53 years later, every Godfather fan still remembers this line, one of the most famous in cinema.

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, considered by many moviegoers to be the greatest movie ever made, often tops the rankings produced by movie sites. With an average rating of 4,544 stars out of 5 from AlloCiné viewers, it is also the winner of 3 Oscars (including Best Picture, awarded in 1973).

If Coppola’s monument is among the great classics of the seventh art, it is clearly thanks to its virtuoso staging, the effectiveness of the story, the talent of the actors (Marlon Brando received an Oscar for the role of the best actor), but also thanks. his dialogues.

• 63 years later, we still use this irresistible line coined by the best French dialogue writer.

Meeting with Don Vito Corleone

The brilliant, relentless and instantly legendary lines from The Godfather are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the feature film, from the film’s long and legendary introduction.

It is 1945, on Long Island, at the luxurious estate of Don Vito Corleone, where his daughter’s wedding is taking place. According to Sicilian custom, with the support of his adviser Tom Hagen, the godfather receives the guests who have come to his service one by one.

The audience gets to know Don Corleone better through these long monologues, whispered in the darkness of Vito’s office and with several discussions between the other guests.

The line that interests us here, and which is undoubtedly among the most famous in cinema, takes place in two stages. For the first time, Michael, the youngest son of Vito Corleone, who has returned from the war, explains his father to his lover, Kay, by telling an interesting anecdote, to say the least.

Terrible anecdote

The story concerns Johnny Fontane, a singer whom Vito took under him and who the conductor refused to let go because of his contract. After offering him $10,000 and being turned down, Vito returns to see the conductor and wins his case.

“My father made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.”Michael explains to Kay with chilling simplicity before making his point:

Luke held a gun to his head and my father told the boy that initialing the contract would be his brain or signature.

This chilling anecdote, in addition to perfectly illustrating Vito Corleone’s methods and influence, has the merit of setting the tone for the rest of the film. He also finds a direct echo moments later when John returns to see the Godfather in his office.

After lecturing him and convincing him that he will solve a new problem (this time with the producer), Don Corleone repeats the famous line, now full of meaning:

“I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

This little sentence, which is doubly part of movie history, is also explained a bit later in the film when Hagen visits a producer in Hollywood, famous for the horse scene.

What is your favorite line from a feature film?

(Re)discover The Godfather Trailer…