The first two entries of The Godfather trilogy are among the most rewatchable Best Picture winners in Hollywood history, and part of the reason why is because they’re also a few of the most quotable works in all of cinema. Francis Ford Coppola‘s mafia franchise is so good that even The Godfather Part III, which is easily the weakest of the three, has some great lines here and there. “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes,” and “I know it was you, Fredo” are among the most famous, but there are so many more that it’s difficult to choose favorites.
It seems that every other line of the first Godfather is widely recognizable in popular culture. A little less so for Part II, and yet they are each so well written that it’s not so hard to find some pieces of dialogue that have gone overlooked. As for Part III, the only truly famous line is when an aging Michael Corleone says “Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in.” Any other memorable line qualifies as underrated. Whether they’re tragic or comedic, the most underrated quotes in the trilogy say just as much about a character and the trilogy’s themes as the famous quotes do.
10 “Finance is a gun. Politics is knowing when to pull the trigger.”
Don Lucchesi, ‘The Godfather Part III’ (1990)
Don Lucchesi (Enzo Robutti) wants to be a friend of the Corleone family, but Vincent (Andy García) tells him that Don Lucchesi is a man of finance and politics—things that Vincent doesn’t understand. So the don asks if he understands guns, preparing two fantastic metaphors: “Finance is a gun. Politics is knowing when to pull the trigger.” The way this man laughs a little before this line, the way he pauses, and the way he raises one eyebrow all make this even better.
Simply put, money is a weapon that should be used in the right ways at the right time: something successful mobsters and politicians both understand. This comparison intriguingly compares the mafia’s tactics with legitimate forms of power. All three films in the Godfather trilogy do this in some way, as when Michael tells Kay she’s being naive for thinking that presidents don’t have men killed, or when he tells Senator Geary they’re both part of the same hypocrisy. Those quotes from the first two movies are much more famous than this moment from the third, yet this is arguably in the same league.
9 “He’s got me waiting in a lobby!”
Frank Pentangeli, ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974)
Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo) has taken over the New York end of the family business since Clemenza’s “heart attack,” and he’s traveled to Nevada to have a very serious conversation with Michael about the Rosato brothers. This should be a pretty simple task, and yet he finds it annoyingly difficult to see the don. When Fredo expresses confusion at this during an ostentatious party, Pentangeli says “He’s got me waiting in a lobby!”
This is one of those moments that hearkens back to the occasional playfulness of the first Godfather film. Fredo remarks that seeing Frank reminds him of New York, and the audience feels that way, too. The way he raises his raspy voice at the notion of waiting to see Michael makes this one of his most amusing scenes, but it also shows just how cold Michael has become with how he deals with family matters. Fredo’s worried expression emphasizes that, too, as he surely wouldn’t treat Frank that way. Pentangeli is one of the most underrated characters in the trilogy, emitting the spirit of the first film while highlighting the contrast between the past and the present.
8 “We’re not taking the picture without Michael.”
Vito Corleone, ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and the family are posing for a picture at Connie’s wedding, but the don doesn’t see Michael. After realizing that his youngest son isn’t here yet, he says “We’re not taking the picture without Michael.” Then he tells the photographer they’ll take the picture later, and everyone gets back to the celebration. It’s interesting how Vito is apparently the only one who cares enough about having everybody in the picture to notice.
Sonny doesn’t seem to mind, and Tom even asks what’s wrong. These guys believe in family, but it seems that Don Corleone’s dedication to his family is stronger. This quick but telling line does two things: it depicts Michael as somewhat removed from the family, and it shows Vito’s stubborn insistence that everyone counts. There’s no use arguing with him about that, which helps imbue family values and warmth into one of the best R-rated gangster movies ever made.
7 “Is this…is this necessary?”
Vito Corleone, ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) tells Don Corleone that Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana) wants to see him, despite not being on the list. The don’s reply is hilarious: “Is this…is this necessary?” He would rather go back to the wedding than talk to a guy whose only request is to thank him. Note that Don Corleone is peering out of the window at first, which is so brightly lit in contrast with the rest of that room, watching Michael enter the party.
Thanks to Brando’s performance, the audience can tell just how exasperated he is with all the requests. The room is still filmed in darkness, too. It’s quite an astonishing change in tone from the opening scene, which was so dramatic and dark in subject matter. But this moment still works perfectly, establishing the man’s power and how easy it can be to lose track of family in the midst of all these business matters. Of course, it also shows just how much family means to Don Corleone.
6 “Don Corleone, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your daughter’s wedding…on the day of your daughter’s wedding.”
Luca Brasi, ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
The dramatic moments in The Godfather are given so much praise that the smaller, more amusing ones are often overlooked. Luca Brasi practicing what he’s going to say to Don Corleone at Connie’s wedding is very funny. However, Brasi’s pitiful execution is even funnier: “Don Corleone, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your daughter’s wedding…” he slowly says with an awkward pronunciation of “daughter’s” as Vito looks at him, politely confused. Luca finally finishes his thought: “on the day of your daughter’s wedding.”
What a wonderfully redundant phrase to end that sentence. Luca looks down at his hands, too, indicating that he apparently wrote this all down ahead of time and still can’t get it right. He was so nervous about a meeting that he himself requested, which compellingly shows just how much fear and respect an intimidating man like Luca holds for the don. Just like the previous entry, this quote (and the whole speech, really) offers some splendidly light yet meaningful humor in one of the darkest rooms in movie history.
5 “The mind suffers, the body cries out.”
Cardinal Lamberto, ‘The Godfather Part III’ (1990)
While speaking to Cardinal Lamberto (Raf Vollone), Michael’s blood sugar has dropped so low that he needs to sit down and ask for something sweet. After drinking some orange juice and a piece of candy, Michael explains that sometimes this happens when he’s under stress. It’s a humbling moment for such a powerful man, and the cardinal is very graceful in his response: “The mind suffers, the body cries out.”
Wise words, and poetically crafted ones at that. They show that Michael’s diabetic condition was a very deliberate choice by the screenwriters. The Godfather Part III is about an aging Michael’s attempt to somehow redeem himself, in light of all the horrible sins he has committed. Michael is so desperate to cleanse his soul that his body is breaking down. Notably, this is also the point when the cardinal sees that this man may need to make a confession. The following (and surprisingly moving) sequence will confirm that Lamberto’s instincts were correct.
4 “You need me, Michael. I want to take care of you now.”
Connie Corleone, ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974)
Connie (Talia Shire) has a very compelling arc throughout the trilogy, and one of her strongest moments is when she convinces Michael to make up with Fredo (at least on the surface). Near the end of Part II, she tells the don she wants to stay close to him, which Michael had asked her to do at the beginning of the film. She forgives him for killing her first husband, and she begs him to forgive Fredo. After Michael hesitates, she insists “You need me, Michael. I want to take care of you now.”
The implication seems to be that if Michael is going to have Connie stay with him, then he’s got to make up with his older brother, too. More importantly, Connie seems to have become much more mature than before. Despite kneeling before him and performing the typical formalities of speaking to the don, Connie lets him know that he needs help. For at least the moment, the Corleone sister reminds him of the importance of family, making this one of the best quotes from The Godfather Part II.
3 “Your life could be redeemed, but I know that you don’t believe that. You will not change.”
Cardinal Lamberto, ‘The Godfather Part III’ (1990)
There are quotes that sum up the Corleone family throughout the trilogy, and there are quotes that sum up one of the movies specifically. What Cardinal Lamberto tells Michael after the don’s confession arguably summarizes Part III. As Michael breaks down crying, Cardinal Lamberto doesn’t sugarcoat his response. After telling him how awful those sins are, he says matter-of-factly, “Your life could be redeemed, but I know that you don’t believe that. You will not change.”
At this point, the viewer sees Michael hunched over as the cardinal stands tall and looks at him in pity. The power dynamic between them is beautifully conveyed, as Lamberto’s brief glimpse into Michael’s soul is enough for him to judge this man’s character and unconventionally tell him what he honestly thinks. Lamberto’s rather dark insight doesn’t make the confession less meaningful, though. It exemplifies it; it makes this wonderful scene more realistic. After all, this is no ordinary level of sin, and the movie’s refusal to over-romanticize the confession supports its theme of how Michael has simply done too much to redeem himself (despite his best efforts).
2 “I always wanted to be thought of as a brother by you, Mikey. A real brother.”
Tom Hagen, ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974)
After the botched attempt on his life, Michael talks to Tom alone. After suggesting that he doesn’t think very highly of Fredo, Michael tells Tom that he’s his brother. Tom’s response is somber: “I always wanted to be thought of as a brother by you, Mikey. A real brother.” The way he looks down and sighs before saying that suggests an inner sadness at the idea. Robert Duvall’s delivery of the line is so sad, too, as if his wish were never fulfilled.
The words themselves speak to the difference between what Michael tells him and how he feels. On the surface, it sounds like Tom is trying to show he appreciates the compliment. But the fact that he “always wanted’ to be thought of that way makes it seem like this was a dream that never came true, which isn’t shocking given how Michael has been keeping him out of the loop. The informal “Mikey” hearkens back to a time when they might have had a warmer relationship, and the way he says “A real brother” makes the idea seem out of reach. Tom will always be the foster brother.
1 “You know, Mike, we was all proud of you—being a hero and all. Your father, too.”
Peter Clemenza, ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
As Clemenza (Richard Castellano) hands Michael the gun he’ll use to kill Sollozzo and McClusky, the seasoned gangster boss says “You know, Mike, we was all proud of you—being a war hero and all. Your father, too.” It’s such a sad moment, watching this young man go from war hero to double-homicide suspect. Mike then shoots the gun for practice, conveying the transition from respected civilian to mobster. It’s important to remember that Don Corleone didn’t want his son involved in the mob in the first place, and this quote points to that.
However, it also suggests that Michael likely thought that everyone didn’t like that he joined the army. Maybe a sense of guilt for not following his father’s plan is part of the reason why Michael is sacrificing his crime-free future to protect the don now. In any case, Clemenza’s words would fit perfectly into a eulogy. When Michael wordlessly takes that practice shot at the end of the scene, it looks like he’s killing a part of himself. Few lines encapsulate Michael’s character so tragically, making this largely neglected line one that rivals what most fans consider the best quotes in The Godfather.
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