The Godfather, written by Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo, based on the novel by the latter and directed by the former, 10 out of 10

The Godfather, written by Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo, based on the novel by the latter and directed by the former

10 out of 10

Notes and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

The Godfather is one of the best five films ever made, if not the very best, as a number of critics propose.

This famous film is so popular- at number two on the IMDB list compiled by audiences- that I will take a different angle in this note.

Instead of mentioning the narrative, the perfect cast, supreme original material and the script, the director, I will concentrate on other aspects, like what I have read about it, perhaps little known aspects involving the actors.

The main source would be the cool and at times wicked book by the ultimate insider Robert Evans, actor, producer and studio head:

-          The Kid Stays in the Picture

Robert Evans had a paramount role- he was head of…Paramount for some time- in the making of The Godfather.

He probably exaggerates in his book, regarding his role in many productions, the extent to which some players would go to help or compromise him.

But some aspects are confirmed facts and he is the one who pulled through not only this chef d’oeuvre but others too:

-          Chinatown, Godfather II

First of all, Robert Evans appears to be the one that came with the brilliant idea of using an Italian director.

From his account, we get that most mafia stories, if not all had failed because the ones directing it had not been Italians.

Since these mob stories involved so much Italian tradition, with hindsight it makes sense to get them involved, only they weren’t at the time.

The relationship with Francis Ford Coppola was very tense, to say the least, even if at the end it paid artistic and financial dividends.

As for the latter, a bet is mentioned in one episode of the documentary American Cinema, between the director and producers.

Francis Ford Coppola won a limited series Mercedes as a result of that, for the producers had accepted to get him that brand of a car if a threshold would be reached and therefore Coppola ordered it.

The producers got a phone call from Mercedes America asking them about the car and stating that there are only three of that kind of model- one for the pope, another for some dictator and the last for…Mr. Coppola

“The Godfather” would never be made today because it’s not a Marvel film, its director says today and he has a point.

Al Pacino, one of the best known names in “The Screen Trade” today was involved in this project that launched his career.

Robert Evans mentions in his book aspects regarding the actor, who was an unknown entity at the time of the making of the film.

So much so that Evans writes about the fact that he had to talk with someone about getting him and that person asked him to repeat the name and then to spell it and this happened again, with the other parties involved:

-          Al Pacino…who? Al Pacino…you have to spell it for me…

At the opening, we learn from The Kid Stays in the Picture that those involved did not know whether it will be successful or it would fail.

Indeed, one theme that is returning in Adventures in the Screen Trade, another classic on the film industry by William Goldman is that people in Hollywood have no idea what will have a success and what will fail.

Godfather is now a classic and dialogue from the film is part of cinema history, from the introducing monologue on America, to the infamous horse in the bed scene, from the cat in the opening to the “I made an offer he couldn’t refuse” line.

Henry Kissinger was invited at the opening of The Godfather and Robert Evans was married to Ali MacGraw at that time.

None of them knew at the time how important this achievement would become, a glorious experiment that turns out to be cast in stone.