45 Best Godfather Quotes & Lessons

Welcome to this collection of The Godfather quotes from the book and movies.

In case you don’t know, The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel of the same name. The film included actors such as Marlon Brando and Al Pacino and was one of the highest-grossing films of its time.

The Godfather Part 2, starring Robert De Niro was released in 1974, and The Godfather Part 3 was released in 1990.

The film gives an insight into the lives of Italian immigrants along with the lives and work of the mafia. It depicts the importance of family, friendship and loyalty. The Godfather movie trilogy has had such an impact that lines and scenes are still commonly referenced today.

Below you’ll find the most famous Godfather quotes and lines, many of which have a valuable lesson to teach you.

The Godfather Quotes From The Book & Movies

Don Vito Corleone Quotes From The Godfather

1. “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” – Don Vito Corleone

2. “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” – Don Vito Corleone

3. “Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold.” – Don Vito Corleone

4. “A friend should always underestimate your virtues and an enemy overestimate your faults.” – Don Vito Corleone

5. “I have learned more from the streets than in any classroom.” – Don Vito Corleone

6. “Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men.” – Don Vito Corleone

7. “You can do anything but never go against the family.” – Don Vito Corleone

8. “Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family.” – Don Vito Corleone

9. “Your enemies always get strong on what you leave behind.” – Don Vito Corleone

10. “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, lies in its loyalty to each other.” – Don Vito Corleone

11. “Time erodes gratitude more quickly than it does beauty!” – Don Vito Corleone

12. “You cannot say ‘no’ to the people you love, not often. That’s the secret. And then when you do, it has to sound like a ‘yes’. Or you have to make them say ‘no.’ You have to take time and trouble.” – Don Vito Corleone

13. “If I can die saying, “Life is so beautiful,” then nothing else is important.” – Don Vito Corleone (inner monologue)

14. “Forgive. Forget. Life is full of misfortunes.” – Don Vito Corleone

15. “I don’t trust society to protect us, I have no intention of placing my fate in the hands of men whose only qualification is that they managed to con a block of people to vote for them.” – Don Vito Corleone

16. “Many young men started down a false path to their true destiny. Time and fortune usually set them aright.” – Don Vito Corleone

17. “The lawyer with the briefcase can steal more money than the man with the gun.” – Don Vito Corleone

18. “When they come… they come at what you love.” – Don Vito Corleone

19. “If I can believe in myself that much, nothing else matters.” – Don Vito Corleone (inner monologue)

20. “I’m not interested in things that don’t concern me.” – Don Vito Corleone

21. “And as I am a reasonable man, I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to find a peaceful solution to these problems.” – Don Vito Corleone

22. “I want reliable people, people who aren’t going to be carried away.” – Don Vito Corleone

23. “You have to take time and trouble.” – Don Vito Corleone

24. “I want you to use all your powers and all your skills.” – Don Vito Corleone

Michael Corleone Quotes From The Godfather

25. “There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” – Michael Corleone

26. “Never let anyone know what you’re thinking.” – Michael Corleone

27. “Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever.” – Michael Corleone

28. “Accidents don’t happen to people who take accidents as a personal insult.” – Michael Corleone

29. “It’s all personal, every bit of business. Every piece of shit every man has to eat every day of his life is personal. They call it business. OK. But it’s personal as hell.” – Michael Corleone

30. “Never hate your enemies. It clouds your judgement.” – Michael Corleone

31. “Soldiers are paid to fight; The rebels aren’t.” – Michael Corleone

32. “I respect those who tell me the truth no matter how hard it is.” – Michael Corleone

33. “He’s been dying from the same heart attack for the last twenty years.” – Michael Corleone

34. “Friendship and money. Oil and water.” – Michael Corleone

More Quotes From The Godfather

35. “Good health is the most important thing. More than success, more than money, more than power.” – Hyman Roth

36. “Finance is a gun. Politics is knowing when to pull the trigger.” – Don Lucchesi

37. “In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns.” – Calo

38. “Great men are not born great, they grow great.”

39. “Italians have a little joke, that the world is so hard a man must have two fathers to look after him, and that’s why they have godfathers.” – Tom Hagen

40. “You know who I am? I’m Moe Greene! I made my bones working hard while you were going out with cheerleaders!” – Moe Greene

41 “We don’t discuss business at the table.” – Sonny Corleone

42. “I don’t like violence, Tom. I’m a businessman. Blood is a big expense.” – Sollozzo

43. “Power wears out those who do not have it.” – Calo

44. “The richest man is the one with the most powerful friends.” – Don Altobello

45. “There are things that have to be done, and you just do them.” – Tom Hagen

Bonus Scene From The Godfather: Respect

This is one of the most famous scenes and the best quotes about respect from The Godfather.

Did you enjoy these quotes?

While the Godfather movies are full of lessons that you won’t want to be applying into your own life, they are full of valuable lessons on family, friendship, business, money and power that you can use.

In this collection of The Godfather quotes I’ve tried to include as many of the best quotes and lines that have a teachable lesson, especially if you’re an entrepreneur.

Did you enjoy these Godfather quotes and lines? Which of these quotes is your favorite? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below and please share this post.