Not the Coldest stare but the coldest line/sentence...

I think the coldest sentence/line in the Godfather Trilogy is: "I dont want anything to happen to him.....not while my mother is alive"

Oooh, good one -- because we know what it implies; sounds creepier than if he spelled it out plainly.

Another one occurs when Michael tells Moe Green, in a very low voice -- almost a whisper -- "You straightened my brother out?"

Not good, Moe!

For me one of the lines I remember most..

Power wears out those who don't have it.
Then he stabs the guy he said it to.

also when michael says to fredo

FREDO you're nothing to me now you're not a brother, you're not a friend, I don't want to know you or what you do -- I don't want to see you at the hotels -- I don't want you near my house -- when you see our mother I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there -- you understand.

I completely forgot about the "Fredo, you're nothing to me now" speech. Yes, that was ICE COLD. One of the best monologues in the GF series. I would pick that as the #1 coldest line -- especially with that ominous music score playing in the background.

But "I don't want anything to happen to him..." and "You straightened my brother out?" are still up there.

Hard to top those. I'll offer Michael to Carlo:
"Now get out of my sight."

I like when he's so full of anger as he yells at Pentangeli, "In my home..." and then his voice softens, "...where my children come and play with their toys." If he were my Don, and he said those things to me, I'd be shaking in my boots.

I agree with that one! I could feel the tension through the TV screen.

The coldest line I feel is when Young Vito's mother is pleading with old DON FRANCESCO to spare his life. Don Francesco just shakes his head and say a cold- NO!

Karl

Michael to Fredo was the best in my book.
Another good one!
Kay To Michael:

Oh, Oh, Michael; Michael, you are blind. It wasn't a miscarriage, it was an abortion. An abortion, Michael.
Just like our marriage is an abortion-something that's unholy and evil. I didn't want your son, Michael. I wouldn't bring another one of your sons in this world. It was an abortion,Michael. It was a son; a son,and I had it killed cuz this must all end.I know now that it's over; I knew it then. There would be no way , Michael. No way you could forgive me. Not with this Sicilian thing thats been going on for 2000 years."

Powerful Line- What A Blow To Michael!

I'd go with "You're nothing to me, Fredo."

Don Cicc's "No" - that's a good one I forgot about Karl.

Tom to pentangeli in the "roman empire" scene:
"Don't worry about anything frankie"

Tom to Tessio:
"Can't do it Sally"

Michael to Carlo
"You have to answer for Santino"

Vito to Bonsera
"That I cannot do"

Geary to michael
"Because I despice people like you"

michael to Tom
"you are out Tom"

michael to Fredo
"Don't ever take sides against the family"

How could I have forgotten the Can't do it, Sally line??? That's a GREAT one!!

Some of these lines are more anger then cold.

Karl

Clemenza's 'Leave the gun, bring the canolli' line after they kill Paulie is cold.

I also would pick the Mike to Fredo monologue, but for 2nd place Id have to go with Tom's line, "Can't do it Sally."

The way Robert Duvall delivers that line with that faint smile and then shakes his head a little bit, it seems almost apologetic but it comes off as very cold when taken in context.

Michael to Fredo:

"Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever."

I love that line. From the look on Michael's face, to his tone.. everything. He delivers it with a stone cold face.

And my pick for THE coldest line:

Michael to Fredo:

"I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart."

I know not the most original choice. But that scene and that line, gave me chills.

The coldness of the Can't Do It Sally Line - has always puzzled me. On one hand, Tom can be this duty bound cold guy to someone who was such a long time friend as Tessio --- but then he gets all sensitive and bent about business decisions of Michael's - where he could have shown just a bit more support. Does that make any sense to anyone else?

Put into perspective, I can see Tom being cold to Tessio because Tessio was going to have Michael killed -- and Michael is Tom's brother (adopted brother, but still a brother).

I know what you are saying there CW (gee, just like Country and Western!). But there's something about the character of Tom I've always had a bit of a problem with --- not so much problem - maybe just struggle. Duvall is such a fantastic actor, that I sometimes think he is under utilized in the two movies... that the Tom character could have provided a lot more to the film and understanding of Mike if used or shown or developed differently... I think there is more there than we see... or maybe not... maybe I should just shut up and have a glass of wine... I drink more than I used to... oh, wait, wrong thread!

What do you think about the whole Tom character?

dburghardt, please don't sell yourself short. You made good observations about Tom in your post . From reading past threads, I see that quite a few others don't know what to make of his character also. Some saw him as the moral conscience of the family (in the way he's against starting another war and the way he's pro-negotiation when Sonny took charge). Then others point out that he knows perfectly well that he's doing evil deeds on behalf of evil doers (he seems too calm when a prostitute is brutally murdered in order to frame Senator Geary, for example).

You might find interesting reading in a 1973 draft script of GF2 that's on the internet (at Internet Movie Script Database ). It shows a larger role for Tom and more of his internal struggles, especially concerning Michael's perceived loss of confidence in him. Yes, it does show that there's more to him than we see in the finished film. I guess with both GF movies running at over 3 hours, they had to cut down some of Tom's screen time. (When it came to GF2, though, they should have left in Tom's footage and cut out the young Vito flashbacks, IMO .)

And as you said, Duvall's acting is good. In the Hagen role, he doesn't have the showiest part: he's a mild-mannered, loyal attorney. But that's what the role called for and he slipped into character so well that he doesn't register a false note.
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my two cents ... CW (btw, I didn't realize that my screen name initials could also stand for Country and Western... but that's OK; nothing wrong with country & western music. I'm just glad that my initials don't spell out anything embarrassing, like D.U.M. or A.S.S. )

Mike: Senator...we are both part of the same hypocrasy...but never think it applies to my family.

The look Mike gives Geary before he says it, and the subsequent stare during that line should have soiled Geary's pants.

Also, the line later on in that scene.

Mike: Senator, you can have my answer now if you like. My offer is this: nothing. Not even the fee for the gaming license, which I'd appreciate if you'd put up personally.

The cold, blank stare, along with the slight shaking of the chair Mike's sitting in. There's almost the faintest hint of a smile in his face, too.

I thought this line was pretty cool (not the coldest, but still pretty chilly):

Michael to Connie: So what do you come to me for? Why don't you go to a travel agent?

Here's the right thread for you!
Why keep Tom out?

In my opinion, the "coldest" line in The Godfather was said by Michael Corleone, towards the end of the movie when he is in Las Vegas, before he offers to "buy out" Moe Green. Fredo Corleone tells Michael that "Moe loves the business," and Michael replies "Yeah -- well I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." That one line had potential for murder, and I knew Moe Green, whoever he was, was going to be murdered if he didn't accept Michael's "offer."

GF 2 - The dinner table at Anthony's communion party. After everyone says "cent anno" and Deanna asks, "what jen-don" mean? and Connie says, "may we all live happily for a hundred years. It would be true if my father were alive." More sarcasm, but a bit chilly.

Coming from Tom Hagen, I like his line to Fredo at Mama's funeral, when Fredo asks where Michael is and Tom says, "He's in the boathouse waiting for you to leave."

I like Clemenza's "Hello, Carlo", as it is Michael as speaking as much as Clemenza. Killing all of your enemies while you are acting as godfather is cold. Killing the father of said baby that same day is REALLY cold, especially when he thinks he's off the hook.

My father's name was Antonio Andolini -- and this is for you.

How many years had Vito been waiting to say that.

"You straightened my brother out?"

Pacino's delivery of this line, and the ice in his eyes when he says it, absolutely sends chills up my spine.