-------------oOo-------------
Last week I used a quotation from You’ve Got
Mail that declared that The Godfather is the i-ching, Here is the full quotation from that film:
The Godfather is the I Ching. The Godfather is the sum of all wisdom. The Godfather is the answer to any question. What should I pack for my summer vacation? 'Leave the gun, take the cannoli.' What day of the week is it? 'Maunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.' And the answer to your question is 'Go to the mattresses.' You're at war. 'It's not personal, it's business. It's not personal it's business.' Recite that to yourself every time you feel you're losing your nerve. I know you worry about being brave, this is your chance. Fight. Fight to the death.
The following item shows how true those
comments are, using quotations from the films and the book.
It is adapted from the website Everplans at:
-------------oOo-------------
24 Valuable life lessons from The Godfather
The Godfather is more than a movie. It’s a
guide to life, offering endless lessons on how to handle every situation you
may encounter:
________________
"A man who doesn't spend time with his
family can never be a real man."
Context: Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando)
offers this advice to the whimpering Frank Sinatra-esque Johnny Fontane. [The
Godfather]
Life Lesson: It’s your duty to be there for
your family, regardless of the circumstances. This will help protect them while
you're alive, and leave a meaningful legacy after you’re gone.
________________
"Leave the gun, take the cannoli."
Context: Peter Clemenza (Richard S. Castellano)
says this after overseeing the execution of a family rat. The cannoli were for
Clemenza’s wife. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: Keep your priorities straight. And
don't forget to treat yourself, or your better half, after a job well done.
________________
“You can have my answer now, if you like. My
final offer is this: Nothing.”
Context: Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) telling
disrespectful Senator Patrick Geary where to stick his deal. [The Godfather:
Part II]
Life Lesson: Never get bullied into a making a
decision you don’t agree with, even if it means offending someone who’s trying
to intimidate you.
________________
“Among reasonable men problems of business
could always be solved.”
Context: In the novel, Don Vito expresses this
notion to calm the overly emotional singer/actor Fontane before ordering him to
stay in the Corleone house for a month to get healthy. [The Godfather, novel]
Life Lesson: When you’re trying to resolve a
tricky problem, leave it alone, think about it some, and come back to it later.
A solution will always present itself.
________________
"Friendship and money. Oil and
water."
Context: Michael Corleone's response when
Archbishop Gilday tells him “friends” of the church lost a vast sum of money --
close to $800 million! [The Godfather: Part III]
Life Lesson: Don’t assume friends (or family
for that matter) will behave rationally when money is at stake.
________________
“We go to the mattresses.”
Context: Santino "Sonny" Corleone
(James Caan) says this when discussing war with a rival family. The phrase is
used when a mafia family’s soldiers go into hiding -- literally finding an
apartment and putting mattresses on the floor -- and wait undetected until it’s
time to strike. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: When faced with an imminent
problem or threat, don’t brush it off. Hunker down until you come up with a
solution.
________________
"My father taught me many things ... keep
your friends close, but your enemies closer."
Context: After a failed attempt on his life,
Michael explains his revenge plot to longtime family friend and eventual
turncoat Frankie Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). [The Godfather: Part II]
Life Lesson: If you’re acutely familiar with
the negative things in your life, you’ll be able to anticipate them and plan
accordingly. The devil is always in the details.
________________
“Mr. Corleone never asks a second favor once
he's refused the first, understood?”
Context: Consigliere Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall)
tells this to stubborn film producer Jack Woltz, who was refusing to cast
Fontane in a big upcoming Hollywood production. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: It’s not easy for many people to
ask for help, so when someone does you should do your best to accommodate them.
And not just because you could wake up next to a horse’s head.
________________
"It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca
Brasi sleeps with the fishes."
Context: Sonny is dumbfounded when he receives
a fish wrapped in a bulletproof vest. It’s up to Clemenza to translate the
message that one of the family’s most trusted enforcers has been killed. [The
Godfather]
Life Lesson: Symbolism can be clever, but
remember: ABC – Always Be Clear. Unless you're trying to be cryptic, don’t
leave anything behind that’s hard for someone else to interpret if you're not
going to be around to explain it.
________________
"Good health is the most important thing.
More than success, more than money, more than power."
Context: Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) imparting
some wisdom to Michael. [The Godfather: Part II]
Life Lesson: Just because you should always be
planning for the future doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself in the
present. Be good to yourself: eat well, exercise, and try to live forever.
________________
“He's been dying from the same heart attack for
the last twenty years.”
Context: Michael Corleone making a glib comment
about Hyman Roth’s propensity to exaggerate about his dire health. [The
Godfather: Part II]
Life Lesson: Don’t cry wolf too often or people
will doubt your sincerity.
________________
"Never tell anybody outside the family
what you're thinking again."
Context: Don Vito scolding Sonny for speaking
out of turn during a meeting. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: Never frivolously share your
personal plans or information with anyone you don’t fully trust.
________________
"The richest man is the one with the most
powerful friends."
Context: Corleone family friend Don Altobello
(Eli Wallach) offers this sage advice to Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia). [The
Godfather: Part III]
Life Lesson: Choose your friends wisely because
a loyal friend will be there when you need them most.
________________
“It don't make any difference to me what a man
does for a living, you understand.”
Context: Don Vito politely turning down an
offer to enter the narcotics business. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: It's not your place to judge or
get involved when something’s none of your business. Be respectful and wish
them the best while you go your separate ways.
________________
“A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more than
a thousand men with guns.”
Context: Tom explaining to Sonny why finesse is
sometimes more important than muscle. [The Godfather, novel]
Life Lesson: Plan ahead for your family and
loved ones. But if things go south, and your heirs are at odds with each other,
there are a thousand lawyers who’ll be more than happy to step in and hack away
at your estate.
________________
"Never hate your enemies – it affects your
judgment."
Context: Michael says this to a hotheaded
Vincent, who’s begging to “take out” rogue crime boss Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna).
[The Godfather: Part III]
Life Lesson: Don’t let your emotions be the
basis for your decisions.
________________
“Don't ever take sides with anyone against the
family again. Ever.”
Context: Michael scolding his brother Fredo
(John Cazale) after speaking out of turn during a meeting. Sadly, the
simple-minded Fredo never took this advice to heart. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: Keep a unified front at all times,
even if you doubt or disagree with a trusted family member, friend, or advisor.
Voice any concerns you have later in private.
________________
"Just when I thought I was out, they pull
me back in."
Context: Michael expressing anger at how his
efforts to legitimize the “family business” keep getting thwarted. [The
Godfather: Part III]
Life Lesson: Despite your best efforts, things
still might not work out in your favor. That’s life.
________________
“This is business. Not personal.”
Context: Tom trying to keep the family from
declaring all-out war after Don Vito was shot. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: Don’t get too sentimental or
emotional when making decisions that could have devastating consequences.
________________
“Accidents don't happen to people who take
accidents as a personal insult.”
Context: Michael debating Tom’s “this is
business, not personal” viewpoint with a lesson he learned from Don Vito about
how everything is personal. “If a bolt of lightning hit a friend of his the old
man would take it personal. Like God. He knows every feather that falls from
the tail of a sparrow…” [The Godfather, novel]
Life Lesson: If your decisions and wishes are
always clear, precise, and deliberate, they’ll never be misinterpreted.
________________
"Now listen: I want somebody good -- and I
mean very good -- to plant that gun. I don't want my brother coming out of that
toilet with just his dick in his hands, alright?"
Context: Sonny gives this terse advice to
Clemenza and Tom while planning Michael’s hit on a rival crime boss and dirty
police captain. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: When delegating important tasks to
others make sure you’ve covered all the bases and haven’t left any loopholes.
________________
“Yet, he thought, if I can die saying, ‘Life is
so beautiful,’ then nothing else is important. If I can believe in myself that
much, nothing else matters.”
Context: Don Vito's inner monologue of what he
considers to be a life well lived. [The Godfather, novel]
Life Lesson: Wealth and possessions aren’t the measure
of a man’s life. It's the ability to communicate your feelings and love for
your family and friends. Never miss an opportunity to pass on the wisdom of
your life’s journey so the people you leave behind may experience the same joy.
________________
“Just lie here, Pop. I'll take care of you now.
I'm with you now. I'm with you.”
Context: While his father was recovering from a
damaging assassination attempt, Michael offered these words of love and
comfort, causing the great Don Vito to weep tears of happiness. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: It’s never too late for a
reconciliation...until it’s too late.
________________
“I hoped we could come here and reason
together. And, as a reasonable man, I’m willing to do whatever’s necessary to
find a peaceful solution to these problems.”
Context: Don Vito Corleone speaking with the
heads of the five families. [The Godfather]
Life Lesson: Try the peace route first.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.