Paulie Gatto Character Analysis in The Godfather

Gatto is Peter Clemenza’s handpicked protégé and Don Vito Corleone’s bodyguard. Paulie works for Clemenza as a “button man,” a soldier who executes an order (usually murder) after the caporegime “presses the button” (gives the order). Paulie at first proves loyal to Clemenza, so much so that Clemenza passes over other men with more experience than Gatto in order to move the latter up the Corleone Family ranks. Paulie dutifully “makes his bones” by committing a first murder for the Family, and in exchange, Clemenza gives Paulie a percentage of the Family’s bookmaking income and a fake union payroll slot. Despite the trust Clemenza places in him, however, Paulie betrays the Corleones by taking secret payments from Sollozzo and calling in sick during bodyguard duties, leaving only the feeble Fredo to protect Don Corleone. Paulie’s betrayal leads directly to the near assassination of the Don. When Sonny discovers that Gatto has turned traitor, he orders his death. Clemenza and his new button man, Rocco Lampone, drive Paulie to a deserted road and shoot him in the head.

Paulie Gatto Character Timeline in The Godfather

The timeline below shows where the character Paulie Gatto appears in The Godfather. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...into “a royal family,” he dreams of a life of impending luxury. In the crowd, Paulie Gatto, a soldier in the Corleone Family, also eyes the wedding envelopes while his boss,... (full context)

...power, but he stays with the old Consigliere until he passes away. Later that evening, Gatto and Clemenza drive Kay back to her New York City hotel. The next day, Don... (full context)

Back in New York, Paulie Gatto and Pete Clemenza wait in their black car until Jerry Wagner and Kevin Moonan,... (full context)

...time to the afternoon before the Don is shot. That afternoon, the Don’s normal bodyguard, Paulie Gatto, calls in sick, and Don Corleone wonders why Paulie is sick for the third... (full context)

After some thinking, the men conclude that Paulie Gatto is the one who betrayed Don Corleone because he stands to gain the most... (full context)

...to avoid a destructive war. Sonny ponders Tom’s advice but emphatically orders Clemenza to kill Paulie Gatto. The men also wonder what has happened to Luca Brasi. (full context)

The next morning, Clemenza begins planning the murder of his protégé, Paulie. He had brought Paulie up studiously through the Mafia ranks until Paulie “made his bones”... (full context)

Clemenza decides that Paulie’s execution must be public: his body has to be found “so that embryo traitors would... (full context)

...to restore normalcy by planning a date, while the radio news announces the discovery of Paulie’s body in the car. Hagen and Sonny discuss the potential deal to make with the... (full context)