In the GF, there are sometimes advises about how one should live.
Do you act like them?
Like "Always keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer". Do you actually act like Don Corleone advised, and stay friends with your enemies? Or maybe "never let anybody outside the family know what you think"?

It sounds silly, but I'm looking forward to hear some reactions.

Great topic, Enzo!
It's not really a specific GF principle but I try never to make threats, I think it's more effective to wait until people realise you're right and then they come running back to apologise! Kinda like Vito with Signore Roberto in Part II. Or Mike with Senator Geary at Lake Tahoe.
Also, I can't remember the exact quote (it may be from the book rather than the film) but I'm sure there's something about letting people underestimate you, so that if they ever cross you, they get much more than they bargained for.

Some of the other ones though, keeping your friends closer but your enemies closer... I couldn't live like that. But then I'm not a mafia Don, so it's no biggie!

Wow what a terrific topic.

I absolutely live by many of the GF "rules." I definitely keep my "enemies" close, and I always try to think as those around me think. I also try hard not to let people who are not close to me know what I am thinking, especially in business matters. I also never take sides with anyone who has a position contrary to my extended family.

Also I have cooked spaghetti sauce according to Clememza's recipe many times!

I do not "go to the mattresses," and do not order hits, however.

Is that meant ironically?

No... it is a great topic...really.\
\\DT

Pas du tout! It's a cool topic. Yeah, I like that one too, try to think like those around you think.

i agree, this is an interesting topic to think about. i, however, teach first grade in the midwest so i am about as far from the godfather as you could possibly get. i'm actually more like kay than michael. i'm too young to have kids yet, but when i do, i would have to agree with vito's admonition that a man who doesn't spend time with his family isn't a real man. what kind of businesses are you guys in where you actually have to keep your enemies closer than your friends?

I'm not going to reply, know why? Because I never let anyone know what I am thinking!

Don Cardi

I don't have the kind of enemies that Mafia Dons have . So that quote ("keep you friends close ....") is not really applicable to me. But I like Vito's advice on the importance of family. And I never take sides against my family. I try not to hate my enemies (I can't believe GF3 has a great quote after all ). I take Tom's advice of "it is business, not personal" seriously. The only movies whose quotes have a great impact on my real life are the GF series.

I stole this from SC, but I too lose my head sometimes just like Khartoum.

lol, wow what a great topic to discuss. I try to live by it takes a real man to spend time with the family. I also rely on other quotes from the original novel and three films.

The best advice is that stuff in the novel about angry men... about how letting anger get to you will kill you, and how the Don is icy cold, never letting anyone know that he is angry with them ... he just kills them. Well, I don't believe in whacking people (yet...) but I do think that the whole anger-control thing is a good philosophy. It basically says: don't act angry (or aggresive) unless you are in a position to deliver your threats. Impotent anger is a big weakness.

Great choice of topics!!! I have to admit, there are a few GF rules that I live by. Most importantly - I never take sides against the family...EVER. If I disagree with something going on in my family, it's taken up behind closed doors. I can't say that's really the influence of the movie though. That came from my parents...and believe me, I feared their wrath more than Michael's or Vito's any day! LOL

And yeah, I do the whole keeping my friends close, but enemies closer thing. No, I don't have the same kind of enemies that the Corleones had, but still...it's wise advice. Easier to stay one step ahead of them that way. I try not to hate them, for fear of it clouding my judgment. And very few people ever know what I'm really thinking.

The one GF rule that I never, never break is that when I go out to eat with someone and they leave to go to the restroom, I always frisk them when they come back? Especially my wife.

In addition, I never go to the fruit stand on days when Paulie calls in sick.

I run away when I see oranges.

I try to never make threats, a good advice in general.
When I'm thinking of that exact advice, I think of Hagen visiting Woltz and finishes with "I admire your pictures very much..".

During the last two years, I do business with somebody I respect but I don't trust. He acts like I'm his successor but in reality, he wants me out. In occasions, he has betrayed and ignored me and when I asked for explanations, his answer was something like "This is the business we've chosen". Lately, I have done him some favors to believe that his relationship with me is still good. Unfortunately, I have no Bussetta or Rocco Lampone at my command to proceed with the rest of the plan...

yeah, i like to make money as all the ways possible. but one thing i wont touch is the drug business.