Francis Ford Coppola thankfully recognized the importance of an iconic line from The Godfather and saved it from being cut during the writing process. Widely hailed as one of the best movies of all time, The Godfather‘s legacy would be nowhere near as long-lasting without a masterful script that catapulted a host of phrases into the pop culture lexicon. From “an offer he couldn’t refuse” to “sleeps with the fishes,” younger generations are more likely to hear a quote from The Godfather before they’re actually old enough to watch it.

The power of The Godfather‘s script should perhaps come as no surprise, given the names behind it. Francis Ford Coppola teamed up with Mario Puzo, author of the original The Godfather novel, to adapt the story from page to screen. The Godfather is, therefore, the product of two complimentary visions: the man who devised the story in the first place, and a cinematic visionary. Before The Godfather‘s release in 1972, however, Coppola was far from Hollywood royalty, and fought very hard to mold The Godfather into the film he wanted to make.

Francis Ford Coppola Fought To Keep An Iconic Michael Corleone Line In The Godfather’s Script

Paramount Made A Suggestion Coppola Could Refuse

Among the many famous quotes spoken in The Godfather, Michael Corleone’s “That’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” is one of the most memorable and meaningful. The scene comes during The Godfather‘s opening wedding scene, while Kay is getting her first taste of what dating a Corleone really means. Realizing the violent world her boyfriend’s family exists within, “That’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” is Michael’s earnest attempt to reᴀssure her. As strange as it may seem in hindsight, however, the line almost didn’t make the final script.

According to The Godfather Treasures by Peter Cowie, removing “that’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” was one of many tweaks and changes Paramount asked Coppola and Puzo to make during The Godfather‘s script-writing process. Feeling strongly about the line’s importance, Coppola fought to keep it in the script and ultimately won the battle.

Coppola’s well-documented struggle to make The Godfather extended far beyond individual lines. The director and studio clashed over budget, running time, casting, shooting, and more. Coppola almost left the production on several occasions and has previously discussed feeling like his job was constantly on the line (via Empire). The director even filmed The Godfather‘s iconic restaurant scene early to use the sequence as a means of convincing Paramount he and his cast were onto something.

What “That’s My Family, Kay, It’s Not Me” Really Means

The Line Is More Ambiguous Than It Seems

There are two main ways The Godfather‘s “that’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” line can be interpreted. The first is as a demonstration of Michael Corleone’s stark transformation from the beginning of the movie to the end. When Al Pacino first utters the famous line to his reeling girlfriend, he says it with total conviction and honesty, allowing both the audience and Kay herself to believe it.

Michael, of course, ends The Godfather as a mafia don even more ruthless and cold-blooded than his father. His pledge to Kay, therefore, perhaps stands as a testament to just how greatly Michael changes throughout the story, and how significant of an ordeal both he and the Corleone family endure. It’s enough to turn an honest, wholesome man into a heartless killer.

The second way to interpret The Godfather‘s “that’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” scene is as Michael attempting to convince himself that his destiny as a son of Vito Corleone isn’t set in stone. Despite his separation from the family business at the start of The Godfather, it could be argued that the all-encompᴀssing cycle of Corleone violence made it inevitable that Michael would get dragged in sooner or later. The Godfather‘s ending clearly proves Michael had the capacity for brutal, calculating criminality, so insisting “that’s my family” could be Michael refusing to acknowledge the darker side bubbling beneath the surface.

Why The Godfather Needed Michael Corleone’s “That’s My Family, Kay…” Line In The Movie

Coppola Was Right To Fight For The Line

The Godfather‘s “that’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” line is pivotal to both the movie overall and the development of Michael and Kay’s relationship. The scene represents the strongest and most emotive example of Michael distancing himself from the Corleone business. Without it, The Godfather doesn’t properly convey Michael’s disdain for the mafia, nor his desire to actively avoid it. Michael never gets involved in meetings during The Godfather‘s opening scenes, but still appears very close to his siblings. It’s explicitly condemning his family’s activities that makes Michael’s fall from grace feel so shockingly transformative.

“That’s my family, Kay, it’s not me” also serves as the foundational brick between Al Pacino and Diane Keaton’s characters. It’s the first example of Michael letting Kay down by making a promise that he will ultimately come to break. This becomes a gradually more prominent feature as the story progresses, from Kay’s worried glance in The Godfather‘s final scene to the total breakdown of their marriage in The Godfather Part II. The line expertly sets up how Kay begins as Michael’s priority, then slowly gets overtaken by business and greed. Without that line, the collapse of their marriage loses a notch of its dramatic impact.

Sources: The Godfather Treasures (Peter Cowie), Empire