Classic quotes from the best 30 ganster movies

What are your favorite gangster movies of all time? What’s good in them apart from blood and thrilling action scenes? Besides the films’ plots which freeze you on the seat, those gangster movies also feature loads of meaningful quotes which really catch your fancy!

1. The Godfather (1972)

“I don’t like violence, Tom. I’m a businessman. Blood is a big expense.”  Sollozzo

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

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Don Corleone

2. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

“If you hold back anything, I’ll kill ya. If you bend the truth or I think you’re bending the truth, I’ll kill ya. If you forget anything, I’ll kill ya. In fact, you’re gonna have to work very hard to stay alive, Nick. Now do you understand everything I’ve said? Because if you don’t, I’ll kill ya.” Rory Breaker

“If you don’t want to be counting the fingers you haven’t got, I suggest you get those shooters. Quick!” Barry the Baptist

“The entire British empire was built on cups of tea, and if you think I’m going to war without one, mate, you’re mistaken.” Eddie

3. GoodFellas (1990)

“As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.” Henry Hill

“Thirty-two hundred dollars he gave me. Thirty-two hundred dollars for a lifetime. It wasn’t even enough to pay for the coffin.” Henry Hill

“He said, “No, you’re gonna tell me something today, tough guy.” I said, “All right, I’ll tell you something: go fuck your mother.” Tommy DeVito

4. The Public Enemy (1931)

“I ain’t so tough.” Tom Powers

5. White Heat (1949)

“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” Cody Jarrett

“You wouldn’t kill me in cold blood, would ya?” Roy Parker

“No, I’ll let ya warm up a little.” Cody Jarrett

“It’s always ‘somebody tipped them.’ Never ‘the cops are smart.’” Verna Jarrett

6. Fear and loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

“A drunk person can learn to cope with things like seeing their dead grandmother crawling up their leg with a knife in her teeth. But no one should be asked to handle this trip.” Raoul Duke

“You can turn your back on a person, but, never turn your back on a drug. Especially when it’s waving a razor-sharp hunting knife in your eye.” Raoul Duke

“I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I’m getting the fear.” Dr. Gonzo

7. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

“This here’s Miss Bonnie Parker. I’m Clyde Barrow. We rob banks.” Clyde Barrow

8. Scarface (1932)

“Listen, Little Boy, in this business there’s only one law you gotta follow to keep out of trouble: Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doing it” Tony Camonte

“He hurt you. He hurt you. He hurt everybody.” Mrs. Camonte

9. Pulp Fiction (1994)

“That’s thirty minutes away. I’ll be there in ten.” The Wolf

“The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That’s pride fucking with you. Fuck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps.” Marsellus

“If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.” Jules

10. Little Caesar (1931)

“This is Rico speaking. Rico! R-I-C-O! Rico! Little Caesar, that’s who! Listen, you crummy, flat-footed copper, I’ll show you whether I’ve lost my nerve and my brains!” Caesar Enrico Bandello

“Mother of Mercy! Is this the end of Rico?” Caesar Enrico Bandello

11. Road to Perdition (2002)

“I shoot the dead. Dead bodies, that is. I don’t kill them.” Maguire

“Natural law. Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers.” John Rooney

“A man of honour always pays his debts… and keeps his word” John Rooney

12. City of God (2002)

“You need more than guts to be a good gangster, you need ideas” Rocket

13. Once upon a time in America (1984)

“I haven’t had a gun in my hands for many, many years. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, even with the glasses. My hands shake. And I wouldn’t want to miss.” Noodles

“When you’ve been betrayed by a friend you hit back.” Max

Is this your idea of revenge? Max

Noodles: No. It’s just the way I see things. Noodles

14. The Untouchables (1987)

“Somebody messes with me, I’m gonna mess with him.” Capone

“I have foresworn myself. I have broken every law I have sworn to uphold, I have become what I beheld and I am content that I have done right!” Ness

“Welcome to Chicago. This town stinks like a whorehouse at low tide.” Jim Malone

15. Mean Streets (1973)

“You don’t make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.” Martin Scorsese

16. The Departed (2006)

“When you decide to be something, you can be it. That’s what they don’t tell you in the church. When I was your age they would say we can become cops, or criminals. Today, what I’m saying to you is this: when you’re facing a loaded gun, what’s the difference?” Frank Costello

“What Freud said about the Irish is: We’re the only people who are impervious to psychoanalysis.” Colin Sullivan

17. Casino (1995)

“Running a casino is like robbing a bank with no cops around. For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It’s like a morality car wash.” Ace Rothstein

“If you had any fucking heart at all you’d be out fuckin’ stealing for a living.” Nicky Santoro

“No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he’ll keep comin’ back and back until one of you is dead.” Ace Rothstein

18. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

“If you shoot this man, you die next. Repeat. If you shoot this man, you die next.” Mr. White

“All right ramblers, let’s get rambling!” Joe

19. Donnie Brasco (1997)

“When they send for you, you go in alive, you come out dead, and it’s your best friend that does it.” Lefty

“All my life I’ve tried to be the good guy, the guy in the white fucking hat. And for what? For nothing. I’m not becoming like them; I am them.” Joe Pistone

“A wise guy’s always right even when he’s wrong, he’s right.” Lefty

20. Miller’s Crossing (1990)

“Nobody knows anybody. Not that well.” Tom Reagan

Look in your heart! Look in your heart! Bernie

What heart? Tom Reagan

“You are so goddamn smart. Except you ain’t.” Eddie Dane

21. Snatch (2000)

“You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.” Bullet Tooth Tony

“I don’t care if he’s Muhammad I’m hard Bruce Lee. You can’t change fighters.” Brick Top

22. Bugsy (1991)

“Everybody deserves a fresh start every once in a while.” Bugsy Siegel

“Do you always talk this much before you do it?” Virginia

“I only talk this much before I kill someone.” Bugsy Siegel

23. A Bronx Tale (1993)

“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” Lorenzo

“Sonny had five fingers, but he only used three.” Calogero

“Look at me! I did this to you! REMEMBER ME!” Sonny

24. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

“Look, I know you’re a smart lawyer - very smart - but don’t get smart with me.” Rocky Sullivan

“Morning, gentlemen. Nice day for a murder.” Rocky Sullivan

25. Sexy Beast (2000)

“Where there’s a will - and there is a fucking will - there’s a way - and there is a fucking way.” Teddy Bass

“This is madness, I’ve had enough of this “Crime and Punishment” bollocks. I’m happy here.” Gal

“I won’t let you be happy, why should I?” Don

26. The Usual Suspect (1995)

“One cannot be betrayed if one has no people.” Kobayashi

“How do you shoot the devil in the back? What if you miss?” Verbal

“I just can’t believe we’re going to walk into certain death.” Verbal

27. Heat (1995)

“I say what I mean, and I do what I say.” Vincent Hanna

“We want to hurt no one. We’re here for the bank’s money, not your money. Your money is insured by the federal government, you’re not gonna lose a dime. Think of your families, don’t risk your life. Don’t try and be a hero.” Neil McCauley

“It’s like risk versus reward, baby.” Charlene Shiherlis

28. Layer Cake (2004)

“You’re born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you’re up in the rarefied atmosphere and you’ve forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake son.” Eddie Temple

“I’m not a gangster, just a businessman. And my commodity happens to be cocaine.” (Unnamed)

“If you have to kill someone, never ever tell a living soul.” Gene

29. Carlito’s Way (1993)

“You a gangster now. You can’t learn it at school… you can’t have a late start.” Carlito

“He’s got a good future if he can live past next week.” Carlito

“The dream don’t come no closer by itself. We gotta run after it now.” Carlito

30. The Warriors (1979)

“You never know what you’re gonna run into out there. If we’re wearing our colors, we can’t hide.” Cowboy

“Who wants to hide?” Vermin

“We’re not going to change who we are just because some whore shakes her ass.” Fox