Little Caesar (1931)

Edward G. Robinson: Caesar Enrico 'Rico' Bandello, 'Little Caesar'

Photos 

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Quotes 

• [last lines] 

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

• [repeated line] 

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : You can dish it out, but you got so you can't take it no more.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : When I get in a tight spot, I shoot my way out of it. Why sure. Shoot first and argue afterwards. You know, this game ain't for guys that're soft.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : If you ain't out of town by tomorrow morning... you won't ever leave it except in a pine box.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I don't want no dancin'... I figure in makin' other people dance.

• Sgt. Tom Flaherty : So somebody finally put one in you.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Yeah, but they just grazed me though.

  Sgt. Tom Flaherty : The old man will be glad to hear it. He takes such an interest in you.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : You tell him the cops couldn't get me no other way, so they hired a couple of gunmen.

  Sgt. Tom Flaherty : If I wasn't on the force I'd have done the job cheap.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Did you ever stop to think what you'd look like with a lily in your hand?

  Sgt. Tom Flaherty : No, I never did.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : [reading newspaper]  Underworld pays respects to Diamond Pete Montana.

  Joe Massara : Ah, what's that gotta do with the price of eggs?

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Ain't nobody gonna leave this room. You guys are invited to this private party.

  Undetermined Role : Suppose we don't want to stay?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : I wouldn't want to stop you for the world. Only these boys of mine have itching fingers.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : We gotta stick together. There's a rope around my neck now and they only hang you once. If anyone gets yellow and squeals, my gun is gonna speak its piece.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : [to photographers at the banquet who are about to take his picture]  Come on boys, make it snappy! We ain't got all evening!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : 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 : You want me, you're going to have to come and get me!

• Little Arnie Lorch : Do yourself a favor, will you, Rico? Leave your gat home on the piano the next job you pull. Yeah, park it next to your milk bottle.

  Sam Vettori : Hey, run your own mob, Arnie. I'll take care of mine.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Yeah, I'll park it. I don't need no cannon to take care of guys like you, Mr. Lorch.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I'm going to see Little Arnie tonight. If he's looking for trouble, why, that's what we got the most of.

• Sam Vettori : What am I gonna do?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Why don't you go and give yourself up? You're slipping, Sam.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Sam is through. Now you're through too.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : You didn't quit. Nobody ever quit me. You're still in my gang. You got that? I don't care how many fancy skirts you have hanging on to you. That Jane's made a softy out of you.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : [reading newspaper headline]  Underworld pays respect to Diamond Pete Montana.

  Joe Massara : What's that got to do with the price of eggs?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Plenty. Diamond Pete Montana. He don't have to waste his time on cheap gas stations. He's somebody. He's in the big town, doing things in a big way. And look at us. Just a couple of nobodies. Nothin'!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Money's all right, but it ain't everything. Be somebody. Look hard at a bunch of guys and know that they'll do anything you tell them. Have your own way or nothing. Be somebody!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : You know, this was our last stand in this burg. We're pulling out.

  Joe Massara : Where are we going?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : East. Where things break big!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : So I beat it east, like I told you. That's all there is to it. I wanna run with your mob, if you'll let me. What do you say? You won't be sorry for letting me in, Mr. Vettori. I'll shoot square with you. I'll do anything you say. I ain't afraid of nothing.

  Sam Vettori : You think you're a hard guy, huh?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : There's nothing soft about me. Nothing yellow. I don't quit.

• Sam Vettori : I guess you're good with a rod too?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Quick with it! That's what I am and sure.

  Sam Vettori : Well, that don't go around here. That's old stuff. This ain't the sticks.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Yeah, I get you.

• Sam Vettori : All right. You stick around. But, remember, I'm the boss! And I give all the orders. And when we split, we split *my* way. - And no squawks. You get me?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Yeah, sure, Mr. Vettori.

• Sam Vettori : All right, come on in, meet the boys.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Sure.

  Sam Vettori : Oh, they're 100 percent, all right. Every one of 'em. There's Tony Passa. Can drive a car better than any mug in the town. Otero. He's little, but he's the goods all right. Bat Carilla. Killer Peppi. Kid Bean. And this one here, Scabby. What a smart guy he is.

• Sam Vettori : Boys! Come on, Tony. Wake up. I want you to meet a new guy what's gonna be with us. This is, eh, eh...

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Caesar Enrico Bandello.

  Sam Vettori : Oh, Little Caesar, huh?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Yeah, sure.

• Joe Massara : You gotta get me out of this, Rico. You gotta! I don't want to - Well, don't you see, I'm working steady now, and - Can't a guy ever say he's through?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : You're gonna be in on this, and you'll like it. The time is to be sharp midnight on New Year's Eve.

• Otero : Look, Rico. There's Flaherty, the bull. Things must be getting pretty hot. What's he want?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : He's just stalling. They ain't got a thing on me!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I want to thank you, fellas, for this here banquet. It sure is swell. The liquor is good, so they tell me. But I don't drink it, myself. And the food don't leave nothing to be desired. Well, I guess we're all having a swell time and it sure is good to see all you gents with your molls here.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I wish you birds wouldn't get drunk and raise Cain, because that's the way a lot of birds get bumped off.

• Sgt. Tom Flaherty : I've been in this game many years and I put the cuffs on a lot of mugs. Someday, you and I are gonna take a ride, Rico, and when we do, I'll have the cuffs on you too.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : No buzzard like you will ever put any cuffs on Rico!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Well. I didn't think he cared enough. Well, that was white of him, all right.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I'm going to see Little Arnie tonight. If he's looking for trouble, why, that's what we got the most of. I want Killer Peppi, Otero, Kid Bean and Bat to go with me.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : There ain't no use in being scared of any of these big guys. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. Yeah. I ain't doing so bad in this business so far.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Well, some joint you got here.

  Big Boy : It'll do.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : I bet all this trick furniture set you back plenty, huh?

  Big Boy : Well, they don't exactly give it away with cigar coupons.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Otero, what did I tell you, huh? I knew it was coming. I knew he had his eyes on me all the time. And let me tell you something, Otero. It's not only Pete Montana that's through, but the Big Boy himself. He ain't what he used to be. Pretty soon, he won't be able to take it, and then - watch me.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Dancing's all right for a sideline. It gives you a swell front. But it ain't my idea of a man's game.

  Joe Massara : What's the difference, Rico? As long as I ain't kicking, why should you kick?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Who's kicking?

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I kind of took pride in you, Joe - brought you into the gang, pushed you ahead. But now you're getting to be a sissy.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : I don't want to forget, Joe. You're my pal. We started off together, didn't we? We've got to keep going along together. Who else do I got to give a hang about?

• Joe Massara : You lay off Olga.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : I ain't laying off. I'm after her! One of us has to lose, and it ain't gonna be me. There's ways of stopping that dame!

  Joe Massara : You're crazy. Leave her out of this!

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : She's through. She outta the way. That's what she is.

  Joe Massara : You're lying. You wouldn't dare!

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : I wouldn't, would I? I'll show you!

  Joe Massara : Rico, listen. I love her. We're in love with one another. Don't that mean nothing to you?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Nothing. Less than nothing. Love. Soft stuff! When she's got you, you ain't no good for anything.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : We don't want no softies spilling things!

  Joe Massara : I won't spill anything, if you're scared of that. You think I want my neck stretched?

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : Well, you know too much. I ain't gonna take any chances. You're hanging around with me, see?

  Joe Massara : No, I'm not.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : All right. You go back to that dame - and it's suicide. Suicide for both of you.

• Otero : You should have plugged Joe.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : And the dame.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : This is what I get for liking a guy too much.

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Why, you dirty, thieving old hag!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : You'll have to come and get me.

  Sgt. Tom Flaherty : You'd better be a nice boy, Rico, and come out.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : You heard me! If you want me, come and get me!

• Caesar Enrico Bandello : Joe, huh? I didn't think he cared enough. Well that was white of him all right. I oughta give him a chance on my next job.

• Sgt. Tom Flaherty : [taunting Rico on the phone]  Say, why didn't you come to Sam's neck-stretching party, Rico? It was a big success.

  Caesar Enrico Bandello : [enraged]  Funny guy, ain't ya Flaherty? Well, you ain't got much longer to laugh! I'm comin' after ya see, and I'm gonna put one in your dirty hide for every lyin' crack that you made about me in the papers, see? I'm gonna show ya who's gonna finish up in the gutter, I'll show ya!