Best Godfather scene/line

Vito Corleone: [in Italian] Do me this favor. I won't forget it. Ask your friends in the neighborhood about me. They'll tell you I know how to return a favor.

 

I agree that the baptism scene in I ranks among the best scenes in movie history, even though the crying baby kind of bothers me because the baby we see ISN'T crying and I see no other babies in the church. But that's all right, the scene is still great.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli is at the top of many great lines, but lately I've liked when Tessio knows he's going to get whacked and says to Hagen, "Can you give me a break, Tom ... for old times sake?" Tom responds "Can't do it, Sally," with a little smile on his face. I have used that line man times. Can't do it, whoever."

 

Fish: Tell Michael it was just business.

That line comes from a man who is comfortable, at last, with his lot in life.
Such a peaceful line.

 

"I don't want my brother coming out of that bathroom with just his dick in his hand."

"This is the business we've chosen."

And I can't believe no one has offered: "It's not personal ... it's business."

 

The "best veal in the city" line never fails to draw gales of laughter in a restaurant setting.

Bulletproof.

 

...and "I want to hit New York sometime this month," are two of my favorite lines.

My favorite scenes are (like others) the baptism and when Michael offs The Turk and Police Captain. At that moment, he realizes he's all in; he cannot deny his destiny. No matter what, despite being college educated and being a war hero and denouncing his family's business to Kay, Michael is a mobster.

 

Two pages in and I'm the old gal that's got to do it? Sigh ...

"I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom, but I taught her never to dishonor her family. She found a boyfriend; not an Italian. She went to the movies with him; she stayed out late. I didn't protest. Two months ago, he took her for a drive, with another boyfriend. They made her drink whiskey. And then they tried to take advantage of her. She resisted. She kept her honor. So they beat her, like an animal. When I went to the hospital, her nose was a'broken. Her jaw was a'shattered, held together by wire. She couldn't even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the light of my life beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again. I went to the police, like a good American. These two boys were brought to trial. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison - suspended sentence. Suspended sentence! They went free that very day! I stood in the courtroom like a fool. And those two bastards, they smiled at me. Then I said to my wife, for justice, we must go to Don Corleone."

 

And since The Grandpa and I are both dirty WOPs, (I'm Sicilian, the worst kind) we both love this scene:

"You don't understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that movie. That part is perfect for him, it'll make him a big star, and I'm gonna run him out of the business - and let me tell you why: Johnny Fontane ruined one of Woltz International's most valuable proteges. For three years we had her under contract - singing lessons, dancing lessons, acting lessons. I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was gonna make her a big star. And let me be even more frank, just to show you that I'm not a hard-hearted man, and that it's not all dollars and cents: She was beautiful; she was innocent. She was the greatest piece of ass I've ever had, and I've had it 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! No you get the hell out of here. And you tell that gumba that if he wants to try any rough stuff that I ain't no band leader. Yeah, I heard that story."

 

To me the weddng scene is incredible because it's sets everything up. I've used the "First thing you can do is be a man!" line that Corleone laid on Johnny when he was whining in his office about not getting the part.

Loved the scenes with Woltz and Hagen too.

 

Yes, the wedding scene is top-notch. I'm just going to say, as a greasy guinea pig, the first two are the perfect movies.

 

Many already covered. A few more in no particular order:

Michael's eyes just going black as Kay tells him about the abortion.

"... if he should hang himself in his jail cell. Or if he's struck by a bolt of lightning. Then I'm going to blame some of the people in this room. And that I will not forgive."

Senator Geary turning the cannon at Michael; the way he pronounces Enrico Ferrrrrmi; and his sniveling in his tidy whities with the dead hooker bleeding behind him.

"This-sk isk the bisknisk we have chosken. I (enter squeal) didn't asssk who gave the order. tsk"

"They didn't know it was pop's birthday."

Sonny's massacred body on the slab: "What do you want me to do?" The undertaker is an underrated scumbag.

"The FBI guys said Michael Corleone did this and Michael Corleone did that, and I said 'yeahhhh.' " I love Frank Five Angels.

And finally "yeah senator, the family had a lotta buffahs."

I guess G2 is my fav.

 

At this point, let me note that Coppola for all of his skills was working from some great material. The book is filled with wonderful lines and asides.