The Godfather Quotes

Context

This bit of advice is said by Peter Clemenza, played by Richard Castellano, in The Godfather (directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972).

Here's a mobster's to-do list:

• Get a ride from your henchman.
• Pick up cannoli for your wife.
• Whack Paulie Gatto.
• Eat cannoli.

Easy peasy, right? After having his henchman, Rocco Lampone, shoot Paulie Gatto, mob boss Vito Corleone's ex-driver, Clemenza, tells Lampone, "Leave the gun, take the cannoli." 

Priorities.

Where you've heard it

You've heard this at any Italian bakery (even if there aren't guns on the premises), probably by a dad being dad-funny and telling a priceless dad-joke.

Additional Notable References

• Any time a mobster movie mentions cannoli, it's probably because of this scene (see: The Departed).
• Essayist Sarah Vowell has an essay and an essay collection titled Take the Cannoli, borrowed from this scene. 
• You can get the saying on a t-shirt...or an iPhone case.

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.

Cannoli are good, but they're not worth killing someone over. Okay, maybe the pistachio ones.