Business or personal?

When Michael arrived at the Compound following Vito's shooting, he advised Sonny to "wait" before declaring war on Tattaglia and Solozzo. But, after visiting the hospital, finding no bodyguards for Vito, and having his jaw broken by McCluskey, he changed his tune: "You can't wait," and volunteered to kill both. Sonny jocularly accused Michael of taking " very, very personal," but Michael replied, deadly serious, that "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business." End of discussion.

Do you think Michael's change of mind was personal? Or business?

It's one of the weirder little changes from book to movie, isn't it? In the book, Michael says everything's personal, in the movie it's strictly business. I guess one way to square it is to note that in the novel Michael is saying what he's learned from Vito, and that it might not reflect what Michael feels in his gut.

Interesting observation. He definitely did take it personal. I haven't read the book in alot of years but of course the movie is vivid in my mind like I saw it yesterday. The "strictly business" line is better movie line for sure and its genuine to real CN but they didn't really explore who, mentally how he got to that 'understanding' of the life. Obviously being a military man he understood strategy and powerplays but the "mafia mentality" is very specific thought process, they delved into alittle when Vito had the "Traitor" conversation with Michael

"Business or personal" always seemed like a false dichotomy to me. They're always intertwined.

He steered his business interests to follow his personal desire for (his vision of) legitimacy. But it still was good business.

He killed his brother out of anger ("He injured me."). But that probably helped him in business, burnishing his fearsome reputation.

The same applies here. He was angry and terrified that his father might be murdered. He wanted to get McCluskey back for breaking his jaw. So, in that sense it was personal. But it was also the best move strategically. They did need to kill the Turk and there seemed to be no other way than for Michael to do it himself.

To me, Michael was successful because he was able to use his personal motivations to improve his business.

Woltz, you hit the nail on the head. They are intertwined; it's like the chicken or the egg. Which leads to which? For me, it's always personal. Ambition, fear, desire, joy, sorrow. In the end it's all personal

You could say that it was a combination of personal and business. In the passage from the novel Pete referenced, Michael said that Vito's taking everything personally ("He knows every feather falling from the tail of every swallow...and no accidents happen to people who take everything personally," or something like that) was the key to his greatness, and thus his effectiveness.

In the movie, I believe Michael's decision was personal and business. Personal maybe partly because he wanted to avenge himself on Mac, but more, I think, because he had a personal epiphany in the hospital: When he said, "I'm with you now, Pop," I (and many others here) believe he meant more than just physical proximity to his father. He was deciding to become an integral part of the family business.

I seldom disagree with you TB, but I do about the hospital scene.

Both the novel and the movie (less so than the novel, but equally so if one views the deleted scenes), make the point that Michael was estranged from his father, at least from his father's direction. When he told Vito in the hospital that he was with him, he was telling him that he, AS A SON, was with him. He was not telling Vito that he was with him as a prospective mafioso ready to take part in the family business.

I always thought (In the movie) Michaels's reply is almost making fun of the "It's strictly business" axiom always said to him...at that point.

Like of course it's personal. Michael see's the hypocrisy, even in his brother Santino taking it personal (Arguing with Tom) Sonny mocks Michael a little bit, and being hypocritical himself.

So Michael's reply is matching his brothers' tone back to him.

I like your take on it whisper..

among others -

I too think every action [eg: the key is to kill Pop] or non-action [eg: no enquiries regarding Sonny's murder] - immediate or later, biding the right time to strike is both personal and business

Sure thing Personal and business “always intertwined” the “combination of personal and business” “was the key to [both Vito and Michael] greatness, and thus their effectiveness”

That's why the Corleones' strategy was so great and effective! Keeping the enemies close, confident and relaxed Surprise element

• What would your take be?

If Tom hadn't turned up when he did ie: Michael had already been taken in by the Police Captain McCluskey and there was nobody around

What can the Corleone man, Detective Phillips do? Phillips would let the Corleones know about Michael's ride in the paddy wagon but what can Sonny do?

Michael was a dead man Michael would be worked over and disappeared altogether Michael's body never found

McCluskey would say he knows nothing never saw Michael
Who is going to dispute the New York Police Captain Anyway nothing could come out it

Vito was sick even if Tom managed to arrange the private detectives to guard Vito in the hospital What can Vito do same as Sonny

Nobody had ever messed with the New York Police captain before....!

I think McCluskey was done with Michael after he broke his jaw. I don't think he intended to arrest him. No need to, in McCluskey's mind.
But, if he'd been arrested for the murder of Mac and Sol, Michael would have been a dead man before he reached a police station or a court--"killed resisting arrest" or some such euphemism. Happened all the time in NYC in the Forties.

Thanks Turnbull makes sense

I hear him as saying "I'm with you now" with emphasis on the "I'm". As in not these useless clowns who all managed to get themselves arrested. It's a son reassuring his father and has nothing to do with future mob activities. It was strictly in the here and now.