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In "The Godfather", Sonny beats up Carlo for hitting Connie and is then killed later on. But the next scene involving Connie and Carlo is the baptism.

How do Connie and Carlo miraculously end up back together? Why aren't they separated by now seeing what Carlo did to Connie and the fact that there's even a chance for Carlo to be involved in Sonny's death?

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  • I do know that while divorce today is commonplace, 50 years ago (when I was growing up) it was somewhat exotic and 80 years ago (the time of the Godfather) it was probably much more rare, especially among Catholics. And physical abuse of one's wife and kids was shocking by today's standards so no one would have thought Connie should leave Carlo over it. I will admit their relationship is puzzling to modern eyes and the special case of Sonny being ambushed quite obviously because of Carlo is hard to understand as something Carlo himself would not have been worried about.
    – releseabe
    Jan 23, 2022 at 5:03

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Well, it's not the first time Carlo has beaten Connie up, and she didn't leave him then. There would have been strong family and cultural pressures not to leave, especially as she was pregnant.

Michael would have worked out very quickly that Carlo's attack on Connie must have been part of the set-up to kill Sonny. How else could Sonny be ambushed on a journey he hadn't intended to make? Michael could have had Carlo killed at once, but it was useful to leave him alone and to allow whoever was using him to believe that they had outwitted Michael and weakened his position.

On the day of the christening (and Michael's massacre of his enemies), Michael tells Carlo that he knows he set Sonny up, but wants to know who exactly it was who was behind it. He has already told Carlo that he has settled all family accounts that day, but all he now needs from him is that one name, which confirms his suspicion. At that moment, Carlo's usefulness is over.

Connie later confronts Michael, accusing him of killing Carlo, and says that Michael always thought Carlo was involved in Sonny's murder, but it wasn't true. So she does know about the suspicion - she just never believed It.

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    +1. The movie, on a whole, is an epic cinematic event. But reading answers like this, you really get a sense of just what a chess match the whole affair is. It gives you a new appreciation for how great this movie really is.
    – Johnny Bones
    Aug 2, 2014 at 18:31

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