The Godfather quotes
88 total quotesMultiple Characters
Santino "Sonny" Corleone
Tom Hagen
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Don Corleone: Andiamo, Fredo. Tell Paulie to get the car. We're going.
Fredo: Okay, Pop, I'll have to get it myself, Pop. Paulie called in sick this morning.
Don Corleone: Huh?!
Fredo: Paulie's a good kid, I don't mind getting the car.
Fredo: Okay, Pop, I'll have to get it myself, Pop. Paulie called in sick this morning.
Don Corleone: Huh?!
Fredo: Paulie's a good kid, I don't mind getting the car.
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Don Corleone: Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you come to me first?
Bonasera: What do you want of me? Tell me anything, but do what I beg you to do.
Don Corleone: What is that? [Bonasera whispers his request in the Don's ear] That I cannot do.
Bonasera: I will give you anything you ask.
Don Corleone: We've known each other many years, but this is the first time you ever came to me for counsel or for help. I can't remember the last time that you invited me to your house for a cup of coffee, even though my wife is godmother to your only child. But let's be frank here. You never wanted my friendship. And uh, you were afraid to be in my debt.
Bonasera: I didn't want to get into trouble.
Don Corleone: I understand. You found paradise in America, you had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. And you didn't need a friend like me. But uh, now you come to me and you say - 'Don Corleone, give me justice.' But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you ask me to do murder for money.
Bonasera: I ask for justice.
Don Corleone: That is not justice. Your daughter is still alive.
Bonasera: Let them suffer then, as she suffers. How much shall I pay you?
Don Corleone: Bonasera, Bonasera. What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you'd come to me in friendship, then this s**** that ruined your daughter would be suffering this very day. And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies, then they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you.
Bonasera: Be my friend - - Godfather. [The Don shrugs. Bonasera bows toward the Don and kisses the Don's hand]
Don Corleone: Good. Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day - accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.
Bonasera: Grazie, Godfather.
Don Corleone: Prego.
Bonasera: What do you want of me? Tell me anything, but do what I beg you to do.
Don Corleone: What is that? [Bonasera whispers his request in the Don's ear] That I cannot do.
Bonasera: I will give you anything you ask.
Don Corleone: We've known each other many years, but this is the first time you ever came to me for counsel or for help. I can't remember the last time that you invited me to your house for a cup of coffee, even though my wife is godmother to your only child. But let's be frank here. You never wanted my friendship. And uh, you were afraid to be in my debt.
Bonasera: I didn't want to get into trouble.
Don Corleone: I understand. You found paradise in America, you had a good trade, you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. And you didn't need a friend like me. But uh, now you come to me and you say - 'Don Corleone, give me justice.' But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you ask me to do murder for money.
Bonasera: I ask for justice.
Don Corleone: That is not justice. Your daughter is still alive.
Bonasera: Let them suffer then, as she suffers. How much shall I pay you?
Don Corleone: Bonasera, Bonasera. What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you'd come to me in friendship, then this s**** that ruined your daughter would be suffering this very day. And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies, then they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you.
Bonasera: Be my friend - - Godfather. [The Don shrugs. Bonasera bows toward the Don and kisses the Don's hand]
Don Corleone: Good. Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day - accept this justice as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.
Bonasera: Grazie, Godfather.
Don Corleone: Prego.
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Jack Woltz: Just tell him he should ask me anything else. But this is one favor I can't give him.
Tom Hagen: He never asks a second favor when he's been refused the first, understood?
Jack Woltz: You don't understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that movie. That part is perfect for him. It'll make him a big star. And I'm gonna run him out of the business, and let me tell you why...And let me be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, and it's not all dollars and cents. She was beautiful, she was young, she was innocent. She was the greatest piece of ass I ever had, and I had 'em all over the world. And then Johnny Fontane comes along with his olive-oil voice and guinea charm. And she runs off. She threw it all away just to make me look ridiculous. And a man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous! Now you get the hell outta here! And if that gumbah tries any rough stuff, you tell him I ain't no band leader! Yeah, I heard that story.
Tom Hagen: Thank you for the dinner, and a very pleasant evening. Now, if your car could take me to the airport... Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately.
Tom Hagen: He never asks a second favor when he's been refused the first, understood?
Jack Woltz: You don't understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that movie. That part is perfect for him. It'll make him a big star. And I'm gonna run him out of the business, and let me tell you why...And let me be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, and it's not all dollars and cents. She was beautiful, she was young, she was innocent. She was the greatest piece of ass I ever had, and I had 'em all over the world. And then Johnny Fontane comes along with his olive-oil voice and guinea charm. And she runs off. She threw it all away just to make me look ridiculous. And a man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous! Now you get the hell outta here! And if that gumbah tries any rough stuff, you tell him I ain't no band leader! Yeah, I heard that story.
Tom Hagen: Thank you for the dinner, and a very pleasant evening. Now, if your car could take me to the airport... Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately.
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Jack Woltz: Why didn't you say you worked for Corleone, Tom? I thought you were just some cheap, two-bit hustler Johnny was running in trying to bluff me.
Tom Hagen: I don't like to use his name unless it's really necessary.
Tom Hagen: I don't like to use his name unless it's really necessary.
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Johnny Fontane: A month ago, he bought the movie rights to this book. A best seller - and the main character, it's a guy just like me, I, uh, I wouldn't even have to act, just be myself. [tearing up] Oh, Godfather, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do.
Don Corleone: [shouts] You can act like a man!
[Don Corleone slaps Johnny]
Don Corleone: What's the matter with you? Is this how you turned out? A Hollywood finocchio that cries like a woman.
[Don Corleone imitates him sobbing]
Don Corleone: What can I do? What can I do? What is that nonsense. Ridiculous. You spend time with your family?
Johnny Fontane: Sure I do.
Don Corleone: Good. 'Cause a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man. Come here...You look terrible. I want you to eat. I want you to rest a while. And in a month from now, this Hollywood bigshot's gonna give you what you want.
Johnny Fontane: It's too late, they start shooting in a week.
Don Corleone: I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse. Now, you just go outside and enjoy yourself, and uh, forget about all this nonsense. I want you, I want you to leave it all to me.
Don Corleone: [shouts] You can act like a man!
[Don Corleone slaps Johnny]
Don Corleone: What's the matter with you? Is this how you turned out? A Hollywood finocchio that cries like a woman.
[Don Corleone imitates him sobbing]
Don Corleone: What can I do? What can I do? What is that nonsense. Ridiculous. You spend time with your family?
Johnny Fontane: Sure I do.
Don Corleone: Good. 'Cause a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man. Come here...You look terrible. I want you to eat. I want you to rest a while. And in a month from now, this Hollywood bigshot's gonna give you what you want.
Johnny Fontane: It's too late, they start shooting in a week.
Don Corleone: I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse. Now, you just go outside and enjoy yourself, and uh, forget about all this nonsense. I want you, I want you to leave it all to me.
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Kay: [asking about Carlo's murder] Michael, is it true?
Michael: Don't ask me about my business, Kay.
Kay: Is it true?
Michael: Don't ask me about my business...
Kay: No.
Michael: [slamming his hand on the desk] Enough! All right. This one time, this one time I'll let you ask me about my affairs.
Kay: Is it true? Is it?
Michael: No.
Kay: [sighing relief] I guess we both need a drink, huh?
Michael: Don't ask me about my business, Kay.
Kay: Is it true?
Michael: Don't ask me about my business...
Kay: No.
Michael: [slamming his hand on the desk] Enough! All right. This one time, this one time I'll let you ask me about my affairs.
Kay: Is it true? Is it?
Michael: No.
Kay: [sighing relief] I guess we both need a drink, huh?
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Kay: Michael, you never told me your family knew Johnny Fontane!
Michael: Oh sure, you want to meet him?
Kay: Yeah!
Michael: You know, my father helped Johnny in his career.
Kay: Really? How?
Michael: ...Let's listen to this song.
Kay: [after listening to Johnny for a while] Please, Michael. Tell me.
Michael: Well when Johnny was first starting out, he was signed to this contract with a big-band leader. And as his career got better and better he wanted to get out of it. Now, Johnny is my father's godson. My father went to see the bandleader, and offered him $10,000 to let Johnny go, but the bandleader said no. So the next day, my father went to see the bandleader again, only this time with Luca Brasi. Within an hour, the bandleader signed the release, with a certified check of $1,000.
Kay: How did he do that?
Michael: My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Kay: What was that?
Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.
[Kay stares at Michael in disbelief]
Michael: That's a true story. ...That's my family Kay, it's not me.
Michael: Oh sure, you want to meet him?
Kay: Yeah!
Michael: You know, my father helped Johnny in his career.
Kay: Really? How?
Michael: ...Let's listen to this song.
Kay: [after listening to Johnny for a while] Please, Michael. Tell me.
Michael: Well when Johnny was first starting out, he was signed to this contract with a big-band leader. And as his career got better and better he wanted to get out of it. Now, Johnny is my father's godson. My father went to see the bandleader, and offered him $10,000 to let Johnny go, but the bandleader said no. So the next day, my father went to see the bandleader again, only this time with Luca Brasi. Within an hour, the bandleader signed the release, with a certified check of $1,000.
Kay: How did he do that?
Michael: My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Kay: What was that?
Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.
[Kay stares at Michael in disbelief]
Michael: That's a true story. ...That's my family Kay, it's not me.
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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.
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.
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Michael: How are you, Fredo? [to Kay] Fredo. This is my brother, Fredo. [to Fredo] This is Kay Adams.
Kay: Oh, hi.
Fredo: [drunk] How'ya doing? [kisses Kay in the cheeks] This is my brother, Mike.
Michael: Are you having a good time?
Fredo: Huh? Yeah... This is your friend, huh?
Kay: Oh, hi.
Fredo: [drunk] How'ya doing? [kisses Kay in the cheeks] This is my brother, Mike.
Michael: Are you having a good time?
Fredo: Huh? Yeah... This is your friend, huh?
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Michael: How long do you think it'll be before I came back?
Sonny: At least a year, Mike. Listen, um, I'll square it with Mom, uh, you know, you're not seeing her before you leave; and uh, I'll get a message to that girlfriend, when I think the time is right.
[Sonny and Michael hug]
Sonny: Take care, huh?
Sonny: At least a year, Mike. Listen, um, I'll square it with Mom, uh, you know, you're not seeing her before you leave; and uh, I'll get a message to that girlfriend, when I think the time is right.
[Sonny and Michael hug]
Sonny: Take care, huh?
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Michael: I'm working for my father now. He's been sick, very sick.
Kay: But you're not like him, Michael. I thought you weren't going to become a man like your father. That's what you told me.
Michael: My father's no different than any other powerful man, [Kay laughs] any man who's responsible for other people. Like a senator or a president.
Kay: You know how naive you sound?
Michael: Why?
Kay: Senators and presidents don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh, who's being naive, Kay? Kay, my father's way of doing things is over, it's finished. Even he knows that. I mean in five years, the Corleone Family is going to be completely legitimate. Trust me. That's all I can tell you about my business.
Kay: But you're not like him, Michael. I thought you weren't going to become a man like your father. That's what you told me.
Michael: My father's no different than any other powerful man, [Kay laughs] any man who's responsible for other people. Like a senator or a president.
Kay: You know how naive you sound?
Michael: Why?
Kay: Senators and presidents don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh, who's being naive, Kay? Kay, my father's way of doing things is over, it's finished. Even he knows that. I mean in five years, the Corleone Family is going to be completely legitimate. Trust me. That's all I can tell you about my business.
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Michael: My credit good enough to buy you out?
Moe Greene: Buy me out?
[Fredo laughs nervously]
Michael: The casino, the hotel. 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: You're unlucky.
Moe Greene: You goddamn guineas really make me laugh. I do you a favor and take Freddie in when you're having a bad time, and then you try to push me out!
Michael: Wait a minute, you took Freddie in because the Corleone Family bankrolled your casino, because 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. Now, Now uh Moe didn't mean nothin' by that. Sure he flies off the handle once in a while, but Moe and me, we're good friends, right Moe? Huh?
Moe Greene: I gotta business to run. I gotta kick asses sometimes to make it run right. We had a little argument, Freddy and I, so I had to straighten him out.
Michael: You straightened my brother out?
Moe Greene: He was banging ****tail waitresses two at a time! Players couldn't get a drink at the table! What's wrong 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: Just a minute now, 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.
[Moe Greene leaves]
Fredo: Mike! You don't 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.
Moe Greene: Buy me out?
[Fredo laughs nervously]
Michael: The casino, the hotel. 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: You're unlucky.
Moe Greene: You goddamn guineas really make me laugh. I do you a favor and take Freddie in when you're having a bad time, and then you try to push me out!
Michael: Wait a minute, you took Freddie in because the Corleone Family bankrolled your casino, because 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. Now, Now uh Moe didn't mean nothin' by that. Sure he flies off the handle once in a while, but Moe and me, we're good friends, right Moe? Huh?
Moe Greene: I gotta business to run. I gotta kick asses sometimes to make it run right. We had a little argument, Freddy and I, so I had to straighten him out.
Michael: You straightened my brother out?
Moe Greene: He was banging ****tail waitresses two at a time! Players couldn't get a drink at the table! What's wrong 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: Just a minute now, 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.
[Moe Greene leaves]
Fredo: Mike! You don't 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.
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Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.
Kay: Do you know how naïve you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh. Who's being naïve, Kay?
Kay: Do you know how naïve you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh. Who's being naïve, Kay?
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Michael: Who are the girls?
Fredo: That's for you to find out...
Michael: Get rid of them, Fredo.
Fredo: Hey, Mike, uh...
Michael: Fredo, I'm here on business-- I leave tomorrow, now get rid of them. I'm tired.
Fredo: That's for you to find out...
Michael: Get rid of them, Fredo.
Fredo: Hey, Mike, uh...
Michael: Fredo, I'm here on business-- I leave tomorrow, now get rid of them. I'm tired.
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Michael: You have to answer for Santino, Carlo...You fingered Sonny for the Barzini people. Ahh, that little farce you played with my sister. You think that could fool a Corleone? Come on. Don't be afraid, Carlo. Come on, you think I'd make my sister a widow? I'm Godfather to your son, Carlo...You're out of the Family business, that's your punishment. You're finished. I'm putting you on a plane to Vegas...I want you to stay there, understand? Only don't tell me you're innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry. Now, who approached you? Tattaglia or Barzini?
Carlo: It was Barzini.
Michael: Good.
Carlo: It was Barzini.
Michael: Good.