Godfather 1 and 2 are some of the best movies ever. If you like 3, stop reading now, never come back, and cancel Netflix.
In this scene, Michael, the youngest child, is having a mid-life flashback to his early years.
He tells the family he doesn't want to be a part of the family business. He doesn't want to be a part of their illicit mafia business. Instead, he tells them he signed up for the Marines to fight for America.
He is scolded for two reasons: first, that his family matters more than country (or, by extension, humanity as a whole). Second, that he didn't confer with them first, since, you know, they think they own him or something.
Key here is the exchange:
"You talked to my father about my future... My future.”
"Mikey, he has high hopes for you."
"Well, I have my own plans for my future."
Michael never really felt like he belonged and was so hurt by the episode that he didn't even get up to surprise his father when he arrived for his birthday.
The scene flashes forward many years later, when a much older Michael reflects back on everything. Five of the people from the earlier scene, including his father, had died, three of them at the hand of Michael himself.
After the birthday scene (but before the reflection scene), Michael is indeed dragged into the family business, but intends to take it "legitimate". Here, at around minute 2:15, his father tells him that he always knew the oldest son would get his hands dirty, and his middle son was, well, not quite capable... and while he wasn't ashamed of the family business, he wanted something better for Michael, Senator or Governor instead of Godfather. There wasn't enough time to take the family business legitimate.
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