Original artwork, not a still
That's my family, Kay. It's not me.
— The Godfather • 1972
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Michael means it when he says it, and that is what gives the line its tragic weight: he is the one son meant to escape. The whole film is the story of how that sentence stops being true. Fans quote it as a summary of Michael's arc, and as a line people can say about relatives they love but do not wish to resemble.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The GodfatherShow the scene
At the start of The Godfather (1972), the Corleone family is celebrating Connie's wedding to Carlo Rizzi in the garden of the family compound. War hero Michael has brought his girlfriend Kay Adams, and while Johnny Fontane sings, Kay asks how Johnny's career got so lucky. Michael tells her the story of Don Vito's visit to a bandleader, with Luca Brasi holding a gun to his head and a contract choice between his signature and his brains. Kay is shaken, and Michael closes the story with this reassurance that the family is not him. Right after, Michael asks Tom Hagen to find Sonny and tell him to come to the office.
Sources (2)
- The Godfather transcript (Springfield! Springfield!)wedding-garden scene, Michael and KayReference checked
- Wikipedia: The GodfatherPlotReference checked
Context reviewed
