Colleoni Character Analysis in Brighton Rock

Colleoni is the most powerful mob boss in Brighton. He is a small man with a round belly who walks on tip toe and has thinning gray hair, but his unassuming appearance and dandyish air are deceptive. He is utterly ruthless in his pursuit of power, and his drive has paid off. By the time he meets with Pinkie to try to recruit him into his syndicate, he has the police on his side. When Pinkie calls on Colleoni to have Spicer murdered, Colleoni sends his men to target Pinkie, too—a hit job that pinkie and Spicer both narrowly escape.

Colleoni Quotes in Brighton Rock

The Brighton Rock quotes below are all either spoken by Colleoni or refer to Colleoni. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“You are wasting your time, my child,” Mr. Colleoni said. “You can’t do me any harm.” He laughed gently. “If you want a job though, come to me. I like push. I dare say I could find room for you. The World needs young people with energy.” The hand with the cigar moved expansively mapping out the World as Mr. Colleoni visualized it: lots of little electric clocks controlled by Greenwich, buttons on a desk, a good suite on the first floor, accounts audited, reports from agents, silver, cutlery, glass.

Related Characters: Colleoni (speaker), Pinkie Brown

Page Number and Citation: 66

Explanation and Analysis:

Colleoni Character Timeline in Brighton Rock

The timeline below shows where the character Colleoni appears in Brighton Rock. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Brewer eventually admits that he could not afford to pay both Pinkie and Colleoni. Colleoni would have killed him if he didn’t pay him. Colleoni is, apparently, stopping in... (full context)

...a dreamless sleep and wakes to Dallow handing him an envelope. The letter is from Colleoni, who has invited Pinkie to meet with him at the Cosmopolitan. Dallow urges Pinkie to... (full context)

Later, in the Cosmopolitan waiting for Colleoni, Pinkie is completely at ease. He watches people drift through the lobby. Motorcyclists lead tiny... (full context)

Colleoni greets Pinkie but does not realize at first who he is because he is so... (full context)

Pinkie and Colleoni take an elevator to the fifteenth floor, where the hubbub of the lobby is replaced... (full context)

Pinkie tells Colleoni that he’s the one who will soon need protection. Colleoni responds by suggesting Pinkie come... (full context)

Colleoni assures Pinkie that there’s nothing he can do to hurt his business. He can try... (full context)

...is gravely ill. Pinkie thinks all of this—the police officer, the talk of Brewer’s wife—is Colleoni’s way of intimidating him. (full context)

...since the horse races are to begin in a week, he hopes Pinkie’s men and Colleoni’s can refrain from starting the kind of mob war that is bound to end with... (full context)

...proposal. Then he leaves the office, more determined than ever to show the police and Colleoni that they’re wrong about him. He killed Hale and the police were too dumb to... (full context)

...her twelve to one. The phone rings and Tate’s demeanor changes. He is talking to Colleoni. He promises to do something for him, then hangs up the phone and writes out... (full context)

...goes to a nearby bar and orders a port. She asks the barman who Mr. Colleoni is. The barman is incredulous. Everyone knows Mr. Colleoni. He was involved in Kite’s death.... (full context)

...of fear of being killed. Crab says that Spicer should be respectful. He is now Colleoni’s right-hand man. Spicer says he better hope Pinkie doesn’t hear of his return. Crab informs... (full context)

Pinkie is in Snow’s, simmering with fury over the insults he received not only from Colleoni but from Brewer and the police inspector. The restaurant is full; there are no places... (full context)

Pinkie leaves and calls the Cosmopolitan on the boarding house telephone. He asks for Mr. Colleoni. Then he suggests in a coded manner that Mr. Colleoni’s men kill Spicer. He says... (full context)

...do with Spicer alone. He confesses to Spicer that he’s planning on negotiating peace with Colleoni, and Spicer says he’s all for peace. Then Pinkie reminds Spicer that he’s taking his... (full context)

...Spicer there. Spicer doesn’t understand. He thought he and Pinkie were going to meet with Colleoni. Pinkie says he’s decided to meet with Colleoni at his hotel instead. Spicer grows concerned... (full context)

...in the leg. Spicer calls out for him, but Pinkie is too busy fending off Colleoni’s men to do anything. Eventually, someone calls out that the cops have arrived, and Pinkie... (full context)

...go to the back. A luxurious car drifts by and Pinkie thinks he sees Mr. Colleoni inside, smiling at an old lady in a purple dress. Then again, it might be... (full context)

...Queen of Hearts nightclub. Pinkie tells Cubitt that Spicer is dead and that it was Colleoni’s men who killed him. Cubitt is shocked and asks what their next move should be. (full context)

...Rose. Dallow peaks his head in and asks what happened to Spicer. Pinkie tells him Colleoni’s men killed him on the course. Dallow says Spicer’s alive and in his room. (full context)

...in his room, packing a suitcase. When he sees Pinkie, he nervously admits he thought Colleoni’s men got him. He seems to feel guilty for being alive. Pinkie wants to tear... (full context)

...to think the murder of Hale, a dirty little journalist who got mixed up with Colleoni and got Kite killed, might have been a mistake. It no longer seems worth the... (full context)

...gets in the backseat and pulls her skirt up, but Pinkie, overcome with visions of Colleoni in full retreat and Pinkie suddenly made conqueror of the world, is nauseated by the... (full context)

...Spicer. Pinkie says he fell down the stairs. Rose is confused. The last she heard, Colleoni’s men killed him on the course. Pinkie grows frustrated with her. He admits that Spicer... (full context)

...Hale’s death if it’s the last thing she does. She knows right and wrong. Mr. Colleoni appears in the café for a moment, ordering fruit for his wife. Ida tells Phil... (full context)

...all over, but then he realizes that he’s alone. He leaves, thinking he’ll go see Colleoni and ask about joining his gang. (full context)

Cubitt makes his way to the Cosmopolitan where he asks for Mr. Colleoni. A page goes in search of him, bringing back Crab instead. Crab has changed a... (full context)

...brothers, really. Pinkie tells him they were never friends and he isn’t about to take Colleoni’s leavings. Cubitt begins to cry. He asks Pinkie to loan him some money; he’s broke.... (full context)

...a bank, and now Pinkie will soon be ruined, too, run out of business by Colleoni, who has his own, much more high-powered attorney. (full context)

...Cubitt at the door after all. He asks to see a letter Pinkie received from Collieoni. It’s unopened. Dallow reads it. Colleoni is offering to give Pinkie 300 pounds to not... (full context)

Colleoni Character Analysis

Colleoni Quotes in Brighton Rock

Part I, Chapter 2 Quotes

Colleoni Character Timeline in Brighton Rock