The Godfather Part III (1990)

Al Pacino: Michael Corleone

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Quotes 

• Michael Corleone : Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

• Michael Corleone : Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.

• Michael Corleone : Friends and money - oil and water.

• Michael Corleone : Never let anyone know what you are thinking.

• Michael Corleone : I, uh, betrayed my wife. I betrayed myself. I've killed men, and I 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.

• Michael Corleone : I feel... I'm getting wiser now.

  Kay Corleone : The sicker you get, the wiser you get, huh?

  Michael Corleone : When I'm dead, I'm gonna be really smart.

• Michael Corleone : When they come... they come at what you love.

• Michael Corleone : [to Mary]  I would burn in hell to keep you safe.

• Michael Corleone : Nephew, from this moment on, call yourself Vincent Corleone.

• Michael Corleone : [after learning of Zasa's assassination]  Don't ever give an order like that again. Not while I'm alive.

  Vincent Mancini : Uncle Mike, it had to be done. You were too sick to make a decision. I got the go ahead from Neri and Connie.

  Michael Corleone : Connie.

  Vincent Mancini : It was the right thing to do.

  Michael Corleone : It was not the right thing to do. I command this family, right or wrong. It was not what I wanted! Understand?

  Vincent Mancini : Yes.

  [Michael looks at Neri] 

  Al Neri : Yes.

  [Michael looks at Connie for a long time] 

  Connie : Yes!

  Michael Corleone : Vincent, help me to my bed. I want to talk to you alone.

  Michael Corleone : [Vincent helps Michael into his bed]  My brother, your father, he and I. Opposites. But I never doubted his love. He would do anything for me. But his temper. Clouded his judgement. I don't want to see the same thing happen to you.

• Vincent Mancini : [in the helicopter]  I'd like to take Joey Zasa up in one of these and drop him.

  Michael Corleone : Joey Zasa is nothing. He's a small-time enforcer. He bluffs, threats, but nothing. You can see him coming a mile away.

  Vincent Mancini : We should kill him before he kills...

  Michael Corleone : No! Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

• Michael Corleone : Your enemies always get strong on what you leave behind.

• Michael Corleone : He'd better be careful. It's dangerous to be a honest man.

• Don Lucchesi : It's not personal. It's business.

  Michael Corleone : Very well. You want to do business with me. I will do business with you.

• Vincent Mancini : You had a gun. They only had a knife. You could have talked them into surrendering. Turned them over to the police.

  Vincent Mancini : Hey, Uncle Mike, Zasa sent these guys I was just sending him a message that's all.

  Michael Corleone : Now he has to send you a message back.

  Vincent Mancini : Joey Zasa's gonna send me a message? Joey Zasa's gonna send me a message?

  Connie : Michael, he did the right thing. He got Zasa's name.

  Michael Corleone : What's Joey Zasa got to do this this? Joey Zasa's a patso. Joey Zasa. Alright, you are what you are. It's in your nature. From now on you stick close to me. You don't go anywhere, you don't do anything, you don't talk to anyone without checking with me first, understand?

  Vincent Mancini : Yeah.

  Michael Corleone : I've got problems with the commission, young man!

  Vincent Mancini : Yeah, I know.

  Michael Corleone : You don't make them any easier.

  Vincent Mancini : I know.

  Michael Corleone : Alright, go on. Get out of here.

  Connie : Michael.

  Michael Corleone : Yes.

  Connie : Now they'll fear you.

  Michael Corleone : Maybe they should fear you.

• Michael Corleone : The higher I go, the crookeder it becomes.

• Vincent Mancini : I am your son. Command me in all things.

  Michael Corleone : Give up my daughter. That is the price you pay for the life you choose.

• Michael Corleone : What's wrong with being a lawyer?

  Kay Corleone : Nothing, except he doesn't want it. He loves music he wants his life to be in music.

  Michael Corleone : Well, music is great. I love music but he should finish what he started. Anthony.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : I'm going my own way.

  Michael Corleone : Your own way.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : Uh-huh.

  Michael Corleone : Professional singer.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : That's right.

  Michael Corleone : And what happens if you fail.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : I won't fail.

  Michael Corleone : Men always believe that. With a law degree you're taking on insurance. After that you can do anything you want. You can work for me.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : I will never work for you. I have bad memories.

  Michael Corleone : All families have bad memories.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : I will always be your son, but I will never have anything to do with your business.

  Michael Corleone : Anthony, finish the law degree.

  Anthony Vito Corleone : No.

  Kay Corleone : That he got from you. That "no."

  Michael Corleone : You could have helped me, Kay. You could have helped me to convince him.

  Kay Corleone : Convince him of what?

  Michael Corleone : He throws his life away. He throws greatness away!

  Kay Corleone : This is greatness? You know, Michael, now that you're so respectable I think you're more dangerous than you ever were. In fact, I preferred you when you were just a common Mafia hood.

  Michael Corleone : Alright, can we talk now? Common sense?

  Kay Corleone : Alright. Tony knows you killed Fredo.

  Michael Corleone : Why did you come here?

  Kay Corleone : I came here to protect my son. I didn't come here to see you disguised by your church. I thought that was a shameful ceremony.

• Michael Corleone : I spent my life protecting my son. I spent my life protecting my family!

  Kay Corleone : Let's be reasonable here, Michael. I mean, that's your big thing, isn't it? Reason backed up by murder.

  Michael Corleone : Oh, God, you hate me. You hate me.

  Kay Corleone : No, I don't hate you, Michael. I dread you.

  Michael Corleone : I did what I could, Kay, to protect all of you from the horrors of this world.

  Kay Corleone : But you became my horror. The children still love you, though. Especially Mary.

  Michael Corleone : Well, that's something. We can build on that. For their sake. Let's try.

  Kay Corleone : Only if you let Tony go to live his own life. Away from you.

  Michael Corleone : I'll let Tony go.

  Kay Corleone : Thank you.

• Joey Zasa : The Miucci association and elected you their Italian American man of the year.

  [hands Michael a plaque] 

  Michael Corleone : Oh, Miucci. Who's Miucci?

  Joey Zasa : He's the Italian American who invented the telephone. He did it one year before Alexander Graham Bell.

  Michael Corleone : Oh. And this is the reason you have come to my home on this day.

  Joey Zasa : I have a stone in my shoe, Mr. Corleone. A two-bit punk who works for me. Who thinks he's related to you. A bastard.

  Al Neri : He's here. Vincent Mancini. He's at the party.

  Michael Corleone : Well, bring him in.

  Joey Zasa : I think it's good that we talk. I have a problem. Now I have to find out if it is my problem or your problem.

  Michael Corleone : Joey, your business is your business. I have no interest, no percentages. I'm out.

  Joey Zasa : Good, then it is my problem.

  Connie : [Connie and Vincent enter]  Michael, you know Vincent Mancini. Sonny's boy.

  Vincent Mancini : Hey, how you doin' Mr. Corleone.

  Michael Corleone : How you doing.

  Vincent Mancini : I'm doin' good. How you doin'?

  Michael Corleone : Good.

  Vincent Mancini : Nice party.

  Michael Corleone : Oh, you like it?

  Vincent Mancini : Yeah, I had to sneak in.

  Michael Corleone : Well, you dressed for it. What's the trouble between you and Mr. Joe Zasa?

  Vincent Mancini : Just trouble. I'll take care of it.

  Michael Corleone : That's foolish of you.

  Vincent Mancini : Foolish of me? It's a little foolish of this guy don't you think? Right? RIGHT!

  Michael Corleone : Temper like his father. Vincent, Mr. Joe Zasa now owns what used to be the Corleone family business in New York. Out of the kindness of his heart he gave you a job with his family. Contrary to my advice you took the job. I offered you something better. Something in the legitimate world. You turned me down. Now you both come to me with this bad blood. What do you expect me to do? Am I a gangster?

  Vincent Mancini : No, no, you're not a gangster, Uncle Mike.

  Connie : Michael, that's Papa's old neighborhood now it's a sewer. Zasa runs it like a disgrace the ladies told me.

• Michael Corleone : Italian politics have had these men for centuries. They are the true Mafia.

• B.J. Harrison : [about the pope; before the opera]  The Pope's doing exactly what you said he'd do, he's cleaning house.

  Michael Corleone : He should be careful. It's dangerous to be an honest man.

• [first lines] 

  Michael Corleone : [voiceover]  My dear children: It is now better than several years since I moved to New York, and I haven't seen you as much as I would like to. I hope you will come to the ceremony of papal honors given for my charitable work. The only wealth in this world is children; more than all the money, power on earth, you are my treasure.

• Vincent Mancini : Well you tell him from me, that he can live, or he can die.

  Michael Corleone : Vincent, will you SHUT UP!

• [Michael is kneeling alone in a room at the corpse of Don Tommasino in a coffin] 

  Michael Corleone : Goodbye my old friend. You could have lived a little longer, I could be closer to my dream. You were so loved, Don Tommasino. Why was I so feared, and you so loved? What was it? I was no less honorable. I wanted to do good. What betrayed me? My mind? My heart? Why do I condemn myself so? I swear, on the lives of my children: Give me a chance to redeem myself, and I will sin, no more.

• Johnny Fontaine : It's your favorite song, Michael, where you going?

  Michael Corleone : I'm just gonna go into the kitchen and listen to some Tony Bennett records.

• Michael Corleone : I swear on the lives of my children, give me one last chance to redeem myself and I will sin no more.

• Michael Corleone : [Referring to Vincent and Mary's romance]  But he's your first cousin.

  Mary Corleone : Then I love him first.

• Joey Zasa : I earned that territory with my talent. Commission gave it to me, and you approved.

  Michael Corleone : Yes.

  Vincent Mancini : Hey, Uncle Mike, I came here for the party. I'm not here to ask you for any kind of help. I could just kill this bastard. He's the one who needs the help.

  Michael Corleone : So kill him. What does all this have to do with me?

  Vincent Mancini : Well, he's going around behind your back saying "Fuck Michael Corleone" all the time. See, that's one thing it has to do with you, right?

  Vincent Mancini : [to Zasa]  Say it to his face one time, say it to his face. ONE TIME!

  Joey Zasa : Mr. Corleone, all bastards are liars. Shakespeare wrote poems about it.

  Vincent Mancini : What am I gonna do with this guy, Uncle Mike. WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH THIS GUY!

  Michael Corleone : Joey, if there is some guy running around this city saying "Fuck Michael Corleone," what do we do with a piece of shit like that? He's a fuckin' dog.

  Joey Zasa : Yes, it's true, if anyone would say such a thing they would not be a friend, they would be a dog.

  Michael Corleone : My interests don't conflict with Mr. Joe Zasa's.

  Vincent Mancini : Oh you don't know how much your interests conflict with Mr. Joe Zasa's, Uncle Michael.

  Connie : He needs your support, Michael!

  Vincent Mancini : Don't let me work for this guy no more, Uncle Mike. Let me come work for you.

  Michael Corleone : For me? As what? Tough guy? I don't need tough guys. I need more lawyers. Since we have no conflicts, no debts, I accept your tribute. I wish you well. Vincent, make your peace with Mr. Joe Zasa, come on.

  Joey Zasa : [Vincent hugs Zasa]  Bastardo.

  Michael Corleone : [Vincent bites Zasa's ear and Zasa is taken out of the office]  Oh, Jesus Christ! Close it.

  Vincent Mancini : Hey Uncle Mike, I told Connie this wasn't the right time for this. I mean, I know you're into bankers and Wall Street but everyone knows you're the final word, you're like the Supreme Court! All I want to do is protect you from these guys and your lawyers can't do that.

  Michael Corleone : But you can.

  Vincent Mancini : Yeah, I can do that.

  Michael Corleone : And why should I be afraid of Joe Zasa?

  Vincent Mancini : Well, he knows you're stopping him from rising up in the commission, Uncle Mike. I say we make him dead. You give me the order and I'll take care of it.

  Michael Corleone : You'll take care of it? Maybe you should come with me for a few weeks. See what happens. See if you learn. Then, we'll talk about your future.

  Vincent Mancini : I won't let you down.

  Michael Corleone : Alright, go on.

• Michael Corleone : Kay, I had a very different destiny planned for us.

• Michael Corleone : [delirious]  Altobello, you FUCK! You deceitful old fuck!

• Don Altobello : Treachery is everywhere.

  Michael Corleone : You still have your fingers on the strings, even now.

• Michael Corleone : Joey Zasa's a pazzo!

• Connie : Now they'll fear you. Michael.

  Michael Corleone : Maybe they should fear YOU!

• Michael Corleone : If someone is going around this city saying, "Fuck Michael Corleone," what do we do with a piece of shit like that? He's a fuckin' dog.

  Joey Zasa : Yes, it's true. If someone were to say such a thing, they would not be a friend. They would be a dog.

• Michael Corleone : Do you still fear me Kay?

  Kay Corleone : I don't fear you Michael, I just dread you.

• Michael Corleone : Vincent, would you SHADDUP?

• Michael Corleone : Let's get a message to Joey Zasa. I respect what he's done. The new overthrows the old. It's natural.

• Michael Corleone : Don't do anything. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open.