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In The Godfather, at the negotiation dinner that Sollozzo has with Michael, when Michael says he has to go to the restroom, Sollozzo does not let him go till he frisks Michael once again, despite the facts that he has had Michael frisked early on the way to the restaurant, and that Michael has since been in sight.

And what's even more illogical is, after Michael has "finished" and comes back from the restroom, Sollozzo lets him return directly to the table without frisking him!

In my opinion, it is stupid rather than suspicious of Sollozzo to frisk Mike before Mike goes to the restroom when Sollozzo's bodyguard has already made sure Mike is clean; and it is even more stupid and also too careless for an old schooler gangster like him not to frisk Mike after Mike returns from the restroom when Sollozzo cannot see what has happened in that room.

What could be an explanation, if any, for this illogical-looking plot?

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  • if i recall, the restaurant they were at was in a place "friendly" to Sollozzo, that is, it wasn't a place where he thought Michael and the others would manage to smuggle a gun in. Both the cop and Sollozzo did frisk him yes, but Sollozzo was more cautious about it, suspecting something. the man did try to have Michael's father killed.
    – Nicholas Aysen
    Aug 11, 2016 at 6:46
  • @NicholasAysen if the restaurant is really a place Sollozzo trusts, why does he still "suspect something" and frisk Mike when there's literally no need to? That's not just what "cautious" or "suspicious" could explain, I think.
    – Vim
    Aug 11, 2016 at 8:41
  • it is curious. although, having someone who's father you tried to kill request a meeting with you and the guy that broke his jaw, does seem suspect. it would mean that you want some measure of revenge, even if it is personal or business.
    – Nicholas Aysen
    Aug 11, 2016 at 10:01

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Sollozzo wasn't the one to frisk Michael initially, McCluskey was, so Sollozzo was just making doubly sure that Michael wasn't carrying a gun. He's made suspicious by Michael's request to use the restroom. If Michael is carrying a gun in his crotch, he'd probably go to the restroom to get it out, instead of reaching down there out in the open at the table. Sollozzo does a quick frisk to make sure McCluskey didn't miss anything.

The reason nobody frisks Michael again when he comes back from the restroom is that they have good reason to believe the restroom is clean. It's not entirely clear if you only watch the restaurant scene, but remember that Michael isn't even supposed to know where the meeting is taking place before it actually happens. The Corleone family got that information from a paid informant only shortly before the meeting took place, with barely enough time to plant the gun. Since Michael was frisked on his way in, and the restroom is assumed to be clean, there was no reason to frisk him again on his way out.

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    Also when Michael returns from the bathroom frisking him the second time would feel silly on Sollozzo's part and a sign of weakness.
    – Vinay
    Dec 17, 2016 at 5:44
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    Just to add to this: Michael wasn't meant to sit back down - he was supposed to get the gun and immediately shoot both Sollozzo and McCluskey. This is what you generally would expect to happen in an assassination - waiting to frisk someone when they come back would not be much of a safeguard. If Sollozzo and McCluskey wanted to guarantee no sneaky hidden gun activity, they'd have had to follow him into the stall! Seeing that Sollozzo arguably had already arguably stepped over the line in a negotiation setting by frisking Michael a second time...
    – Stumbler
    Mar 5, 2017 at 14:05

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