Extract From The Godfather

Why did you go the police? Why didn’t you come to me first?
What do you want of me? Tell me anything, but do what I beg you to do.
What is that? (murmuring) (think for a second) That I cannot do.
I will give you anything you ask.
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. You never wanted my friendship and you were afraid to be in my debt.
I didn’t want to get into trouble.
I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living. Police protected you, and there were courts of law. And you didn’t need a friend like me. 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 is to be married and you ask me to do murder for money.
I ask you for justice.
That is not justice. Your daughter is still alive.
They must suffer then as she suffers. How much shall I pay you?
Bonasera. Bonasera. What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you’d come to me in friendship then the scum 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.
Be my friend? Godfather.
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.
Grazie, Godfather.

I don’t know what to do. My voice is weak. It’s weak. Anyway, if I had this part in the picture, you know, it puts me right back up on top again. But this man out there, he won’t give it to me. The head of the studio.
What’s his name?
Woltz. He won’t give it to me. And he says there is no chance, no chance. A month ago, he bought the movie rights to this book. A best seller. And the main character is a guy just like me. Why, I wouldn’t even have to act. Just be myself. Oh, Godfather, I don’t know what to do.
You act like a man! What’s the matter with you? Is this how you turned out? A Hollywood finocchio that cries like a woman? “What can I do? What can I do?” What is that nonsense? Ridiculous. You spend time with your family?
Sure I do.
Good. Because the 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 to rest well, and a month from now this Hollywood big shot’s gonna give you what you want.
Too late. They start shooting in a week.
I’m gonna make him an offer he cannot refuse. Now just go outside, enjoy yourself and forget about all the nonsense. Listen. I want to leave it all to me.
All right.

All right, start talking.
I was sent by a friend of Johnny Fontane. This friend is my client and would give his undying friendship to Mr. Woltz if Mr. Woltz would grant us a small favor.
Woltz is listening.
Give Johnny the part in that new war film you’re starting next week.
And what favor would your friend grant Mr. Woltz?
You’re gonna have some union problems. My client could make them disappear. Also, one of your top stars has just moved from marijuana to heroin.
Are you trying to muscle me?
Absolute not.
Listen to me, you smooth-talking son of a bitch! Let me lay it on the line for you and your boss, whoever he is! Johnny Fontane will never get that movie. I don’t care how many dago, guinea, wop greaseball goombahs come outta the woodwork.
I’m German-Irish.
Well, let me tell you something, my kraut mick friend. I’m gonna make so much trouble for you, you won’t know what hit you.
I’m a lawyer. I have not threatened
I know almost every big lawyer in New York. Who the hell are you?
I have a special practice. I handle one client. Now, you have my number. I’ll wait for your call. By the way, I admire your pictures very much.

Mr. Corleone is Johnny’s Godfather. To the Italian people, that’s a very religious, sacred, close relationship.
I respect that. Just tell him he should ask me anything else. But this is one favor I can’t give him.
He never asks a second favor when he’s been refused the first. Understood?
You don’t understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that movie. That part’s perfect for him. It’ll make him a big star. I’m gonna run him out of the business. Let me tell you why. Johnny Fontane ruined one of Woltz International’s most valuable proteges. For five years, we had her under training, singing lessons, acting lessons, dancing lessons. I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on her. I was gonna make her a big star. And let me be even more frank. Just to show you that I’m not hard-hearted man that it’s not all dollars and cents. She was beautiful. She was young. She was innocent! She was the greatest piece of the ass I’ve ever had and I’ve 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 goombah tries any rough stuff, you tell him I ain’t no bandleader. Yeah, I heard that story.
Thank you for the dinner and a very pleasant evening. If your car could take me to the airport. Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately.

I said that I would see you because I heard that you were a serious man to be treated with respect. But I must say no to you. And I’ll give you my reason. It’s true. I have a log of friends in politics. But they wouldn’t be friendly very long if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they regard as a harmless vice. But drugs is a dirty business.
No. Don Corleone.
It doesn’t make any difference to me what a man does for a living, you understand. But your business is a little dangerous.
If you worried about security for your million, the Tattaglias will guarantee it.
You’re telling me the Tattaglias guarantee our investment.
Wait a minute. I have a sentimental weakness for my children and I spoil them, as you can see. They talk when they should listen. But anyway, Sinor Sollozo, my no is final. And I wish to congratulate you on your new business. I know you’ll do very well, and good luck to you, especially since your interests don’t conflict with mine. Thank you.

Santino. Come here. What’s the matter with you? I think your brain is going soft from all the comedy you’re playing with that young girl. Never tell anybody outside the family what you’re thinking again. Go on.

I apologize if I offended you. I’m a stranger in this country. And I meant no disrespect to you or your daughter. I’m an American hiding in Sicily. My name is Michael Corleone. There are people who would pay a log of money for that information. But then your daughter would lose a father instead of gaining a husband. I want to meet your daughter with your permission and under the supervision of your family with all respect.

Give me a drop. My wife is crying upstairs. I hear cars coming to the house. Consigliere of mine, I think you should tell your Don what everyone seems to know.
I didn’t tell Mama anything. I was about to come up and wake you just now and tell you.
But you needed a drink first. Now you’ve had your drink.
They shot Sonny on the causeway. He’s dead.
I want no inquiries made. I want no acts of vengeance. I want you to arrange a meeting with the heads of the Five Families. This war stops now.

Your father did business with Hyman Roth. Your father respected Hyman Roth. But your father never trusted Hyman Roth or his Sicilian messenger boy Johnny Ola. If you’ll excuse me, I’m tired and a little drunk. And I just want everybody here to know, there ain’t gonna be no trouble from me. Don Corleone.
You want him to leave now?
Let him go back to New York. I’ve already made my plans. The old man had too much wine. It’s late.

See. All our people are businessmen. Their loyalty is based on that. One thing I learned from Pop was to try to think as people around you think. Well on that basis, anything is possible.

Vito, how do you like my little angel? Isn’t she beautiful?
She’s very beautiful. To you, she’s beautiful. For me, there is only my wife and son.

If you’re happy, I’m happy.

I’m not interested in things that don’t concern me.

Tell me something, Ma. What did Papa think deep in his mind? He was being strong. Strong for his family. But by being strong for his family, could he lose it?
You are thinking about your wife about the baby you lost. But you and your wife can always have another baby.
No, I meant lose his family.
But you can never lose your family.
Times are changing.

It’s not impossible. Nothing is impossible.
It would be like trying to kill the president. There’s no way we can get to him.
Tom, now you surprise me. If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it’s that you can kill anyone. Rocco?
Difficult. Not impossible.
Good.
Why did you ask me if something was wrong when I came in?
I thought you were going to that you were moving your family to Vegas. And that you’d been offered the Vice President of the Houston Hotel there. I thought you’d tell me that.
I turned them down. Do I have to tell you every offer that I turn down?
Let’s do business.
All right. Just consider this, Michael. That’s all. Just consider it. Roth and the Rosatos are on the run. Are they worth it? Are we strong enough? Is it worth it? You’ve won. Do you want to wipe everybody out?
I don’t feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies, that’s all. You gonna come along with me in these things I have to do, or what. Because if not, you can take your wife, your family, and your mistress, and move ‘em all to Las Vegas.
Why do you hurt me, Michael? I’ve always been loyal to you. I mean, what is this?
So you’re staying?
Yes, I’m staying.

Tom, what do I do now?
Frankie. You were always interested in politics and history. I remember you talked about Hitler back in ‘33.
Yeah, I still read a lot. I get good stuff in there.
You were around the old timers, agreeing how the family should be organized, based on the old home allegiance and called them regimes, capos and soldiers. And it worked.
Yeah, it worked. Those were the great old days, you know. We was like the Roman Empire. The Corleone family was like the Roman Empire.
Yeah, it was once. Frankie. When a plot against the Emperor failed, the plotters were always given a chance to let their family keep their fortunes. Right?
Yeah, but only the rich guys, Tom. The little guys got knocked off and all their estates went to the Emperor. Unless they went home and killed themselves, then nothing happened. And their families were taken care of, Tom.
That was a good break. A nice deal.
Yeah, they went home and sat in a hot bath, opened up their veins and bled to death. And sometimes they had a little party before they did it.
Don’t worry about anything, Frankie Five-Angels.
Thanks, Tom. Thanks. See you, Tom.
Addio, Frankie.

It seems in today’s world, the power to absolve debt is greater than the power of forgiveness. 600 million dollars.
Don’t overestimate the power of forgiveness.

I have always believed helping your fellow man is profitable in every sense, personally and bottom-line.

I know. But they’re unhappy.
And you?
I ask nothing for myself. Only peace in my old age. But I must please the world around me. Michael, your father was a reasonable man. Learn from him.
I learned many things from my father. Call a meeting, my friend. So there are no debts or grudges. We will make the peace. You and I.

I understand. Your tactics are despicable.
Well, that’s quite an indictment, coming from a Corleone.
Gentlemen. Remember you’re in the Vatican. Please.
What is it that you want?
Yes. You’ll take control. We’ll gladly put you at the helm of our little fleet. But our ships must all sail in the same direction. Otherwise, who can say how long your stay with us will last? It’s not personal. It’s only business. You should understand, Godfather.
Very well. You want to do business with me. I will do business with you. Vipers, all of them.

Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement.

No! I say to all of you. I have been treated this day with no respect. I’ve earned you all money. I’ve made you rich. And I ask for little. Good. You will not give. I’ll take! As for Don Corleone, well he makes it very clear to me today that he is my enemy. You must choose between us.

Never let anyone know what you’re thinking.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

Pray for time, Keinszig. A habit born of a long contemplation of eternity.

The richest man is the one with the most powerful friends. It’s my duty to make the introductions. Don Lucchesi.
Don Altobello tells me you have good character, strong, a man of respect.
This is the hero who put Joey Zasa in his grave. If we’d known if his existence, we would never have backed Joey.
No one wants another Joe. Let me be your friend. Even the strongest man needs friends.
I’m flattered. But you’re the man of finance and politics, Don Lucchesi. These are things I don’t understand.
You understand guns? Finance is a gun. Politics is knowing when to pull the trigger.
How can I help?
Blessed is the peacemaker for he can be called a child of God.

Look at this stone. It has been lying in the water for a very long time but the water has not penetrated it. Look. Perfectly dry. The same thing has happened to men in Europe. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity, but Christ has not penetrated. Christ doesn’t breathe within them.

The mind suffers, and the body cries out.

Would you like to make your confession?
Your Eminence, I’m uh, I’m uh, it’s been so long, I wouldn’t, wouldn’t, wouldn’t know where to uh, it’s been thirty years. I’d, I’d, I’d used up too much of your time, I think.
I always have time to save souls.
I’m beyond redemption.
I hear the confessions of my own priests here. Sometimes the desire to confess is overwhelming and we must seize the moment.
What is the point of confessing, if I don’t repent?
I hear you’re a practical man. What have you got to lose, huh?

All my life, I kept trying to go up in society where everything higher up was legal, straight. But the higher I go, the crookeder it becomes. How in the hell does it end? Killing each other for centuries here. For money, for pride, for family. To keep from becoming the slaves of the rich pezzonovante.

He should be careful. It’s dangerous to be an honest man.