The Godfather: Part II Quotes
Shmoop will make you a better lover...of quotes
ALL QUOTES POPULAR BROWSE BY AUTHOR BROWSE BY SOURCE BROWSE BY TOPIC BROWSE BY SUBJECT
Source: The Godfather: Part II
Speaker: Michael Corleone
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Context
This line is spoken by Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) in the movie The Godfather: Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola (1974).
Proving that a sequel can actually be better than the original, The Godfather: Part II continues the story of mafia boss Michael Corleone as he struggles to tighten his grip on his underworld empire. The sequel also gives us flashbacks of his dad Vito Corleone's formative days in Sicily. This quote comes after an assassination attempt on Michael, when he advises one his underlings to pretend like he's cool with the guy who ordered the hit.
Here's an offer you can't refuse: check out the clip here.
Where you've heard it
Did you catch that Pretty Little Liars episode called "Keep Your Friends Close"? Uh-huh, guess what that's referencing? Other pop culture nods have come on Breaking Bad and the X-Files. Also, the line is quoted in High School Musical 3—which, like The Godfather: Part III, proves that making the third one is almost always taking it too far.
Additional Notable References:
TV
Video Games
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Yeah, it's a little pretentious, but mainly we suggest you avoid it for fear of insulting the Don.