Godfather III
CUT TO: Archbishop Gilday's church, or perhaps the Vatican. Archbishop Gilday and Michael are sitting at a desk talking.
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
Don Corleone. I need your help. And not just to light a little candle. My, gift, was to be able to persuade people, to give, to the Holy Church. Then, Rome decides, to put me in charge of the Vatican bank. But I was never a true banker. Mais á culpa, I trusted my friends.
MICHAEL
Friendship and money – oil and water…
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
Indeed. But these, friends, use the good name of the Church, to feed their greed. If money was lost, then I am to blame. Oh, if only prayer could, pay off our seven-hundred million dollar deficit.
MICHAEL
Seven-hundred and sixty-nine million.
(then)
The Church owns 25% of a large corporation – Immobiliare. You know the one I mean.
HARRISON
Largest landlord on earth, real estate all over the world worth six billion dollars.
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
That’s true…
MICHAEL
And the Vatican vote is necessary for control.
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
No. No, no. You’re mistaken. This isn’t a question of one person deciding, one deciding vote. This is like any other company in the world. We have directors, we have rules. We have very old rules. The Pope himself, would have to approve you.
MICHAEL
We’ve sold the casinos, all businesses having to do with gambling. We have no interests, or investments, in anything illegitimate.
HARRISON
The Corleone’s are prepared to deposit 500 million dollars in the Vatican bank at such time as Mr. Corleone receives majority control of Immobiliare.
MICHAEL
Immobiliare could be something new – a European conglomerate. Few families, have control of such a company.
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
It seems in today’s world the power to absolve debt is greater than, the power of forgiveness. Six hundred million dollars.
MICHAEL (smiles)
Don’t overestimate the power of forgiveness.
ARCHBISHOP GILDAY
Don Corleone. This deal with Immobiliare can make you one of the richest men in the world. Your whole past history, and the history of your family, will be washed away. Six hundred million.
<Michael considers this, looks over to B.J. Harrison, and then nods to Archbishop Gilday.>