Your thoughts?

Wow TB, quite a question.

Of course, answering that requires that one answer the age old question first: what is love? My wife and I are approaching 48 years together. There are times when I still get giddy being with her; other times, no. But there is never a time that she's not in my thought big time. Is that love? I can't think of my life without her and I have no interest in any other woman. Is that love?

Michael went through his own self-imposed trauma that took him from what was probably a marriage of convenience to realizing what was important in life. Kay was part of that epiphany. Love? Not really, not romantic love. Love as a friend, as someone to turn to, yes.

When Michael first began seeing Kay, I really believe that his intentions were to stay out of the Family business,(except for using the connections to get a good job) ,and live a quiet, comfortable life with her. Once he decided to go down the path he did, despite his love for her,he relegated her to the status of "Mafia Wife". At Connie's wedding,while still a "civilian"he seems to enjoy telling Kay the Luca story in great detail. Contrast that with the classic "Don't ask me about my business,Kay". To sum it up,I think that Mike did love Kay,but the difference is that it was mutual and unconditional at first,but then after Mike became a "cheap Mafia hood", Kay was expected to be quiet,have babies,cook,and keep her mouth shut.

I love you with all-a my heart! If I don't see you again soon, I'm a-gonna die!

LOL Good one, olivant !

I think Michael really did love Kay for herself before he got involved in the family business. We see this in a deleted scene before Vito was shot, when he and Kay are cavorting in a NYC hotel bedroom, and he asks her to impersonate a telephone operator so he can tell Tom he's still in New Hampshire. The next time he sees Kay, they're having dinner in that hotel room before he goes to the hospital--no more cavorting. But, after he shoots Sol and Mac, no more Kay--no hint he's even thinking of her in Sicily--and it's all Appolonia.

He waits a year after returning to the US before "wooing" Kay in New Hampshire. That scene looks more like a corporate merger or acquisition negotiation than a marriage proposal. He tells Kay he loves her with all the passion of a lawyer scrutinizing a contract. Kay even says, "I don't know what you want from me, Micahel." I think he simply wanted to use her--to bear his children, to help give him a "respectable" front, and to validate his fantasy of being "legitimate." The novel even says that Michael was disappointed when Kay took instruction in the Catholic Church--he wanted his family to be "more American."

At his party in III, Michael shouts at her that "I spent my life protecting my family from the horrors of this world." "But you became my horror," Kay replies. She says she "dreads" him. That says it all. But, near the end, he's still using her--he asks her to "forgive" him after giving her a long rationale about his father, the family, etc. "You mean, forgive you, like God?" she replies. Then, improbably, she says, "I still love you, Michael, I always will." It's one of the weakest moments in the movie.

No doubt Mike treated Kay deplorably in most of their relationship. There is, however one scene that almost makes me feel sorry for him,and that is when he tells Kay " I'll change. I learned that I have the strength to change". To me it is obvious that he is grasping at straws,and I don't think even he believed it. A desperate attempt to change the inevitable.

He loved her, but not like his first love.. I believe he could never love where he would get hurt like that again..