A Bronx Tale (1993) - Quotes

A Conversation About Life and Gratitude

Calogero: [hears footsteps and turns to see someone else walking in] How ya doing, Sonny? Not so good, huh? I was so pissed at Tess, that's what I wanted to tell you. She might be my first great one, and I'm going to go out with her. Thanks for helping me. I want to thank you for saving my life; I never got a chance to tell you. They all died: Slick, Alto, Mario, Ralphie, all of them. Sorry, I thought I was alone. I'm just thinking out loud.

Carmine: [steps to Sonny's coffin and crosses himself] That's okay, it's understandable.

Calogero: See this man there's a great man. He saved my life.

Carmine: [takes a long look at Calogero] Yeah? You're Lorenzo the bus driver's kid?

Calogero: Yeah.

Carmine: C", right?

Calogero: Yeah.

Carmine: Sonny told me all about you.

Calogero: Sorry, but I don't even know who you are.

Carmine: [Calogero shakes his head; points to the scar on his forehead] My name's Carmine. We go back a long way together, Sonny and me. He saved my life, too, once...You don't remember me, do you? Many years ago, the fire house? You don't remember this?

Calogero: [remembers; Carmine smiles and nods] Yeah, the baseball bat. You were the guy that got hit with a baseball bat, right? Yeah, I remember. I was there, I saw the whole thing.

Carmine: I know, kid. Sonny told me what you did. Listen, I've been away, but I'm gonna be in the neighborhood now, taking care of things for a while. If you need anything, I want you to come and see me at the bar, okay?

Calogero: I think I'm gonna give the bar a rest for a while, but thanks anyway.

Carmine: That's okay, I understand.

Calogero: Was that fight really over a parking space?

Carmine: [crosses himself once more, puts his hand reverently on Sonny, then looks back to Calogero; Calogero nods] ...No. Don't forget, you need anything, you come to the bar, and you see me. ANYTHING.

Calogero: Alright.

Carmine: [leaves] So long, kid.

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The Balance of Love and Fear

Sonny: That's what it comes down to- availability. The people in this neighborhood that see me that're on my side, they feel safe, because they know I'm close. And that gives them more reason to love me. But the people that wanna do otherwise? They think twice, because they know I'm close, and that gives them more reason to fear me.

Calogero: Is it better to be loved or feared?

Sonny: That's a good question. It's nice to be both, but that's very difficult. If I had my choice, I would rather be feared. Fear lasts longer than love. Friendships that're bought with money mean nothing. You see how it is around here; I make a joke, everybody laughs. I know I'm funny, but I'm not that funny. It's fear that keeps them loyal to me. But the trick is not to be hated. That's why I treat my men good, but not too good; I give them too much, then they don't need me. I give them just enough where they still need me, but they don't hate me. Don't forget what I'm telling you.

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The Cost of Letting Go

Calogero: He owes me 20 dollars. It's been two weeks now, and every time he sees me he keeps dodging me. He's becoming a real pain in the ass. Should I crack him one, or what?

Sonny: What's the matter with you? What have I been telling you? Sometimes hurting somebody ain't the answer. First of all, is he a good friend of yours?

Calogero: No, I don't even like him.

Sonny: You don't even like him. There's your answer right there. Look at it this way: It costs you 20 dollars to get rid of him. Right? He's never gonna bother you again, he's never gonna ask you for money again. He's out of your life for 20 dollars. You got off cheap. Forget him.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

The Value of Hard Work Over Violence

Calogero: Sonny was right. The working man IS a sucker, dad. He's a sucker.

Lorenzo: He's wrong! It don't take much strength to pull a trigger, but try and get up every morning, day after day and work for a livin'! Let's see him try that! Then we'll see who's the REAL tough guy! The working man's the tough guy! Your father's the tough guy!

Calogero: Oh, I don't wanna hear this.

Lorenzo: You don't wanna hear it, but you're gonna hear it. I might not have any money, I might not have a Cadillac, but I'm proud of what I do and I don't answer to anybody. My mother and father came to this country with nothin'-

Calogero: And they died with nothin'!

Lorenzo: Hey! Don't you dare disrespect your grandparents, do you hear me? They tried to give me a better life, and that's what I'm trying to give you!

Calogero: What better life?! You don't even own a car! We ain't got money, we ain't got nothin'! Don't take it out on me because you're a bus driver! The workin man is a sucker.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Simple Request for Beers

Biker: We just wanted a couple beers then we'll be on our way.

Sonny: Couple beers? That's all?

Biker: That's all.

Sonny: [to Tony] Spoken like a gentleman. Get em the beers.

Satan's Messengers: [They all salute, then shake their drinks and spray them all over the bar] You got some brews down here. Nice cold ones. Get us some nice cold brews, come on. Two over here, huh? One more here, one more. Alright, brothers. If I may. A toast to our host. In the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost!

Tony Toupee: Look at all the shit all over me!

Sonny: Hey!

Biker: Oh, you again.

Sonny: That wasn't very nice. Now youse gotta leave.

Biker: [the bikers laugh at Sonny as he walks to the door] I'll tell you when the fuck we leave, alright. Get the fuck away from me. Go watch the bikes eh!

Sonny: Now youse can't leave.

Calogero: [narrating] I will never forget the look on their faces. All eight of them. Their faces dropped. All their courage and strength was drained right from their bodies. They had reputation for breaking up bars, but they knew that instant, they'd made a fatal mistake. This time they walked into the wrong bar.

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Choosing Love Over Peer Pressure

Sonny: You like her?

Calogero: I do, but I don't want to hear the guys.

Sonny: [[Rocky Marciano; [Sugar Ray Robinson; [Joe Louis] Fuck them. Half of them are gonna end up dead or in jail. Nobody cares. The only thing that matters is what's good for you and how you feel about each other. Let me tell you something, when you're alone late at night in bed just you and her under the covers, that's all that matters. You gotta do what your heart tells you to do. Let me tell you something right now. You're only allowed three great women in your lifetime. They come along like the great fighters, every ten years. ], ], ]. Sometimes you get'em all at once. Me? I had my three when I was 16. That happens. What are you gonna do? That's the way it goes, you know? Tell you right now. See this girl? Maybe this girl, she put wind in your sails. Maybe she's your first great one.

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Advice on Dating Etiquette from Sonny

Sonny: Alright, listen to me. You pull up right where she lives, right? Before you get outta the car, you lock both doors. Then, get outta the car, you walk over to her. You bring her over to the car. Dig out the key, put it in the lock and open the door for her. Then you let her get in. Then you close the door. Then you walk around the back of the car and look through the rear window. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in: dump her.

Calogero: Just like that?

Sonny: Listen to me, kid. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in, that means she's a selfish broad and all you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast.

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Conflicting Values Between Father and Mentor

Sonny: First of all, I respect you, Lorenzo, you're a stand-up guy and we're from the same neighborhood, but don't ever talk to me like that again. I tell your kid to go to school, to go to college...

Lorenzo: You don't understand: it's not what you say, it's what he sees, the clothes, the cars, the money, it's everything. He tried to throw away his baseball cards because he said Mickey Mantle will never pay the rent.

Sonny: [laughs] He said that to you? I don't believe this kid.

Lorenzo: That's not funny. Not when your kid has a bigger bank account than you.

Sonny: I offered you a job, you said "No" to me.

Lorenzo: That's right, and I say "No" now. Just leave my son alone, please.

Sonny: [Stands up] Hey! Don't you see how I treat that kid? I treat him like he's my son.

Lorenzo: He ain't your son, he's MY son.

Sonny: He's what?

Lorenzo: He's MY son!

Sonny: Hey, get the fuck outta here!

Lorenzo: [Shoved by the gangsters towards the door] I'm not afraid of you.

Sonny: You should be.

Lorenzo: I know who you are, Sonny, I know what you're capable of, and I would never step out of line, you can ask anyone in the neighborhood who knows me. But this time, you're wrong. You don't fool with a man's family. This is my son, not yours.

Sonny: What are you gonna do, fight me?

Lorenzo: You stay away from my son!

Sonny: Get outta here before I give you a fucking slap!

Lorenzo: You just stay away from my son!

Sonny: Go ahead!

Lorenzo: I don't care who you are! You stay away from my son!

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Child's Surprise Discovery of Peaches

Calogero: [excited] Mommy, Mommy! Look what I got! Some peaches for… free.

Lorenzo: [shows C the dollar bill] What’s this?

Calogero: What’s what, Dad?

Lorenzo: Where did you get this?! Your mother found this behind your drawer.

Calogero: It’s my savings, Dad.

Lorenzo: Six hundred dollars you’ve been saving? What? Did you become a brain surgeon overnight, son?!

Rosina: Tell your father where you got the money.

Calogero: Dad, I worked for it.

Lorenzo: Doing what?

Calogero: Things.

Lorenzo: Things? Whaddya mean things? What things?

Calogero: Old things. Ya know, things.

Lorenzo: Hey. Don’t lie to me. Just tell me the truth. I won’t get upset.

Calogero: I worked the crap games and the guys gave me tips.

Rosina: The crap games?

Lorenzo: [Calogero doesn’t answer; yells angrily] What crap games? What crap games? What tips? WHAT CRAP GAMES?!

Calogero: I told ya you weren’t gonna get upset, dad.

Lorenzo: I LIED! Now tell me everything!

Calogero: I told you, I worked for Sonny and he gave me tips.

Lorenzo: I knew it.

Rosina: Weren’t you told a thousand times not to go NEAR that bar?

Calogero: But Ma, I work for it.

Rosina: Well, whaddya mean you work for it? You’re not supposed to be in that bar!

A Father's Concern About His Son's Choices

Lorenzo: You don't see me going to the bar, do you?

Calogero: Mommy won't let you go there either?

Lorenzo: What am I going to do with this kid?

Power Dynamics in Faith and Belief

Priest: Don't be afraid, my son. No one is more powerful than God.

Calogero: I don't know about that, Father. Your guy may be bigger than my guy up there, but my guy is bigger than your guy down here.

Priest: You got a point.

Lessons Learned from Life in the Bronx

Calogero Anello: [as he walks out of Sonny's funeral] Sonny and my father always said that when I get older I would understand. Well, I finally did. I learned something from these two men. I learned to give love and get love unconditionally. You just have to accept people for what they are, and I learned the greatest gift of all. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever. But you can ask anybody from my neighborhood, and they'll just tell you this is just another Bronx tale.

Two Educations: Street and School

Calogero Anello: I was getting two educations: One from the street and one from school. That way I'd be twice as smart as everybody.

The Relief of Weekly Confession

Calogero Anello: It was great to be Catholic and go to confession. You could start over every week.

Summoning Attention in A Bronx Tale

Sonny LoSpecchio: [last words before he died] Come here!

The Indifference of Fame and Wealth

Sonny LoSpecchio: [[Mickey Mantle] ]? Is that what you're upset about? Mickey Mantle makes $100,000 a year. How much does your father make? You don't know? Well, see, if your father can't pay the rent, go ask Mickey Mantle and see what he tells you. Mickey Mantle don't care about you, so why should you care about him? Nobody cares.

Fear vs. Love in Relationships

Lorenzo Anello: [about Sonny] People don't love him, they fear him. There's a difference.

Passion's Influence on Decision-Making

Lorenzo Anello: Sometimes in the heat of passion, the little head tells the big head what to do, and the big head should think twice about what you are doing.