Quotes for
Michael Corleone (Character)
from The Godfather (1972)

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The Godfather: Part III (1990)

Vincent Mancini: [in the helicopter] I'd like to take Joey Zasa up in one of these and drop him.
Michael Corleone: Joey Zasa is nothing. He's a small-time enforcer. He bluffs, threats, but nothing. You can see him coming a mile away.
Vincent Mancini: We should kill him before he kills...
Michael Corleone: No! Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

B.J. Harrison: [about the pope; before the opera] The Pope's doing exactly what you said he'd do, he's cleaning house.
Michael Corleone: He should be careful. It's dangerous to be an honest man.

Michael Corleone: What's wrong with being a lawyer?
Kay Corleone: Nothing, except he doesn't want it. He loves music he wants his life to be in music.
Michael Corleone: Well, music is great. I love music but he should finish what he started. Anthony.
Anthony Vito Corleone: I'm going my own way.
Michael Corleone: Your own way.
Anthony Vito Corleone: Uh-huh.
Michael Corleone: Professional singer.
Anthony Vito Corleone: That's right.
Michael Corleone: And what happens if you fail.
Anthony Vito Corleone: I won't fail.
Michael Corleone: Men always believe that. With a law degree you're taking on insurance. After that you can do anything you want. You can work for me.
Anthony Vito Corleone: I will never work for you. I have bad memories.
Michael Corleone: All families have bad memories.
Anthony Vito Corleone: I will always be your son, but I will never have anything to do with your business.
Michael Corleone: Anthony, finish the law degree.
Anthony Vito Corleone: No.
Kay Corleone: That he got from you. That "no."
Michael Corleone: You could have helped me, Kay. You could have helped me to convince him.
Kay Corleone: Convince him of what?
Michael Corleone: He throws his life away. He throws greatness away!
Kay Corleone: This is greatness? You know, Michael, now that you're so respectable I think you're more dangerous than you ever were. In fact, I preferred you when you were just a common Mafia hood.
Michael Corleone: Alright, can we talk now? Common sense?
Kay Corleone: Alright. Tony knows you killed Fredo.
Michael Corleone: Why did you come here?
Kay Corleone: I came here to protect my son. I didn't come here to see you disguised by your church. I thought that was a shameful ceremony.

Michael Corleone: I spent my life protecting my son. I spent my life protecting my family!
Kay Corleone: Let's be reasonable here, Michael. I mean, that's your big thing, isn't it? Reason backed up by murder.
Michael Corleone: Oh, God, you hate me. You hate me.
Kay Corleone: No, I don't hate you, Michael. I dread you.
Michael Corleone: I did what I could, Kay, to protect all of you from the horrors of this world.
Kay Corleone: But you became my horror. The children still love you, though. Especially Mary.
Michael Corleone: Well, that's something. We can build on that. For their sake. Let's try.
Kay Corleone: Only if you let Tony go to live his own life. Away from you.
Michael Corleone: I'll let Tony go.
Kay Corleone: Thank you.

Michael Corleone: [after learning of Zasa's assassination] Don't ever give an order like that again. Not while I'm alive.
Vincent Mancini: Uncle Mike, it had to be done. You were too sick to make a decision. I got the go ahead from Neri and Connie.
Michael Corleone: Connie.
Vincent Mancini: It was the right thing to do.
Michael Corleone: It was not the right thing to do. I command this family, right or wrong. It was not what I wanted! Understand?
Vincent Mancini: Yes.
[Michael looks at Neri]
Al Neri: Yes.
[Michael looks at Connie for a long time]
Connie: Yes!
Michael Corleone: Vincent, help me to my bed. I want to talk to you alone.
Michael Corleone: [Vincent helps Michael into his bed] My brother, your father, he and I. Opposites. But I never doubted his love. He would do anything for me. But his temper. Clouded his judgement. I don't want to see the same thing happen to you.

Joey Zasa: The Miucci association and elected you their Italian American man of the year.
[hands Michael a plaque]
Michael Corleone: Oh, Miucci. Who's Miucci?
Joey Zasa: He's the Italian American who invented the telephone. He did it one year before Alexander Graham Bell.
Michael Corleone: Oh. And this is the reason you have come to my home on this day.
Joey Zasa: I have a stone in my shoe, Mr. Corleone. A two-bit punk who works for me. Who thinks he's related to you. A bastard.
Al Neri: He's here. Vincent Mancini. He's at the party.
Michael Corleone: Well, bring him in.
Joey Zasa: I think it's good that we talk. I have a problem. Now I have to find out if it is my problem or your problem.
Michael Corleone: Joey, your business is your business. I have no interest, no percentages. I'm out.
Joey Zasa: Good, then it is my problem.
Connie: [Connie and Vincent enter] Michael, you know Vincent Mancini. Sonny's boy.
Vincent Mancini: Hey, how you doin' Mr. Corleone.
Michael Corleone: How you doing.
Vincent Mancini: I'm doin' good. How you doin'?
Michael Corleone: Good.
Vincent Mancini: Nice party.
Michael Corleone: Oh, you like it?
Vincent Mancini: Yeah, I had to sneak in.
Michael Corleone: Well, you dressed for it. What's the trouble between you and Mr. Joe Zasa?
Vincent Mancini: Just trouble. I'll take care of it.
Michael Corleone: That's foolish of you.
Vincent Mancini: Foolish of me? It's a little foolish of this guy don't you think? Right? RIGHT!
Michael Corleone: Temper like his father. Vincent, Mr. Joe Zasa now owns what used to be the Corleone family business in New York. Out of the kindness of his heart he gave you a job with his family. Contrary to my advice you took the job. I offered you something better. Something in the legitimate world. You turned me down. Now you both come to me with this bad blood. What do you expect me to do? Am I a gangster?
Vincent Mancini: No, no, you're not a gangster, Uncle Mike.
Connie: Michael, that's Papa's old neighborhood now it's a sewer. Zasa runs it like a disgrace the ladies told me.

Vincent Mancini: You had a gun. They only had a knife. You could have talked them into surrendering. Turned them over to the police.
Vincent Mancini: Hey, Uncle Mike, Zasa sent these guys I was just sending him a message that's all.
Michael Corleone: Now he has to send you a message back.
Vincent Mancini: Joey Zasa's gonna send me a message? Joey Zasa's gonna send me a message?
Connie: Michael, he did the right thing. He got Zasa's name.
Michael Corleone: What's Joey Zasa got to do this this? Joey Zasa's a patso. Joey Zasa. Alright, you are what you are. It's in your nature. From now on you stick close to me. You don't go anywhere, you don't do anything, you don't talk to anyone without checking with me first, understand?
Vincent Mancini: Yeah.
Michael Corleone: I've got problems with the commission, young man!
Vincent Mancini: Yeah, I know.
Michael Corleone: You don't make them any easier.
Vincent Mancini: I know.
Michael Corleone: Alright, go on. Get out of here.
Connie: Michael.
Michael Corleone: Yes.
Connie: Now they'll fear you.
Michael Corleone: Maybe they should fear you.

Joey Zasa: I earned that territory with my talent. The commission gave it to me. You approved.
Michael Corleone: Yes.
Vincent Mancini: Hey, Uncle Mike, I'm just here for the party. I didn't come here to ask for help. I could just kill this bastard. He's the one who should be asking for help.
Michael Corleone: Then kill him. What does this have to do with me?
Vincent Mancini: Well, he's going around your back saying "fuck Michael Corleone." That's what it has to do with you.
Vincent Mancini: [to Zasa] Say it to his face one time. ONE TIME!
Joey Zasa: Mr. Corleone, all bastards are liars Shakespear wrote poems about them.
Vincent Mancini: What am I gonna do with this guy. WHAT!
Michael Corleone: Joey, if there is someone going around this city saying "fuck Michael Corleone" what do we do with a piece of shit like this? He's a fuckin' dog.
Joey Zasa: Yes, if someone were to say such a thing they would not be a friend, they would be a dog.
Michael Corleone: My interests don't conflict with Mr. Joe Zasa's.
Vincent Mancini: Oh yes they do, Uncle Mike. More than you know.
Connie: Michael, he needs your support!
Vincent Mancini: Hey, Uncle Mike, don't make me work for this guy no more. I come work for you.
Michael Corleone: For me? As what? A tough guy? I don't need tough guys. I need more lawyers. Joey, since we have no conflicts no debts I accept your tribute. I wish you well. Vincent, come make your peace with Mr. Joe Zasa.
Joey Zasa: [Vincent hugs Zasa] Bastarde.
Michael Corleone: [Vincent bites Zasa's ear and Zasa's is taken out of the office] Jesus! Shut it, shut it, shut it.
Vincent Mancini: Hey Uncle Mike this wasn't the time for this. I mean, I know you're into bankers and Wall Street and your word is gold but I just want to protect you from this guy and your lawyers can't do that.
Michael Corleone: But you can.
Vincent Mancini: Yeah, I can.
Michael Corleone: And why should I be afraid of Joe Zasa?
Vincent Mancini: Because he knows you're keeping him from moving up in the commission. I say we make him dead. You give the word and I'll take care of it myself.
Michael Corleone: Maybe you should come with me for a few weeks. See what happens. See how much you learn. Then, we'll talk about your future.
Vincent Mancini: I won't let you down.
Michael Corleone: Alright, go on.

[Michael is kneeling alone in a room at the corpse of Don Tommasino in a coffin]
Michael Corleone: Goodbye my old friend. You could have lived a little longer, I could be closer to my dream. You were so loved, Don Tommasino. Why was I so feared, and you so loved? What was it? I was no less honorable. I wanted to do good. What betrayed me? My mind? My heart? Why do I condemn myself so? I swear, on the lives of my children: Give me a chance to redeem myself, and I will sin, no more.

Michael Corleone: Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.

Michael Corleone: If someone is going around this city saying, "Fuck Michael Corleone," what do we do with a piece of shit like that? He's a fuckin' dog.
Joey Zasa: Yes, it's true. If someone were to say such a thing, they would not be a friend. They would be a dog.

[first lines]
Michael Corleone: [voiceover] My dear children: It is now better than several years since I moved to New York, and I haven't seen you as much as I would like to. I hope you will come to the ceremony of papal honors given for my charitable work. The only wealth in this world is children; more than all the money, power on earth, you are my treasure.

Michael Corleone: Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

Michael Corleone: Never let anyone know what you are thinking.

Michael Corleone: When they come... they come at what you love.

Don Altobello: Treachery is everywhere.
Michael Corleone: You still have your fingers on the strings, even now.

Michael Corleone: Your enemies always get strong on what you leave behind.

Michael Corleone: The higher I go, the crookeder it becomes.

Michael Corleone: He'd better be careful. It's dangerous to be a honest man.

Michael Corleone: Kay, I had a very different destiny planned for us.

Michael Corleone: Do you still fear me Kay?
Kay Corleone: I don't fear you Michael, I just dread you.

Michael Corleone: I swear on the lives of my children, give me one last chance to redeem myself and I will sin no more.

Don Lucchesi: It's not personal. It's business.
Michael Corleone: Very well. You want to do business with me. I will do business with you.

Connie: Now they'll fear you. Michael.
Michael Corleone: Maybe they should fear YOU!

Johnny Fontaine: It's your favorite song, Michael, where you going?
Michael Corleone: I'm just gonna go into the kitchen and listen to some Tony Bennett records.

Vincent Mancini: Well you tell him from me, that he can live, or he can die.
Michael Corleone: Vincent, will you SHUT UP!

Michael Corleone: [to Mary] I would burn in hell to keep you safe.

Michael Corleone: Nephew, from this moment on, call yourself Vincent Corleone.

Vincent Mancini: I am your son. Command me in all things.
Michael Corleone: Give up my daughter. That is the price you pay for the life you choose.

Michael Corleone: I feel... I'm getting wiser now.
Kay Corleone: The sicker you get, the wiser you get, huh?
Michael Corleone: When I'm dead, I'm gonna be really smart.

Michael Corleone: Italian politics have had these men for centuries. They are the true Mafia.

Michael Corleone: [delirious] Altobello, you FUCK! You deceitful old fuck!

Michael Corleone: Joey Zasa's a pazzo!

---

The Godfather (1972)

Michael: I have to see my father and his people so have dinner without me.
Kay Adams: Oh, Michael.
Michael: This weekend we'll go out. We'll go to the city, see a show and have dinner, I promise.
Kay Adams: Hmmmm. Michael. Michael, wait, your sister wants to ask you something.
Michael: Well, let her ask.
Kay Adams: No, she's afraid to. Connie and Carlo want you to be Godfather to their little boy.
Michael: We'll see.
Kay Adams: Will you?
Michael: Let me think about it. We'll see.

Don Corleone: So, Barzini will move against you first. He'll set up a meeting with someone that you absolutely trust guaranteeing your safety and at that meeting you'll be assassinated. I like to drink wine more than I used to. Anyway, I'm drinking more.
Michael: It's good for you, Pop.
Don Corleone: Ah, I don't know. Your wife and your children, are you happy with them?
Michael: Very happy.
Don Corleone: That's good. I hope you don't mind the way I keep going over this Barzini business.
Michael: No, not at all.
Don Corleone: It's an old habit. I spent my life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless but not men. How's your boy?
Michael: He's good.
Don Corleone: You know, he looks more like you everyday.
Michael: He's smarter than I am. Three years old and he can already read the funny papers.
Don Corleone: [laughs] Read the funny papers... Oh, I want you to arrange to have a telephone man check all the calls going in and out of here because it could be anyone...
Michael: I did that already, Pop. I took care of that.
Don Corleone: Oh, that's right, I forgot.
Michael: What's the matter? What's bothering you? I'll handle it. I told you I can handle it, I'll handle it.
Don Corleone: I knew Santino was going to have to go through all this and Fredo... well, Fredo was... But I never wanted this for you. I live my life, I don't apologize to take care of my family. And I refused to be a fool dancing on the strings held by all of those big shots. That's my life I don't apologize for that. But I always thought that when it was your time that you would be the one to hold the strings. Senator Corleone. Governor Corleone. Something.
Michael: I'm not a pezzonovante.
Don Corleone: Well, there wasn't enough time, Michael. There just wasn't enough time.
Michael: We'll get there, Pop. We'll get there.
Don Corleone: [kisses Michael] Listen, whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting he's the traitor. Don't forget that.

Michael: You have to answer for Santino, Carlo. You fingered Sonny for the Barzini people.
Carlo Rizzi: Mike, you got it all wrong.
Michael: Ah, that little farce you played with my sister. You think that would fool a Corleone?
Carlo Rizzi: Mike, I'm innocent. I swear on the kids.
Michael: Sit down.
Carlo Rizzi: Please don't do this to me, Mike. Please don't.
Michael: Barzini is dead. So is Phillip Tattallgia. Moe Green. Slacci. Cuneo. Today I settled all family business so don't tell me that you're innocent. Admit what you did.
[Carlo starts sobbing]
Michael: Get him a drink. Don't be afraid, Carlo. Come on, you think I'd make my sister a widow? I'm Godfather to your son.
[Carlo get handed a drink]
Michael: Go ahead. Drink. Drink. No, you're out of the family business, that's your punishment. You're finished. I'm putting you on a plane to Vegas. Tom?
[Tom hands Michael an airplane ticket]
Michael: I want you to stay there, you understand?
[Carlo nods]
Michael: Only don't tell me that you're innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and it makes me very angry. Now, who approached you first? Barzini or Tattalgia?
Carlo Rizzi: It was Barzini.
Michael: Good. There's a car outside that will take you to the airport. I'll call your wife and tell her what flight you're on.
Carlo Rizzi: Listen, Mike...
Michael: Go on. Get out of my sight.

Michael: My credit good enough to buy you out?
Moe Greene: Buy me out?
[Fredo laughs nervously]
Michael: The hotel, the casino. The Corleone Family wants to buy you out.
Moe Greene: The Corleone Family wants to buy me out? No, I buy you out, you don't buy me out.
Michael: Your casino loses money, maybe we can do better.
Moe Greene: You think I'm skimmin off the top, Mike?
Michael: [Michael shakes his head] You're unlucky.
Moe Greene: You goddamn guineas you really make me laugh. I do you a favor and take Freddie in when you're having a bad time, and now you're gonna try and push me out!
Michael: You took Freddie in because the Corleone Family bankrolled your casino, and the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed his safety. Now we're talking business, let's talk business.
Moe Greene: Yeah, let's talk business, Mike. First of all, you're all done. The Corleone Family don't even have that kind of muscle anymore. The Godfather's sick, right? You're getting chased out of New York by Barzini and the other Families. What do you think is going on here? You think you can come to my hotel and take over? I talked to Barzini - I can make a deal with him, and still keep my hotel!
Michael: Is that why you slapped my brother around in public?
Fredo: Aw, now that, that was nothin', Mike. Moe didn't mean nothin' by that. Yeah, sure he flies off the handle every once in a while, but me and him, we're good friends, right Moe?
Moe Greene: I got a business to run. I gotta kick asses sometimes to make it run right. We had a little argument, Freddy and me, so I had to straighten him out.
Michael: You straightened my brother out?
Moe Greene: He was banging cocktail waitresses two at a time! Players couldn't get a drink at the table! What's the matter with you?
Michael: I leave for New York tomorrow, think about a price.
Moe Greene: Sonofabitch! Do you know who I am? I'm Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!
Fredo: Wait a minute, Moe, Moe, I got an idea. Tom, you're the Consiglieri and you can talk to the Don, you can explain...
Tom Hagen: Now hold it right there. The Don is semi-retired and Mike is in charge of the Family business now. If you have anything to say, say it to Michael.
Fredo: [Moe Greene leaves] Mike! You do not come to Las Vegas and talk to a man like Moe Greene like that!
Michael: Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever.

Tessio: Barzini's people chisle my territory and we do nothing about it. Pretty soon there won't be anyplace in Brooklyn that I can hang my hat.
Michael: Try and be patient.
Clemenza: I'm not asking for help, Mike, just take off the handcuffs.
Michael: Be patient.
Clemenza: We gotta protect ourselves. At least give me the chance to recruit some new men.
Michael: No. I don't want to give Barzini any excuse to start fighting.
Tessio: Mike, you're wrong.
Clemenza: Don Corleone, you once said the day would come when me and Tessio could form our own families. Until today I would never think of such a thing but now I must ask your permission.
Don Corleone: Well, Michael's head of the family now and if give his permission then you have my blessing.
Michael: After we make the move to Nevada you can break off from the Corleone Family and go off on your own. After we make the move to Nevada.
Clemenza: How long will that take?
Michael: Six months.
Tessio: Forgive me, Godfather, but with you gone me and Pete will come under Barzini's thumb sooner or later.
Clemenza: And I hate that Goddamn Barzini. In six months time there won't be nothin' left to build on.
Don Corleone: Do you have faith in my judgement?
Clemenza: Yes.
Don Corleone: Do I have your loyalty?
Clemenza: Yes, always Godfather.
Don Corleone: Then be a friend to Michael. Do as he says.
Michael: There are negotiations being made that are going to answer all of your questions and solve all of your problems. That's all I can tell you right now. Carlo, you grew up in Nevada. When we make our move there you're going to be my right hand man. Tom Hagen is no longer Consigliari. He's going to be our lawyer in Vegas. That's no reflection on Tom it's just the way I want it. Besides, if I ever help who's a better Consigliari than my father. That's it.
[Everyone except Hagen leaves]
Tom Hagen: Mike, why am I out?
Michael: You're not a wartime Consigliari, Tom. Things could get rough with the move we're making.
Don Corleone: Tom, I advised Michael. I never thought you were a bad Consigliari. I thought Santino was a bad Don, rest in peace. Michael has all my confidence as do you. But there are reasons why you must have nothing to do with what's going to happen.
Tom Hagen: Maybe I could help.
Michael: You're out, Tom.

Michael: Fredo, who are the girls?
Fredo: That's for you to find out.
Michael: Get rid of them, Fredo.
Fredo: Hey, Mike, uh...
Michael: I'm here on business I leave tomorrow now get rid of them. Come on, I'm tired. Get rid of the band, too.
[Fredo chases everyone out of the room]
Michael: What happened to Moe Greene?
Fredo: He had business. He said give him a call. Once the party started.
Michael: Well, give him a call. Hello, Johnny.
Johnny Fontane: Mike, it's nice to see you again.
Michael: We're all proud of you. Sit down, Johnny, I want to talk to you. The Don's proud of you, too.
Johnny Fontane: Well, I owe it all to him.
Michael: He knows how grateful you are. That's why he'd like to ask a favor.
Johnny Fontane: Mike, what can I do?
Michael: The Corleone family is thinking of giving up all of its interest in the olive oil business, settling out here. Now Moe Greene will sell us his share of the hotel and the casino so that it can be completely owned by the family. Tom.
[Hagen hands Michael some papers]
Fredo: Hey, Mike, are you sure about that? I mean, Moe, loves the business. He never said anything to me about sellin'.
Michael: I'll make him an offer he can't refuse. You see, Johnny, we feel that entertainment is going to be a big factor in drawing gamblers into the casinos. We're hoping that you'll sign a contract agreeing to appear 5 times a year. Perhaps convince some of your friends in the movies to do the same. We're counting on you, Johnny.
Johnny Fontane: Sure, Mike, I'll do anything for my Godfather. You know that.
Michael: Good.
Moe Greene: Hey, Mike! Everybody's here. There's Tom. Freddie. Good to see you, Mike.
Michael: How are you, Moe?
Moe Greene: You got everything you need? The chef cooked for you special, the dancers will kick your tongue out and your credit is good. Draw chips for everyone in the room so they can play on the house.

Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.
Kay Adams: Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh. Who's being naive, Kay?

Kay Adams: Michael, you never told me you knew Johnny Fontane!
Michael: Sure, you want to meet him?
Kay Adams: Well, yeah! Sure.
Michael: My father helped him with his career.
Kay Adams: How did he do that?
Michael: ...Let's listen to the song
Kay Adams: [after listening to Johnny for a while] Tell me, Michael. Please.
Michael: ...Well when Johnny was first starting out, he was signed to a personal services contract with this big-band leader. And as his career got better and better he wanted to get out of it. But the band leader wouldn't let him. Now, Johnny is my father's godson. So my father went to see this bandleader and offered him $10,000 to let Johnny go, but the bandleader said no. So the next day, my father went back, only this time with Luca Brasi. Within an hour, he had a signed release for a certified check of $1000.
Kay Adams: How did he do that?
Michael: My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Kay Adams: What was that?
Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to the bandleader's head, and my father assured him that either his signature or his brains would be on the release.
Kay Adams: ...
Michael: ...That's a true story.
[cut to Johnny singing again for about 10 more seconds before going back to Michael]
Michael: That's my family Kay, that's not me.

Tom Hagen: [after finding out Tessio sold Michael out] Tessio. I always thought it would be Clemenza.
Michael: It's the smart move. Tessio was always smarter.

Sonny: Tom-anuch! Hey, a hundred button men on the street twenty-four hours a day. That Turk shows one hair on his ass and he's dead.
Sonny: [to Michael, whose face is bruised] Michael, come here. Let me look at you. You're beautiful, beautiful, just beautiful. Hey, listen to this. The Turk, he wants to talk. You believe the nerve on this son of a bitch? He craps out last night and now he wants to have a meetin'.
Tom Hagen: What did he say?
Sonny: What did he say, badda-beep, badda-boop, badda-boop, badda-beep, he wants us to send Michael to hear the proposition and the promise is the deal is so good we can't refuse. Ha.
Tom Hagen: What about Bruno Tattaglia?
Sonny: Ah, that's part of the deal. Bruno cancels out what they did to my father.
Tom Hagen: We ought to hear what they have to say, Sonny.
Sonny: No, no, no, not this time, Consigliary. No more meetin's, no more discussions, no more Sollozzo tricks. You give them a message from I want Solozzo if not it's all out war we go to the mattresses.
Tom Hagen: Some of the other families won't sit still for an all out war.
Sonny: Then you tell them to hand over Sollozzo!
Tom Hagen: Your father wouldn't want to hear this, Sonny. This is business not personal.
Sonny: They shoot my father and it's business, my ass!
Tom Hagen: Even shooting your father was business not personal, Sonny!
Sonny: Well then, business is going to have to suffer. And please, do me a favor, Tom. No more advice on how to patch things up just help me win, please?
Tom Hagen: I found out about this Captain McClusky who broke Mike's jaw.
Sonny: Alright, what about him.
Tom Hagen: He's definitely on Sollozzo's payroll and for big money. Now, McClusky has agreed to be the Turk's bodyguard. Now what you have to understand, Sonny, is that while Sollozzo's being guarded like this he is invulnerable. Nobody has ever gunned down a New York police captain before. It would be disasterous. All the other five families would turn against you. The Corleone Family would be outcast. Even the old man's political protection would run for cover. So, do me a favor, take this into consideration.
Sonny: Alright, we wait.
Michael: You can't wait.
Sonny: What?
Michael: You can't wait. I don't care what Sollozzo says about a deal he's gonna kill Pop. He has to. It's a key for him. You gotta get Sollozzo.
Clemenza: Mikey's right.
Sonny: Alright, Professor, what about McClusky. What do we do with this cop here?
Michael: They want to have a meeting with me, right? It will be me, McClusky and Sollozzo. Let's set the meeting. We get our informants to find out where it's going to be held. Now we insist that it be held in a public place, a bar or a restaurant where there'll be other people there so I'll feel safe. They're going to search me when I first meet them, right? So I can't have a weapon on me. But if Clemenza can figure a way to have a weapon planted for me, then I'll kill them both.
Sonny: [laughing] What are you gonna do? Nice college boy, didn't want to get mixed up in the family business. Now you want to gun down a police captain. Why? Because he slapped you in the face a little? What do you think this like the Army where you can shoot 'em from a mile away? No you gotta get up like this and, badda-bing, you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit. C'mere.
[Kisses Michael on the head]
Sonny: You're taking this very personal. Tom, this is business and this man is taking it very, very personal.

Michael Corleone: Where does it say that you can't kill a cop?
Tom Hagen: Come on, Mikey...
Michael Corleone: Tom, wait a minute. I'm talking about a cop that's mixed up in drugs. I'm talking about a - a - a dishonest cop - a crooked cop who got mixed up in the rackets and got what was coming to him. That's a terrific story. And we have newspaper people on the payroll, don't we, Tom?
[Tom nods]
Michael Corleone: And they might like a story like that.
Tom Hagen: They might, they just might.
Michael Corleone: [to Sonny] It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business.

[Michael sees a man dressed in black coming to Vito's hospital room]
Michael Corleone: Who are you?
Enzo the Baker: I am Enzo. The baker. Do you remember me?
Michael Corleone: Enzo...
Enzo the Baker: Yes, Enzo.
Michael Corleone: You better get out of here, Enzo, there's gonna be trouble.
Enzo the Baker: If there is trouble, I stay here to help you. For your father. For your father.

Michael: [speaking to Carlo] Only don't tell me you're innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry.

Capt. McCluskey: I thought I got all you Guinea hoods locked up! What the hell are you doing here?
Michael: What happened to the men who were guarding my father, Captain?
Capt. McCluskey: I pulled them guys off of here, eh, now get away from this hospital!
Michael: I'm not leaving until you put some guards around my father's room.
Capt. McCluskey: Phil, take him in!
Cop with Capt. McCluskey outside hospital: The kid's clean Captain, he's a war hero! He's never been mixed up with the rackets...
Capt. McCluskey: Goddamn it Phil, I said take him in!
Michael: What's the Turk paying you to set up my father, Captain?
Capt. McCluskey: [to Patrolmen] Take a hold of him. Stand him up. Stand him up straight.
[punches Michael and breaks his jaw]

Michael: [while eating dinner with Sollozzo and McCluskey] What I want - what's most important to me - is that I have a guarantee: No more attempts on my father's life.
Sollozzo: What guarantees could I give you, Mike? I am the hunted one! I missed my chance. You think too much of me, kid - I'm not that clever. All I want, is a truce.

Tom Hagen: You know how they're going to come at you?
Michael: They want to arrange a meeting between me and Barzini. On Tessio's ground. Where I'll be safe.

Don Corleone: I like to drink wine more than I used to.
Michael: It's good for ya, Pop.
Don Corleone: Anyway I'm drinkin' more.

[after being asked how he will arrange to buy a hotel from Moe Greene]
Michael: I'll make him an offer he can't refuse.

[speaking with the father of the girl he plans to marry, and after telling him that he's in hiding from some gangsters]
Michael: Some people will pay a lot of money for that information; but then your daughter would lose a father, instead of gaining a husband.

Sonny: Hey, whaddya gonna do, nice college boy, eh? Didn't want to get mixed up in the Family business, huh? Now you wanna gun down a police captain. Why? Because he slapped ya in the face a little bit? Hah? What do you think this is the Army, where you shoot 'em a mile away? You've gotta get up close like this and - bada-BING! - you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit. C'mere...
[kisses Michael's head]
Michael: Sonny...
Sonny: You're taking this very personal. Tom, this is business and this man is taking it very, very personal.

Clemenza: That's a lot of bad blood. Sollozzo. Phillip Tattaliglia. Bruno Tattaliglia.
Michael: You gonna kill all those guys?
Sonny: Hey, Mickey, stay out of this, alright?
Tom Hagen: Don't get personal. Keep it business. Sollozzo's the key. You get rid of him and everything falls into place. What about Luca. Sollozzo didn't seem to worried about Luca.
Sonny: Ah, if Luca sold out we're in trouble, I mean real trouble.
Tom Hagen: Anybody heard from Luca?
Clemenza: No, we been trying all night. He could be shacked up somewhere.
Tom Hagen: No, he never stays over with a broad he always goes home when he's finished.
Sonny: Hey, Mickey, do me a favor. Give Luca a call and keep trying him every 15 minutes until you get him. Well, Tom, your conisgliari, what happens if the old man dies? God forbid.
Tom Hagen: We lose the old man, we lose our political contacts and half our strength. The other New York families will do whatever it takes to avoid a long, distructive war. This is almost 1946. Nobody wants bloodshed. If the old man dies, you make the deal, Sonny.
Sonny: That's easy enough for you to say, Tom, he's not your father.
Tom Hagen: I'm as much a son to him as you or Mike.
Sonny: [responding to a knock on the door] What is it?
Clemenza: Hey, Paulie, I thought I told you to stay put.
Paulie Gatto: The guy at the gate says there's a package.
Sonny: Yeah? Hey Tessio, go see what it is.
Paulie Gatto: You want me to hang around?
Sonny: Yeah, hang around. You alright?
Paulie Gatto: Yeah, yeah.
[coughs]
Sonny: You hungry? There's a little food in the ice box.
Paulie Gatto: Nah. Nah.
Sonny: How about a drink. Some brandy it'll sweat it out of ya. Alright, Babe.
[after Paulie leaves to Clemenza]
Sonny: I want you to take care of that son of a bitch right away. Paulie sold out the old man, that stunz. I want you to make that first thing on your list, understand?
Clemenza: Understood.
Sonny: Listen, Mickey, tomorrow you get a couple of guys you go over to Luca's apartment. Hang around wait for him to show up.
Tom Hagen: Maybe we shouldn't get Mike mixed up in this too directly.

Don Corleone: I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life - I don't apologize - to take care of my family, and I refused to be a fool, dancing on the string held by all those bigshots. I don't apologize - that's my life - but I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the string. Senator Corleone; Governor Corleone. Well, it wasn't enough time, Michael. It wasn't enough time.
Michael: We'll get there, pop. We'll get there.

Kay Adams: Michael, is it true?
Michael Corleone: Don't ask me about my business, Kay.
Kay Adams: Is it true?
Michael Corleone: Don't ask me about my business.
Kay Adams: No.
Michael Corleone: [slams his hand on the desk] Enough! Alright. This one time, this one time I'll let you ask me about my affairs...
Kay Adams: Is it true? Is it?
Michael Corleone: No.

Clemenza: All right, you just shot 'em both. Now what do you do?
Michael: Sit down and finish my dinner.

Michael Corleone: I have to go to the bathroom. Is that all right?
Capt. McCluskey: You gotta go, you gotta go.
Capt. McCluskey: [Michael stands and Sollozzo starts to frisk him] I frisked him, he's clean.
Virgil 'The Turk' Sollozzo: Don't take too long.
[Michael goes to the bathroom]
Capt. McCluskey: I frisked a thousand young punks.

Michael: You and I are going to move my father to another room, now can you disconnect those tubes so we can move the bed out of here?
Nurse: That is out of the question.
Michael: You know my father? Men are coming here to kill him, now help me, please.

[Clemenza prepares Michael for his meeting with Sollozzo]
Clemenza: [holding up a .22] It's as cold as they come, impossible to trace. So you don't have to worry about prints, Mike. I put a special tape on the trigger and the butt. Here, try it...
[Michael takes the gun, but can't seem to fire it]
Clemenza: What's the matter, trigger too tight?
[With a loud bang, Michael finally discharges the gun]
Michael: Ow! My ears.
Clemenza: Yeah, I left it noisy. That way it scares any pain-in-the-ass innocent bystanders away. All right, you shot them both, now what do you do?
Michael: Sit down and finish my dinner.
Clemenza: Come on, kid, don't fool around. Just let your hand drop to your side and the gun slip out. Everyone will still think you've got it. They're gonna be staring at your face, Mike. So walk out of the place real fast, but you don't run. Don't look nobody directly in the eye, hut don't look away either. They're gonna be scared of you, believe me, so don't worry about nothing.
[while talking, Clemenza takes the gun and begins working on it to fix the trigger]
Clemenza: You know, Mike, you're gonna turn out all right. You take a long vacation, nobody knows where, and we'll catch the hell.
Michael: How bad do you think it's gonna be?
Clemenza: Pretty goddam bad. Probably all the other Families will line up against us. That's all right. These things gotta happen every five years or so, ten years. Helps to get rid of the bad blood. Been ten years since the last one. You know, you gotta stop them at the beginning. Like they should have stopped Hitler at Munich, they should never let him get away with that, they was just asking for trouble.
[Clemenza now finishes working on the gun]
Clemenza: You know, Mike, we was all proud of you being a hero and all. Your father too.
[Clemenza hands the gun back to Michael]

Michael: [teaching Apollonia to drive] It's safer to teach you English!

---

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

Kay: It made me think of what you once told me: "In five years the Corleone family will be completely legitimate." That was seven years ago.
Michael Corleone: I know. I'm trying, darling.

Kay Corleone: Oh, Michael. Michael, you are blind. It wasn't a miscarriage. It was an abortion. An abortion, Michael. Just like our marriage is an abortion. Something that's unholy and evil. I didn't want your son, Michael! I wouldn't bring another one of you sons into this world! It was an abortion, Michael! It was a son Michael! A son! And I had it killed because this must all end!
[Michael's eyes begin to bulge]
Kay Corleone: I know now that it's over. I knew it then. There would be no way, Michael... no way you could ever forgive me not with this Sicilian thing that's been going on for 2,000 years.
[Michael loses control. He slaps Kay across the face. She falls onto the couch]
Michael Corleone: Bitch! You won't take my children!
Kay Corleone: I will.
Michael Corleone: You WON'T TAKE MY CHILDREN!
Kay Corleone: They're my children too.

Al Neri: Our friend and associate Hyman Roth is in the news. The High Court of Israel turned down his request to live there as a returning Jew. He landed in Buenos Aires last night offering a "gift" of a million dollars if they'd let him stay. They said no. His passport's been invalidated, except for his return trip to the States.
Tom Hagen: He'll try Panama next.
Michael Corleone: Panama won't take him. Not for a million, not for ten million.

Michael Corleone: I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.

Michael Corleone: I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

Michael Corleone: There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Michael Corleone: I'll change; I'll change. I've learned that I have the strength to change.

Michael Corleone: If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it is that you can kill anyone.

Tom Hagen: It would be like trying to kill the President; there's no way we can get to him.
Michael Corleone: Tom, you know you surprise me. If anything in this life is certain - if history has taught us anything - it's that you can kill *anybody*.

[about the unrest in Cuba]
Michael Corleone: I saw a strange thing today. Some rebels were being arrested. One of them pulled the pin on a grenade. He took himself and the captain of the command with him. Now, soldiers are paid to fight; the rebels aren't.
Hyman Roth: What does that tell you?
Michael Corleone: It means they could win.

Michael Corleone: Hyman Roth has been dying from the same heart attack for the last twenty years.

Fredo Corleone: I'm your older brother, Mike, and I was stepped over!
Michael Corleone: That's the way Pop wanted it.
Fredo Corleone: It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle things! I'm smart! Not like everybody says... like dumb... I'm smart and I want respect!

Michael Corleone: Fredo, you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do. I don't want to see you at the hotels, I don't want you near my house. When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there. You understand?

[Ordering drinks in a Havana cafe]
Fredo Corleone: Uno... por favor...
[to Michael]
Fredo Corleone: How do you say "banana daiquiri"?
Michael Corleone: "Banana daiquiri."

Senator Pat Geary: I despise the way you pose yourself. You and your whole fucking family.
Michael Corleone: We're both part of the same hypocrisy, senator, but never think it applies to my family.

[Geary is demanding a large bribe for a gaming license]
Senator Pat Geary: I want your answer and the money by noon tomorrow. And one more thing. Don't you contact me again, ever. From now on, you deal with Turnbull.
Michael Corleone: Senator? You can have my answer now, if you like. My final offer is this: nothing. Not even the fee for the gaming license, which I would appreciate if you would put up personally.

Senator Pat Geary: I can get you a gaming license. The price is $250,000.
Michael Corleone: Now, the price of a gaming license it less than $20,000. Is that correct?
Senator Pat Geary: Yes.
Michael Corleone: So why would I ever consider paying more than that?
Senator Pat Geary: Because I intend to squeeze you.

Michael Corleone: He was stupid. I was lucky. I will visit him soon.

Michael Corleone: [discussing the incident regarding the two unknown gunmen who fired through Michael's bedroom window earlier] In my home.
Frank Pentangeli: Michael, when I heard I almost died...
Michael Corleone: [yells] IN MY HOME! IN MY BEDROOM! Where my wife sleeps... and my children play with their toys.

Michael: Was it a boy?
Tom Hagen: Mikey, after three and a half months...
Michael: WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER ANY MORE? WAS IT A BOY?

[Kay is threatening to take the children away]
Michael: Don't you know that I would use all of my power to prevent something like that from happening?

Michael Corleone: C'mon Frankie... my father did business with Hyman Roth, he respected Hyman Roth.
Frank Pentangeli: Your father did business with Hyman Roth, he respected Hyman Roth... but he never *trusted* Hyman Roth!

Michael: I don't want anything to happen to him while my mother's alive.

Michael: I've always taken care of you, Fredo.
Fredo Corleone: Taken care of me? I'm your older brother, Mike, and you're taking care of me? Did you ever think about that?

Michael Corleone: Keep 'em alive.
Rocco Lampone: We'll try.
Michael Corleone: ROCCO! ALIVE!

---

The Godfather: The Don's Edition (2007) (VG)

Captain Mark McCluskey: I thought I got all you guinea hoods locked up! What are you doing here?
Sergeant Joe Galtosino: [to Trapani] Don't move, not a fucking muscle.
Michael Corleone: What's the Turk paying you to set up my father, Captain?
Captain Mark McCluskey: Alright, get a hold of him... stand him up straight!
[he punches Michael]
Sergeant Joe Galtosino: Told you not to get involved, didn't I?
[he goes to punch Trapani]
Tom Hagen: Hold it right there. These men are private detectivrs, hired by Vito Corleone, they are licensed to carry firearms. If you detain them you'll have to appear before a court in the morning to show cause.
[the cops back off]

---

The Godfather (2006) (VG)

Michael Corleone: Welcome my friend. Are you ready for today? Becuase today will set a course for all our futures.
The Protaganist: What do I need to do?
Michael Corleone: Clemenza is waiting in a barbershop in Midtown. He will help you with what you need to do.
The Protaganist: I won't fail you... Godfather.

---