When Michael is by his father's hospital bedside, he tells his father I'm with you now pop, I'll take care of you. Do you think that Micahel meant that in a physical sense, or did Michael realize that from that moment on he would be by his father's side and look out for him in regards to the family business?


Don Cardi

I have a weird take on that statement. I think that Michael was living "2 lifes". The one with his wife and then his family. I really think he knew that he couldn't have both. So when he said "I'm with you now pop" that he was almost "giving up" on his wife. In other words he was telling Vito he would be there for him with everything, including the business and that if Kay wanted to stay with him then she would have to accept the business or leave.

thats a good question, i think it means he's with his father in the buisness,

That question has come up before, and most here think it signifies the moment that Michael decided to reunite with his family and at least open himself up to an active role in the family "business." It's not a coincidence that the next day, he volunteered to do the job on Sollozzo and McCluskey.

Well I think he meant it in a physical sense, trying to comfort his father.

Freddie,

With all due respect, I have to agree with Turnbull on this one. Watch that scene again closely, while Michael is comforting his father, the real message is that from this day forward, I am with you pop, by your side in all that you do in regards to The Family Business. While I believe that Micahel respected his brother Sonny, when he arrived at that hospital and saw that thier were no bodyguards protecting his father, and saw his father's condition, he realized at that moment that Sonny was not the best man to make decisions, and that his father was in and would be in no condition to run the family again. So Michale knew at that moment that he had no choice but to get into the family business.


Don Cardi

i think Michael is talking about the family buisness.besides joining the marines,he hasnt emotionally abandoned his father but never wanted to be involved in organized crime.

Vito smiled after Michael said that...I thought Vito didn't want Michael mixed up in the family business?

Vito smiled becasue his favorite son had come to see him and was at his side. The prodical son returned. Obviously Vito was not in any condition to realize tht his bodyguards had been arrested and that he was left unprotected. Vito was not taking Michael's remarks in a manner that Michael was conveying. He took what Michael said at that moment in the physical sense. Michael meant it as a two fold message.


Don Cardi

Don Cardi and Turnbull, you have both convinced. Why else would that line be needed? It was to tell viewers that Michael was going to join the family business. Thanks

Yes, I agree with Don Cardi. I think Michael was pissed when he saw his father vulnerable in the hospital and was pissed at the way Sonny talked to him on the phone (don't panic)... Michael was smart on his feet and had his "father's genes" and at that moment, he got "involved"....I'm with you now pop...

Yep Don Cardi that is exacly how saw read it.

Its really sad part of the trilogy because it was a turning point in Michaels life, in becoming eventually the Don.

How could he resume hes civilian status now, as he could see he was the one best able to make the decisions which were really about the life and death of he's whole family ? If he left it to Sonny and Tom, they could be wiped out. Key to this was the decision to kill Solotso (scuse spelling) Without Michael they would let the common wisdom prevail about killing policemen, Solotso would live to form an aliance with the other families and . . .

Its horrible not wanting to get involved with something but knowing it will go horribly wrong if you dont.

I don't know if Michael was quite there yet. This is before the scene with Enzo, before McCluskey hits him. I'm not sure that Michael fully realizes yet that Sollozzo had gone to such great lengths to set up the Don again. I think that the statement is meant to comfort his father, but I don't think he had quite crossed that bridge to "the other side".

Sicilian Babe,

Respectfully, I suggest that you go back and veiw that whole series of scenes closely. The moment Michael see his father there lying there unprotected, Michael TOTALLY realized that Sollozo/Barzini would again attempt to kill his father. Then when he hears the footsteps coming down the hospital hallway, his thoughts become very real to him that they are going to kill his father as he is thinking that those footsteps are coming from someone sent to kill Vito. As soon as he realizes that it is Enzo, what is the next thing Michael does? He takes Enzo outside and they stand there acting as though they are guarding the outside of the hospital. These sequences of action by Michael upon his arrival at his unguarded father's hospital bedside leads me to believe that at that very moment Michael relaizes that he must make the
transformation from the son who did not want to get involved to the son who would now have to take care of his father and protect him and the Corleone empire. The confirmation of if he could do it was when the hitmen in the car pull away, Enzo's hands are shaking badly and yet Michael is as calm as a cucumber. That is the defining moment for Michael. "Hey, I can do this!" The ability to hate those who want to hurt his father becomes a realization and consumes him personally when McClusky hits him and breaks his jaw. I view these scenes as a series of events that transform Michael from a civilian to a killer.
1) His calmness and realization that he must be the one to protect his father and be the son to "stay by his side",
2) The defining moment that he can live this life when the hitmen in the car drive away and he is calm and
3) His realization of his ability to hate and do what is neccessary to save the family when McClusky breaks his jaw. These scenes and events are what convey the transformation of Michael's character from civilian to mafia hood.


Don Cardi

The sequence is important because, when Michael sees his father unprotected, his instinct is to protect his father, not necessarily to become the "Don in Waiting." When he says, "I'm with you now, Pop," he might have meant, "I'm with you, physically, here to physically protect you." But when he's outside and McCluskey storms up with his "Guinea hood" line, Michael says, "How much is the Turk paying you to set up my father?" He's already thinking like a Family insider. And the next day, when he volunteers to kill McCluskey and Sollozzo, he's made the complete transition. That's when we know that when he said, "I'm with you now, Pop," he meant, "I'm in the Family business now."

I'm not quite buying it. Yes, I agree that he moves his father's bed, takes Enzo outside, etc., but I believe he is doing it solely to protect his father. Of course he realizes that there is treachery afoot, otherwise his father would not be alone. I feel this is the BEGINNING of his transformation, but I don't think he's quite there yet. He's still sort of standing at the threshold. Yes, he is amazed at his own sense of calm (remember that steady flame!), but until he sees that the police are in on it, THEN I believe he crosses over the line. That's when he realizes his capacity to hate, his rage (yet calmly expressed, unlike Sonny) and his desire to protect not only his father, but his Family. I know I seem to be quibbling over a very small point, but I really don't think that he had yet to make the transition when he whispers to his father.

I tend to go back & forth on this...as to whether Michael's, 'I'm WITH you now...' is in terms of his taking part in the Family Business. Though intent on protecting his father, I can't imagine that this one incident would completely turn Michael's way of thinking around to suddenly desiring an active role with the Family.

By the next morning...after thwarting the 2nd assasination attempt and being slugged by McClusky, THEN he's ready...as we know from his on-the-spot plan on how to do away with Sollozzo.
But still even then, I don't think his interests lie in one day taking over as Don.

Apple

Keeping in mind that Sonny was still alive, I think we can safely assume that he had no interest in being the Don at that point.

Possibly entering the family business, yes, but not to head it.

After Sonny is killed, however, I believe that he saw himself as Don C's successor.

There's a line in the novel, when, after Sonny and Appolonia have both been killed, Michael says to Don Tommasino:

"Tell my father to get me home. Tell my father I wish to be his son."

Yes Plaw, I agree that Michael would never disrespect his older brother by wanting the Donship while Sonny was still alive. However Michael did technically act as his underboss when he devised the plan and made Sonny realize that this is what needed to be done. But I agree that Michael did not even think of taking over as Don while Sonny was still alive, but that he just realized that a plan had to put into action immedeatly or the Corleone's could be done.


Don Cardi

I didn't think any of the lines from the The Godfather were silly. Matter of fact, when I first watched it I didn't know what they were talking about so I ended up watching the movie several times. Many lines did seem vague or like there was something more to them that I was missing. So I read the book and then read what I wanted to know from the Godfather Trilogy website. It became my favorite movie. I truly believe there will never be another movie made like The Godfather again.

And you'd be right on Cathy. Its the greatest film ever made for a good reason, the main one being that there is none better.

My take is that Mike truly means he will be there for his father from now on. Ie, in the family

I think the "I'm with you now pop" is an obvious, yet complex statement. It can have two meanings: I'm with you for comfort, and I pledge my loyalty with this family in business affairs.

The quality of the line is that in which it can have multiple meanings. And in these movies, what makes them so advanced, yet so beautiful, is that things that are said often have either an alternative meaning, or multiple meanings, such as the one we're discussing now.

Also, listen to the way Michael says the line. The tone and emphasis is on the word "with"; it's subtle, but it conveys a stronger meaning than just being in the room. It's the beginning of Michael's immersion into the Family.

This sounds like a lot off good sense to me.

MaryCas, I have to compliment you. That just may be the BEST explaination ever about the start of Michael's transformation.

That WHOLE hospital scene is so important and so key in that it really begins to show us the other side of Michael. From his reading the whole situation when he gets to the Hospital that they are coming back to kill his father and coming up with an instant plan to move his father to another room, to the "I'm with you know pop" line, to the lighting of Enzo's cigarette and right up to the "What's the Turk paying you to set up my father, Captain?" line.

Another example of both literary and cinematic genious.


Don Cardi