Evie Summers
Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes is a famous line from the 1972 movie The Godfather, spoken by Peter Clemenza, played by Richard Castellano. In the movie, Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer and the only man Vito himself fears. When the Corleone family cannot get in touch with Luca Brasi, they receive a package containing two dead fish wrapped in his bulletproof vest. Tessio (Abe Vigoda) explains that it is a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes, implying that Luca Brasi is dead and has been dumped in the ocean. The line has been referenced and misquoted in other works, such as the pilot episode of The Sopranos, where Christopher Moltisanti says Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Speaker | Peter Clemenza, played by Richard Castellano |
| Movie | The Godfather (1972) |
| Director | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Character | Luca Brasi |
| Character Description | Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer and the only man Vito himself fears |
| Character Description | Slow-witted and brutish but fiercely loyal with a reputation as a savage and remorseless killer |
| Meaning | Luca Brasi is dead, his body dumped in the ocean |
| Sicilian Message | An old Sicilian message that indicates someone "sleeps with the fishes" |
| Reference in other media | The Sopranos, where Christopher Moltisanti erroneously quotes the famous phrase, saying "Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes" instead |
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What You'll Learn
The line is delivered by Peter Clemenza in The Godfather
The line "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" is delivered by Peter Clemenza in The Godfather. In the film, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, Luca Brasi is portrayed by Lenny Montana, an ex-wrestler and former bodyguard and enforcer for the Colombo crime family. Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer and the only man Vito himself fears. He is known for his fierce loyalty and reputation as a ruthless killer.
In one of the most famous scenes from the film, an enemy family sends a package to the Godfather's compound containing Brasi's bulletproof vest wrapped around two dead fish. Tessio (Abe Vigoda) delivers the package to Sonny Corleone (James Caan) and explains the meaning behind the gesture: "It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." This line has become one of the most quoted in movie history.
The phrase "sleeping with the fishes" is a euphemism for death, implying that Luca Brasi's body has been disposed of by burial at sea. While the scattering of cremated remains at sea is common, the burial of a body at sea is much rarer and more complicated. Despite the popularity of the line, some have pointed out that it may not be entirely accurate, as Brasi is not sleeping but dead, having been strangled by the enemy family.
The scene where Tessio delivers the package to Sonny Corleone highlights the impact of Brasi's death on the Corleone family. It also showcases the intricate power dynamics and violent nature of the criminal underworld depicted in The Godfather. The inclusion of Sicilian traditions, such as the "sleeps with the fishes" message, adds cultural depth to the story and underscores the importance of loyalty and revenge within the Corleone family.
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It is a message that Luca Brasi is dead
In the movie The Godfather, the character Sonny Corleone receives a package containing a bulletproof vest and two dead fish. Tessio, who delivers the package, explains to Sonny that "It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." This is a famous line, often quoted, and delivered by the character Peter Clemenza, played by Richard Castellano.
Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer, a loyal and remorseless killer. Brasi is surprised to be invited to Connie Corleone's wedding, and to show his gratitude, he presents Don Corleone with a large cash gift for his daughter's bridal purse. Sometime after the wedding, Brasi is murdered.
The package containing the dead fish is a Sicilian message to the Corleone family, indicating that Luca Brasi is dead. The phrase "sleeping with the fishes" is a colorful way of saying that Brasi's body has been dumped in the ocean, or that he has been buried at sea. This is a reference to the fact that burial at sea, while rare, is a centuries-old custom.
While the line "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" is famous, some have pointed out that it is a mistake by the screenwriters. The phrase implies that Brasi is sleeping or resting, when in fact, he has been strangled to death by the enemy family.
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Brasi was Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer
In the movie The Godfather, the character Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer. Brasi is a brutal thug with a dark reputation as a savage killer. Fluent in Sicilian and able to handle himself in any fight, he strikes fear into the hearts of the Corleone family's enemies.
Brasi is born into an Italian family in Rhode Island, where he has an unhappy childhood due to an alcoholic father who frequently beats him and his mother. As a young man, he leads a small but feared street gang with ties to Sonny Corleone, who uses them as muscle to aid his family. During this time, Brasi is described as a psychopath and a drug addict. He has his own newborn child murdered by forcing an old woman to throw it alive into a burning furnace and then brutally murders the child's mother, Kelly O'Rourke, an Irish-American prostitute. He also plans to kill Corleone associate Tom Hagen for having a one-night stand with Kelly. Vito intervenes, paying Brasi off, and Brasi spends the money on more drugs. The resulting overdose causes him to suffer a complete mental breakdown, making him even more unstable and dangerous.
After Kelly's death, Brasi surrenders to the authorities and attempts suicide by slashing his throat with a broken bottle, but fails. He ends up with permanent brain damage, slowing his speech and ability to think. Vito uses his powerful influence in politics and law enforcement to have the charges dropped, earning Brasi's undying service and loyalty. Brasi becomes Vito's enforcer, and his prowess soon becomes legendary. In one incident, he kills two of Al Capone's henchmen, Benny Amato and Joey Daniello, who were hired to kill Vito.
Brasi is also sent to infiltrate the Tattaglia family, feigning dissatisfaction with the Corleones and convincing Sollozzo that he will work for him. However, he is taken by surprise and murdered in a nightclub by Tattaglia's son, Bruno, Sollozzo, and an unnamed hitman. This scene is where the famous line "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" originates. It refers to the Sicilian Mafia message of two dead fish wrapped in Brasi's bulletproof vest, sent to the Corleones after his death.
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Brasi was murdered by Bruno Tattaglia and Sollozzo
In the 1969 novel The Godfather, Luca Brasi is a fictional character who serves as Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer. He is described as a "savage killer" and is said to have had a violent past even before his association with the Don. Brasi's prowess as an enforcer and his loyalty to the Don are unquestionable. He is known for single-handedly killing six men to protect Don Corleone.
In the 1972 film adaptation of The Godfather, Brasi's character continues to be a pivotal one. However, there is a discrepancy in the portrayal of his death. While it is implied that Brasi "sleeps with the fishes", suggesting that he might be buried at sea, it is revealed that he was actually murdered by the "bad guys" who strangled him. This line, "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes", is one of the most quoted movie lines of all time.
Luca Brasi was murdered by Bruno Tattaglia and Sollozzo. Don Corleone was suspicious of Sollozzo, who was a front for one of the other families, and wanted Brasi to spy on him. Brasi was sent to find out what Sollozzo was planning behind the scenes. However, Barzini, who was actually the mastermind, did not fall for Brasi's story and had him killed.
Luca Brasi's death is referenced in popular culture, such as in the pilot episode of The Sopranos, where Christopher Moltisanti misquotes the famous line as "Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes".
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The line is referenced in The Sopranos
The line "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" is referenced in The Sopranos, a popular American crime drama television series. The series follows Tony Soprano, a New Jersey Mafia boss who struggles to balance his family life with his criminal activities.
The Sopranos is known for its numerous references to iconic gangster films such as The Godfather and Goodfellas. In one scene from The Sopranos, Tony goes to the mortuary to see his mother Livia's body. This scene is said to be directly inspired by a similar scene in The Godfather, where Vito goes to identify Sonny's body. The use of oranges in The Sopranos, denoting a bad omen, is also believed to be influenced by The Godfather, where Vito is shot while buying oranges.
In addition to The Godfather, The Sopranos also makes references to other gangster films such as Goodfellas. For instance, the scene where Furio goes to town on the brothel owner and his wife is reminiscent of Goodfellas when Henry and Karen enter the Copacabana. The long single take and the camera following the characters from behind are similar in both scenes.
The Sopranos also includes quotes from The Godfather, with characters referencing lines from the film. While the specific line "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" may not be explicitly mentioned in The Sopranos, the show's heavy influence from The Godfather suggests that it may have been alluded to or referenced in some form.
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Frequently asked questions
Luca Brasi is Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcer and the only man Vito himself fears.
It is an old Sicilian message that indicates that the person is dead and has been dumped in the ocean.
The line was spoken by Peter Clemenza, played by Richard Castellano, in The Godfather.
The Corleone family couldn't get a hold of Luca Brasi and received a package containing two dead fish wrapped in his bulletproof vest.
Yes, the line has been referenced in the pilot episode of The Sopranos, where Christopher Moltisanti says "Louis Brasi sleeps with the fishes".
