Just saw the Making of the Godfather and this review is about the same. People who love cinema can’t help but love the Godfather series. It is like a bible to many aspiring directors. It is what a Sholay is to Indian cinema and more so. Because not just the original Godfather even the two sequels following it are master pieces.
Here are a few facts regarding the making of the film:
Francis Ford Coppola had to screen test every actor before the producers let him sign on any of them. Most of them at the time were unknown and the director had to put up a fight for almost all of them.
Marlon Brando too had to audition and was signed on for nothing for the first part.
During his costume testing (as the director put it to him) he actually took some shoe polish and applied it to his hair.
The producers were not convinced about Al Pacino at all and had several other actors test for his part. But the director stuck to his guns and Al Pacino was in. After days of shooting the producers were finally happy with him when he shot for the assasination scene and made his presence felt as an actor not just in the story but also in their minds.
The director after having read the novel made notes on each page and actually made a book of his own. He cut out and stuck each page to a bigger page with his comments on either side of the margin. More than the written script he loved to refer to that while filming.
For the second and the third part aswell he had the author Mario Puzo as the screenplay writer collaborating with him.
Most of the film has been shot on real location.
The little girl baptized in the church is the director’s own daughter. And also his sister Talia Shire is cast in the film as Connie Corleone
Along with music composer Nino Rota - part of the music for the film is composed by Francis’s father Carmine Coppola.
Even some of the scenes in the film are from the director’s own growing up history. Especially the scenes reflecting the family ties in Italian Americans.
The third part of the film was made 20 years after the release of the second part. And the producers had tried fitting the story not just in various locations but also talking to various saleable stars like Sylvester Stallone for one.
The actress starring opposite Andy Garcia is Francis’s own daughter. Yes the same one who was christened in the earlier film.
Francis Ford Coppola wanted to call the third part The Death of Micheal Corleone and not Godfather III.
But in some instances the director did have to give in to the wishes of the producers. But the making is solely his creation. And one should watch it for interviews with the actors and their experiences. Like I said at the outset...classics just don’t happen.