“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” – Henry Hill, Goodfellas
As far back as I can remember, I am amused with anything mobster. Most especially with mobster movies. With my profile as a single young woman living and working in the city, it’s easy for anyone to stereotype me as someone who’s more into Julia Roberts-romantic-comedy-kind-of-movies. Not that I am against it, it just doesn’t fit me. I can never be at My Bestfriend’s Wedding but rather at Don Vito Corleone’s daughter’s wedding.
That’s just how it is.
Thanks to Coppola and Scorsese (to name a few), I am brainwashed with memorable scenarios and lines from their movies, which gives me insight to my dilemma at times. My dad should be given credit for this too. He used to rent this kind of movies in Betamax / VHS tapes way back. Now we have all the DVD versions of these films, which can only mean one thing, I can watch it over and over again. So much for my mom screaming at me because of our rising electrical bill. But that’s not our topic.
Right now, I'm running down some of the best lines from my all-time favorite mobster movie, The Godfather. It’s practically my bible whenever I want to have clarity on something. It may be weird to you, but if you’re down and confused, The Godfather can never refuse.
Not in particular order. Ok, ok, I jumbled it a little bit based on experience. Yeah.
Rejection
“Mr. Corleone never asks a second favor once he's refused the first, understood?” – Tom Hagen, The Godfather
One of the main reasons why I’ve never been blunt about asking for favors because I’m uneasy about being rejected. It is true for most of my relationships, be it long-term or short-term. It’s simply like this, “Kung ayaw mo, wag mo. (Pero humanda ka rin pagkatapos. Hehe.)” Mismo.
Hope
"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." – Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather
Minus the gun pointing on one’s head, this line translates to me that anything in this world is possible. Better yet, if a woman tells this to her object of affection, we know what that means. But I don’t use this a lot although this may come in handy someday.
Revenge
"It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." –Clemenza, The Godfather
I am actually consoled by this particular scene in the said movie where raw fishes are wrapped in paper and sent to the Corleones. It gives me an idea that I can even send a subtle message to the guys (who rejected me in their own little way, thankyouverymuch) without me being so straightforward. At least I have options.
Note: Yeah, I get rejected too.
Moving On
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." – Clemenza, The Godfather
This is probably one of the best lines from the film because it can translate into any given situation. I remember this line too from "You've Got Mail" movie where Tom Hanks cited this to Meg Ryan over the phone (or through chat?). With my current state of mind (and emotions), I'm interpreting this as moving on with what's ahead in the future instead of dwelling on the past, the bad past. Besides, who doesn't like anything sweet? That's why I’m taking the cannoli instead.
We all have different ways of coping whenever an emotional conflict gets on our way. Some people resort to friends over a cup of coffee and let it all out. Others write (I do, obviously) or do anything creative to take the mind off the confusion even for awhile. As for me, I do some marathons. Mobster movie marathons. It’s practically fool-proof for me, I always get better. After all these years, with happy moments and heartbreaks switching in between, I found my own little friend through these movies.
Besides, you will never sob, when you love the mob.
© 2008 Cat Ramos
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