Painterly old revolver on a burgundy cushion beside a lit lantern.

Original artwork, not a still

Al Capone

You can get a lot further with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word.

— The Untouchables  ·  1987

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker claims courtesy alone has limits, while politeness combined with a weapon gets much better results. The line is darkly witty, treating menace as a persuasive tool that gives gentle words their weight. Its charm rests on the plain admission that fear, not kindness, does the real work.

Context reviewed

Share this quote