favorite villain? Well let’s talk about him.
BACKSTORY
Hyman Roths backstory takes place when Vito rises to power. In a deleted scene to the second film, we see a young Hyman Roth (Played by John Megna who is best known as the kid who played Dill in "To Kill A Mockingbird") for the first time meet Vito.
(John Megna is on the left next to a young Pete Clemenza)
Hyman Roth’s real name is Hyman Suchowsky and works as a car mechanic in Hells Kitchen. Clemenza sees Hyman as good use for the family but changes his name to Johnny Lips. When Hyman meets Vito, Vito thinks he can give him a better name. He asks Hyman who his favorite person in the whole world is and Hyman's answer is Arnold Rothstein (The famous Jewish Mobster). Vito decides to call him Hyman Rothstein (Roth for short). Vito brings him into the family but doesn't trust him nor does his men (Except for Clemenza). As time went by, Hyman worked his way from being a car mechanic to one of Vito's top men. The two of them worked together during Prohibition and ran molasses out of Cuba. Hyman Roth not only worked for the Corleones but also worked for many powerful men as well. In the scene when they're putting up the sigh for there cover up business "Genco Olive Oil", you can see a young Hyman Roth watching them put up the sign.
THE PRESENT (1958)
Hyman Roth is now an old man dying of old age living in Miami with his loyal wife, but still has a lot of powerful friends and allies including the Corleones (Now runned by Michael) who back him up and give him all the muscle and power he needs. He now plans to divide up the corrupt country of Cuba and turn it into a Mobsters paradise (Like Las Vegas) while also helping the government with their power. That all changes when Castro and his rebels take over Cuba during the revolution; Roth also plans to destroy the Corleone Family as revenge for killing a business partner and a friend.
Hyman Roth has many people on his side but lets talk about the important ones.
ALLIES
MOE GREENE
It appears that Hyman Roth was very close to the king and creator of Las Vegas Moe Greene. The two of them not only worked together, but were very close friends. Years later, Moe refuses a deal from Michael and as a result gets a bullet through his eye while being messaged. After hearing about Moe Greenes death, Hyman knew it was Michael who had him killed and as a result swore revenge on the Corleone family.
Trivia: Moe Greene is based on real life gangster Bugsy Siegle, who controlled Las Vegas in the 50s.
THE ROSATO BROTHERS
CARMINE ROSATO
ANTHONY ROSATO
These two have been attacking on Corleone Capo Frankie Pentangeli's territory and Michael won't help Frankie because Hyman Roth backs them up. Their business is mostly just senseless violence, drugs, and prostitution, as they "Leave the gambling for last". During a truce meeting with Pentangeli, Carmine gives Frankie a lucky "C note". Frankie looks at the "C note" taking it as an insult. Anthony appears out of the shadows strangling Frankie with a Garrote Wire telling him "Michael Corleone says Hello". A cop interrupts the killing and as result leads to a cool shoot out. The hit was not planed by Michael; it was actually planed by Roth. Roth uses the Rosato Brothers to try to kill Frankie and have the Corleones give them complete control over Frankie's territory. However, if Pentangeli some how survives, Roth could use him against Michael. The Rostao Brother's are now on the run after the incident and Roth is no longer going to be around to back them up.
Trivia: The Rosato Brothers are actually based on the "Gallo Brothers" and the hit on Pentangeli is actually based on an actual hit when Larry Gallo was nearly strangled to death by them during a sit down. The "C Note" is also a quote from actual the meeting.
JOHNNY OLA
Johnny Ola is Hyman Roths right hand man and a Sicilian message boy. He accompanies Roth in meetings and as a bodyguard. He and Roth were the mastermind to the failed hit on Michael Corleone and also helped set up the failed hit on Frankie Pentangeli. Johnny Ola also tricked a member of the Corleone family into helping them get to Michael. Johnny Ola dies by being strangled to death by Michael’s bodyguard with a coat hanger.
Trivia: The actor who plays Johnny Ola is Dominic Chianese, who will later play Uncle Junior on the hit gangster TV show the Sopranos.
He is also based on the mobster Vincent Alo who was the right hand man that Hyman Roth was based on.
Hyman Roth did get two people from the Corleone Family to help him, but instead of betraying the family for a desire, they were actually mislead.
THE MISLEAD TRAITORS
FRANKIE PENTANGELI AKA FRANKIE FIVE ANGELS
Frankie Pentangeli (Who originally was going to be Peter Clemenza), served for the Corleones for many years until he was granted his own family before the events of the first film; he remained loyal to the Corleones for many years and knew that Roth was trouble. One day during the truce meeting with the Rosato Brothers, he nearly gets killed but was left alive during an interference with the cops. Frankie was told by the brothers that Michael ordered the hit and as a result went to the FBI agents as a witness to put Michael in Jail and receive protection. However, Michael sends Frankie’s brother (Who is a traditional Mob boss in Sicily) to watch Pentangeli rat on the family. Pentangeli couldn't break the code of silence in front of his brother and as a result, Michael is free to go. Tom Hagan visits him while he is still under protection and tells him if he kills himself, his family will be taken care of for all eternity. Frankie slits his wrists with a razor while taking a bath and the Corleones now take care of his family.
FREDO CORLEONE
Fredo is the dumb son in the Corleone family. He can't fire a gun; he's very small minded; and accidentally takes sides against the family. Fredo meets Johnny Ola in Beverly Hills and Johnny tricks him into helping them try to kill Michael. After finding out that it was a hit, he kills the men who tried to kill Michael so they won't talk and tries to pretend that he didn't know Johnny Ola or Hyman Roth. One night in Cuba as they go to a sex club, a drunken Fredo accidentally spills the beans in front of Michael and Michael gives him the kiss of death at the New Years Eve party. During a sit down with Michael, Fredo reveals that he knew about the trial and that he was jealous of Mike being in control. And due to withholding information and Fredo's act betrayal and jealously, Michael banishes him. After the death of their mother, Michael accepts him back to keep his guard down and has him killed at sea while he and Al Neri (Corleone's right hand man) go fishing.
One of the many reasons why I like Hyman Roth is villain is because he's hard to kill. The first attempt was in Cuba while he was in a hospital bed. Michael sends his bodyguard to kill him, but before he can kill him he gets shot down by Cuban soldiers. Hyman Roth plans to go to Israeli to live there as a retired Jew but the Country won't take him in. As he is being sent back to America to be taken away by the police, Rocco (The guy who killed Paulie) disguises himself as a reporter and kills him during an interview but as he tries to get away, he gets killed by the police officers that were waiting for Roth.
Trivia; Hyman Roth is not only a great Villain but he was also based off of Jewish Mobster Meyer Lansky, who loved Lee Strasberg's performance. Lee Strasberg was also nominated for the Oscar for best supporting actor (Along with Michael V Gazzo who played Frankie Pentangeli) but lost it to Robert Deniro who played young Vito in the film.
"You're Father Father Did Business with Hyman Roth, You're Father Respected Hyman Roth, But You're Father Never Trusted Hyman Roth"
-Frankie Pentageli
Barzini and Roth may not be on screen that much or do anything on screen, but that's because they're the puppet masters, who give the Corleones trouble as they watch it play out.
The best movie and sequel ever!!!
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