Of all the themes that Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola explore in “The Godfather” trilogy, the most interesting one is … family. Show Sure, the movies follow themes that include politics, murder, high crimes and misdemeanors, loyalty vs. betrayal, sin (original and otherwise), revolution, drugs and prostitution, the promise of ultimate redemption and the obligatory presence of retribution. But family, that’s the key. Which explains the following list of quotes. All these, in one way or another, are quotes regarding family. They are, in fact, things you might expect to hear hear in a family therapy session. So, welcome to the Top 15 quotes from the Corelone Family Psychology sessions: “Fredo, you’re my older brother, and I love you. But don’t take sides against the family again. Ever.” “I have a sentimental weakness for my children and I spoil them, as you can see. They talk when they should listen.” “In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns.” “Hey, I want somebody good - and I mean very good - to plant that gun. I don’t want my brother coming out of that toilet with just his dick in his hand, all right?” “Tell me. Do you spend time with your family?” “Sure I do.” “Good. Because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” “Some people would pay a lot of money for that information; but then your daughter would lose a father instead of gaining a husband.” “You touch my sister again, I’ll kill you.” “You killed my husband. You waited until our father died so nobody could stop you, and you killed him! You killed him!” “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?” “I don’t want anything to happen to him while my mother’s alive.” “The only wealth in this world is children. More than all the money, power on Earth, you are my treasure.” “I swear on the lives of my children. Give me one last chance to redeem myself, and I will sin no more.” “Give up my daughter. That is the price you pay for the life you choose.” “I, uh, betrayed my wife. I betrayed myself. I’ve killed men, and I’ve ordered men to be killed. No, it’s useless. I killed … I ordered the death of my brother; he injured me. I killed my mother’s son. I killed my father’s son.” “Oh, Michael, Michael, you are blind. I wasn’t a miscarriage. It was an abortion, Michael. Just like our marriage is an abortion, something that’s unholy and evil. I didn’t want your son, Michael.” The Spokesman-Review Newspaper Local journalism is essential. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. "But 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's to be married and you ask me to do murder -- for money" Don Corleone, 00:05:08Even though the world of organized crime in The Godfather is highly illegal, there are certain moral codes that everyone involved recognizes. Don Corleone says this to Amerigo Bonasera, requesting his loyalty in exchange for action. Additionally, this scene demonstrates the nature of Don Corleone's power. He is a godlike figure who commands respect because he obeys the codes of his Old World predecessors. For example, he is in his office doing business during Connie's wedding reception because it is a Sicilian tradition that a man cannot say no to anything on his daughter's wedding day.
On the surface, Tom Hagen seems like he is any other businessman making a deal with Jack Woltz. However, everything he says is loaded with subtext, a device that appears throughout the film. In this way, Coppola establishes particular guidelines of integrity within the world of The Godfather. Tom Hagen never loses control or gets angry. He does not appear to be a criminal, and he does not outwardly threaten the producer. This quote, though somewhat innocuous on the surface, actually has deadly implications, just like Hagen himself. Basically, nobody ever refuses the Don a favor because he has the power to cause them a major amount of pain if they do. Clearly, Jack Woltz requires a demonstration of this power because he has the gall to refuse Don Corleone's request. The next morning, he wakes up with the severed head of his prized horse, Khartoum, in his bedsheets. As a result, Woltz finally understands and grants the favor.
At the beginning of the The Godfather, Don Corleone is in the twilight of his career. He has built his empire and is now enjoying the spoils. However, this also means that there are young, hungry upstarts coming up behind him, threatening the foundation of the Corleone Family's power. Virgil Sollozzo has a profitable narcotics trade, which Tom Hagen and Sonny think could be a beneficial partnership. However, Don Corleone holds on to the strict moral code (based on the traditions of the Old World) that helped him rise to power in the first place, which includes avoiding the murky morality involved in the drug trade. The tension between the older Dons and the younger generation is one of the major themes in The Godfather.
This moment is a crucial turning point for Michael Corleone. After years of refusing to get involved in the Family Business, he decides to dive in. Coppola crafts this scene in an emotionally charged and subjective way, which keeps the audience engaged in Michael's descent into darkness. Michael enters the hospital where his injured, bedridden father is recovering, only to find that all of the guards and caretakers are gone. Michael realizes that his father's life is in danger, and that he is the only person there who can save him. Michael makes his entry into the Family Business based on personal reasons. However, his sense of responsibility and protectiveness is soon clouded by his hunger for power.
This quote captures the difference between Sonny and his brother, Michael. Sonny is not forward thinking, and blindly follows the Old World rules that his father has taught him (like: Never Kill Police). In this moment, Sonny also questions his brother's seriousness, essentially saying that Michael does not have the courage to kill a man in this context, outside the law. As a war hero, it is implied that Michael has killed before, but only within the context of service to his country. His idea to kill Sollozzo and McCluskey will be cold-blooded murder. In the end, it is Michael's disregard for the Old Way of doing things and his calculated demeanor that propel him to power. Meanwhile, Sonny's fiery temperament and puffed-up ego end up costing him his life.
Don Corleone is a master of subtext, which is a result of Francis Ford Coppola's view of The Godfather - using organized crime as a metaphor for capitalism. Corleone never outwardly threatens anyone. He makes them "offers they can't refuse", or calls himself "superstitious" - knowing that everyone around him understands that these are threats on their lives. This is the way that Don Corleone commands respect and fear in equal regard. He portrays himself as a man of morals - a man who refuses to accept certain lines being crossed, when clearly, he is a criminal. He does not apologize for his actions, but also, does not accept defiance.
During the first scene of The Godfather, Michael promises Kay that he is not like his family. In this scene, several years later, he has changed his mind. He asks her to trust him - but at this point, neither of them realize that Michael's quest for legitimacy will cost him everyone he cares about. Michael compares Don Corleone to a Senator or a president, and Kay tells him he is naive - that senators don't have people killed. Michael, meanwhile, tells her that she is naive to think that. This is also a reflection of the way Michael views himself. He believes that because he wants to make the family business legitimate, he is not a criminal - and in this way, he justifies his illegal and often deadly tactics as business strategy. This quote also sets up the dynamic of Michael and Kay's renewed relationship - Michael keeps his business dealings a secret from Kay, even if it means lying to her.
Tom Hagen is part of the Corleone family, but he lacks the cunning and ruthlessness that both Michael and his father possess. In this quote, it seems as though Michael and Don Corleone are trying to squeeze Tom out of his position, but in reality, they are trying to protect him from the bloody massacre that they are planning. Both Michael and Sonny have criticized Tom Hagen for not being a "wartime consigliere" - he is not Sicilian and he thinks pragmatically. It is because of their love for love Tom that they decide to keep him on the legitimate side of the family business as much as possible. They understand and respect his limitations.
Michael says this to his brother, Fredo, after Fredo tries to convince Michael not to buy out Moe Greene from his casino. It is representative of the Corleone family dynamic after Don Corleone's death. When Sonny dies, Don Corleone passes Fredo over and elects Michael as the new Don, which in turn, emasculates Fredo. When Michael arrives in Las Vegas, Fredo is all ready to throw him a party - he enjoys the spoils of the Corleone family's power while being mostly ineffective in their business. Michael, however, just wants to make a deal with Greene and go. Michael's power (both intellectually, personally, and professionally) over his older brother will continue to plague their relationship over the course of The Godfather, Part II, and ultimately becomes a key factor in Michael's moral unraveling.
In this scene at the end of the film, it becomes apparent to Connie that Michael is a much more brutal Don than Vito had been. Michael crosses certain lines that Don Vito never would have, like retaliating against family members. At the end of Don Vito Corleone's life, it is clear that he has been able to maintain his humanity despite the violent nature of his work. He is able to separate himself from the world of organized crime, especially after he turns all his responsibilities over to Michael. At the moment when he dies, Don Corleone is playing in the garden with 3-year old Anthony, like a friendly old grandfather. Michael, however, becomes more and more ruthless as he rises to power - and he chooses business over his most precious relationships - like those with his sister and his wife. Who said never take sides against the family?“Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever.” – Michael Corleone.
What is the main message of The Godfather?Power. In its portrayal of the rise of the Corleone crime Family to power, and its central family's struggle to maintain that power in the face of various competing factions, both inside and outside the family, The Godfather explores the nature of power.
What does The Godfather say about family?“Tell me. Do you spend time with your family?” “Sure I do.” “Good. Because a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.” “Some people would pay a lot of money for that information; but then your daughter would lose a father instead of gaining a husband.”
What is the message of The Godfather 2?While the first film in the series focuses on the hierarchical aspect of the family business, showing how the Corleone family is structured a lot like a corporation, The Godfather: Part II develops this theme further, showing us how the Corleone family operates within a political framework.
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Don t ever take sides against the family meaning
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