Corleone Quotes

He smelled the garden, the yellow shield of light smote his eyes, and he whispered, "Life is so beautiful."
...
Yes, he thought, if I can die saying, "Life is so beautiful," then nothing else is important. ~ Mario Puzo

Do we root for Michael Corleone in the 'Godfather' films? I think so, even if he is a monster. ~ Jacques Audiard

That night a bomb exploded in the Corleone Family mall in Long Beach, thrown from a car that pulled up to the chain, then roared away. That night also two button men of the Corleone Family were killed as they peaceably ate their dinner in a small Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. The Five Families War of 1946 had begun. ~ Mario Puzo

Why should I be afraid now? Strange men have come to kill me ever since I was twelve years old. ~ Mario Puzo

Brando said he'd noticed that powerful people spoke quietly, and Don Corleone's quiet calm and nearly inaudible speaking voice are key to the character. When Corleone speaks, you have to be quiet to hear him. What can we learn from Don Corleone (that doesn't involve killing people)? That quiet does have its own power, if we harness it. ~ Sophia Dembling

utilitarian office ~ Douglas Corleone

No, that's not possible," Michael said. "Killed, yes; jail, no. ~ Mario Puzo

He had no illusions about the dangerousness of his mission. He spent the first year meeting with different chiefs of gangs in New York, laying the groundwork, sounding them out, proposing spheres of influence that would be honored by a loosely bound confederated council. But there were too many factions, too many special interests that conflicted. Agreement was impossible. Like other great rulers and lawgivers in history Don Corleone decided that order and peace were impossible until the number of reigning states had been reduced to a manageable number. ~ Mario Puzo

A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns. ~ Mario Puzo

Every man has but one destiny Veto Corleone ~ Mario Puzo

There are three things I like about cannoli; they are a wonderfully greedy pleasure known the world over, their cameo appearance in The Godfather was made famous by Corleone family capo, "Fat Pete" Clemenza, and they don't use their celebrity status to tell me how to live my life. ~ Anthony P. Mauro, Sr

Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost the equal of family. Never forget that. If you had built up a wall of friendship you wouldn't have to ask me to help. - Don Corleone ~ Mario Puzo

I'll reason with him", Vito Corleone said.It was to become a famous phrase in the years to come.It was to become the warning rattle before the deadly strike.

- The Godfather. ~ Mario Puzo

The hardest achievement in acting - in my opinion, anyway - is nailing a role that absolutely nobody else could have played. Pacino owned Michael Corleone ... but DeNiro could have owned it as well. Who else, though, but Val Kilmer could have nailed Jim Morrison? Does anyone besides Will Ferrell pull off Ron Burgundy? ~ Bill Simmons

It wasn't Glen's jealousy that surprised him. "You owe Roy money?"
"Yep. Borrowed it to get my truck painted."
"Roy's a loan shark, too?"
"You ever see JAWS?" Snakebite asked.
Glen said he had.
"How 'bout THE GODFATHER?"
"Yeah."
"Well, if Michael Corleone waded out in the ocean and fucked that shark, then you'd have old Roy."
from the Tom Franklin short story "Grit" (page 31) from POACHERS:STORIES ~ Tom Franklin

Here's a lesson for you, Sonny: Don't write if you can talk, don' talk if you can nod your head, don't nod if you don't have to ~ Ed Falco

Chasing Around Woman is not considered manly among Italins, It's a sign of weak character ~ Ed Falco

The other Dons in the room applauded and rose to shake hands with everybody in sight and to congratulate Don Corleone and Don Tattaglia on their new friendship. It was not perhaps the warmest friendship in the world, they would not send each other Christmas gift greetings, but they would not murder each other. That was friendship enough in this world, all that was needed. ~ Mario Puzo

For the first time the Don showed annoyance. He poured another glass of anisette and drank it down. He pointed a finger at his son. "You want to learn," he said. "Now listen to me. A man's first duty is to keep himself alive. Then comes what everyone else calls honor. This dishonor, as you call it, I willingly take upon myself. I did it to save your life as you once took on dishonor to save mine. You would have never left Sicily alive without Don Croce's protection. So be it. Do you want to be a hero like Guiliano, a legend? And dead? I love him as the son of my dear friends, but I do not envy him his fame. You are alive and he is dead. Always remember that and live your life not be be a hero but to remain alive. With time, heroes seem a little foolish."

Michael sighed. "Guiliano had no choice," he said.

"We are more fortunate," the Don said.

It was the first lesson Michael received from his father and the one he learned best. It was to color his future life, persuade him to make terrible decisions he could never have dreamed of making before. It changed his perception of honor and heroism. It helped him survive, but it made him unhappy. For despite the fact that his father did not envy Guiliano, Michael did. ~ Mario Puzo

Michael Corleone understood for the first time why men like his father chose to become thieves and murderers rather than members of the legal society. The poverty and fear and degradation were too awful to be acceptable to any man of spirit. ~ Mario Puzo

It was not perhaps the warmest friendship in the world, they would not send each other Christmas gift greetings, but they would not murder each other. ~ Mario Puzo

I can't remember the last time I was bored. ~ Carolyn Murphy

Michael: Barzini will set me up through somebody close ... that, supposedly, I won't suspect.
Hagen: Somebody like me.
Michael: You're Irish, they won't trust you.
Hagen: I'm German-American.
Michael: To them that's Irish. ~ Mario Puzo

So Don Corleone himself was not angry. He had long ago learned that society imposes insults that must be borne, comforted by the knowledge that in this world there comes a time when the most humble of men, if he keeps his eyes open, can take his revenge on the most powerful. It was this knowledge that ~ Mario Puzo

I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men. ~ Mario Puzo

The gunman said, Fabrizzio,Michael Corleone sends you his regards. ~ Mario Puzo

Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family.- Don Corleone ~ Mario Puzo

Let's put it in old movie Mafia terms. There are guys that are in position to get by but they didn't wait their turn. They back-doored the top guy to get the power. For example, Sonny Corleone went up there, and he wanted to be the top guy. And the Godfather said, 'You know what dude, I'm a star.' That's what I'm doing now, and that's what I was trying to do with what's-his-name. ~ Shaquille O'Neal

I was up for Michael Corleone in 'The Godfather,' but, as I was only 10 at the time, I think Mr. Coppola made the right choice. The Julia Roberts role in 'Pretty Woman' held a bizarre allure for me. But, it's silly to look back with regret. ~ Eric Stoltz

Wasn't it true that Sometimes the greatest misfortunes brought unforseen rewards? -Don Corleone ~ Mario Puzo

I got a stone in my shoe, Mr. Corleone,' " I said, quoting from the third Godfather movie. ~ Joseph Finder

Revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold. ~ Mario Puzo

I always thought that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the strings. ~ Vito Corleone