"How did things ever get so far, I don't know"

The first person who can spot the difference in the following sets of pictures will get ... something ... eventually ...

Set 1:



Set 2:




And who said life doesn't imitate art?

The following is a scene from the Godfather ... it seems feasible that the "talks" followed the same lines ... with certain names and nouns modified, of couse.

VITO CORLEONE
How did things ever get so far? I don't know. It was so -- unfortunate -- so unnecessary. Tattaglia lost a son -- and I lost a son. We're quits. And if Tattaglia agrees, then I'm willing to -- let things go on the way they were before...

BARZINI
We're all grateful to Don Corleone for calling this meeting. We all know him as a man of his word -- a modest man -- he'll always listen to reason...

TATTAGLIA
Yes, Don Barzini -- he's too modest. He had all the judges and politicians in his pocket. He refused to share them...

VITO CORLEONE
When -- when did I ever refuse an accommodation? All of you know me here -- when did I ever refuse? -- except one time. And why? Because -- I believe this drug business -- is gonna destroy us in the years to come. I mean, it's not like gambling or liquor -- even women -- which is something that most people want nowadays, and is ah forbidden to them by the pezzonovante of the Church. Even the police departments that've helped us in the past with gambling and other things are gonna refuse to help us when in comes to narcotics. And I believed that -- then -- and I believe that now.

BARZINI
Times have changed. It's not like the Old Days -- when we can do anything we want. A
refusal is not the act of a friend. If Don Corleone had all the judges, and the politicians in New York, then he must share them, or let us others use them. He must let us draw the water from the well. Certainly he can -- present a bill for such services; after all -- we are not Communists.

ZALUCHI (after some laughter from the group, stands)
I also don't believe in drugs. For years I paid my people extra so they wouldn't do that kind of business. -- [Tattaglia whispers something to his aide]

-- Somebody comes to them and says, "I have powders; if you put up three, four thousand dollar investment -- we can make fifty thousand distributing." So they can't resist. I want to control it as a business, to keep it respectable (then, as he slams his hand on the table) I don't want it near schools -- I don't want it sold to children! That's an infamia. In my city, we would keep the traffic in the dark people -- the colored. They're animals anyway, so let them lose their souls...

VITO CORLEONE
I hoped that we would come here and reason together. And as a reasonable man I'm willing to do whatever's necessary to -- find a peaceful solution to these problems...

BARZINI
Then we are agreed. The traffic in drugs will be permitted, but controlled -- and Don Corleone will give up protection in the East -- and there will be the peace.

TATTAGLIA
But I must have strict assurance from Corleone -- as time goes by and his position becomes stronger, will he attempt any individual vendetta?

BARZINI
Look -- we are all reasonable men here; we don't have to give assurances as if we were lawyers...

VITO CORLEONE (holding up his hand to interrupt Barzini)
You talk about vengeance -- is vengeance gonna bring your son back to you? Or my boy to me? I forgo the vengeance of my son -- But I have selfish reasons. My youngest son -- was forced to leave this country, -- (then, as he stands, with Tom's assistance) -- because of this Sollozzo business. All right -- and I have to make arrangements to bring him back here safely -- cleared of all these false charges. But I'm a superstitious man -- and if some unlucky accident should befall him -- if he should get shot in the head by a police officer -- or if he -- should hang himself in his jail cell -- or if he's struck by a bolt of lightning -- then I'm going to blame some of the people in this room. And that, I do not forgive.

posted by Lazarus, 12:19 AM