Would you like me better if I were Ingrid Bergman?
They have passed a little enclosed newsstand. KAY sees something that terrifies her. She doesn't know what to do.
MICHAEL still walks, thinking about her question.
KAY:
(a little voice) Michael?
MICHAEL:
I'm thinking about it.
KAY:
Michael...
MICHAEL:
No, I would not like you better if you were Ingrid Bergman.
She cannot answer him. Rather she pulls him by the arm, back to the newsstand, and points. His face goes grave.
The headlines read:
"VITO CORLEONE SHOT, CHIEFTAN GUNNED DOWN."
MICHAEL is petrified; quickly he takes each edition, drops a dollar in the tray, and hungrily reads through them. KAY knows to remain silent.
MICHAEL:
(desperately) They don't say if he's dead or alive.
EXT DUSK:
OLIVE OIL CO. (WINTER 1945) DON CORLEONE by the fruit stand; he is about to move to the car, when TWO MEN step from the corner. Suddenly, the DON drops the bag of fruit and darts with startling quickness toward the parked car.
DON CORLEONE:
Fredo, Fredo!
The paper bag has hit the ground, and the fruit begins rolling along the sidewalk, as we HEAR gunshots.
Five bullets catch the DON in the back; he arches in pain, and continues toward the car.
The PROPRIETOR of the fruit stand rushes for cover, knocking over an entire case of fruit.
The TWO GUNMEN move in quickly, anxious to finish him off.
Their feet careful to avoid the rolling fruit. There are more GUNSHOTS.
FREDDIE is hysterical; he tries to get out of the car; having difficulty opening the door. He rushes out, a gun trembling in his hand; his mouth open. He actually drops the gun.
The gun falls amid the rolling fruit.
The GUNMEN are panicked. They fire once more at the downed DON CORLEONE. His leg and arm twitch where they are hit; and pools of blood are beginning to form.
The GUNMEN are obviously in a state of panic and confusion; they disappear around the corner as quickly as they came.
The PEOPLE about the avenue have all but disappeared: rather, we catch glimpses of them, poking their heads safely from around corners, inside doorways and arches, and from windows. But the street itself is now empty.
FREDDIE is in shock; he looks at his FATHER; now great puddles of blood have formed, and the DON is lifeless and face down in them.
FREDDIE falls back on to the curb and sits there, saying something we cannot understand. He begins to weep profusely.