great movie, weak plot

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2008)

This is one of my favorite movies. However, the last time I saw it, I was disappointed to spot a serious flaw in the plot that I never realized before. It seems that not many people have. The movie is still so great, that this blunder is forgivable. But, at least for me, it will never be the same again. If you read any further, you may be as disappointed as I was.
When Michael decides to try and kill Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey, he assumes that the three will be alone in a restaurant without further protection from the Sollozzo family, so Michael will be able to walk away after shooting them down. This assumption is completely unfounded; for all the Corleones know, the place could have been packed with Sollozzo men. The whole plan revolves around the idea that they will be able to find out the place of the meeting in advance, which was to be unilaterally chosen by the enemy. Well, in the event, the Corleones do find the name of the restaurant. They still assume their victims will have no protection, and now they know where the three will be. What could be easier than sending a couple of men there to do the deed, instead of planting the gun for the inexperienced Michael, which is patently a riskier approach? No group of thugs would have overlooked this. In the movie, the option is not even mentioned.