Al Pacino: `I Was Nearly Fired From The Godfather`

Monsters and Critics ^ | Dec 7, 2010 | Grant Hodgson

[Chuzzlewit]

interesting read..

[Vaquero]

are we going to Jersey?

try the veal....its the best in the city.

[FTJM]

"You're not cutting it kid." Interesting...who did Coppola want to replace him?

I've always thought Duval, and Caan to a lesser extent, were miscast.

[nickcarraway]

Jerry Lewis?

[NormsRevenge]

70. wow.

Godfather V: The Party Begins

[Huck]

I always thought Caan tried to hard to be Italian. I agree. Miscast. But Pacino was perfect for Michael. I like Duvall. I think he did fine.

[dead]

Al Pacino was great in both Godfathers and Dog Day Afternoon.

He's been a hammy, one-note bore ever since though.

Whoooo-yah!!

[Frantzie]

This story has been told before but in a different way. The studio execs were on Coppolla’s back constantly to fire Al. Al looks like pee wee herman in the screen tests. Really young and pasty white. He looked and sounded really wimpy in the tests.

Coppola supposedly shot the restaurant scene and scenes later in the film to sabotage the studio execs from firing Al.

[The Comedian]

Pacino's replacement: Morgan Freeman

or possibly Cher.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[USS Alaska]

I think the old drunk is hallucinating, the shooting scene in the restaurant {if shot in order} was after the wedding, the shooting of Vito, the hospital scenes, the fish in the vest, the "going to the mats", in other words, too far into the movie to replace Michael.

Pacino was probably stoned, and Coppolla told him to take a shower and a steam bath, and get sober for the next shoot.

I love him as an actor but he's always been a prima dona and now that he's getting ready to find out if there's really is a God and if Pacino's really the devil, he's starting to get scared.

[dfwgator]

Only John Cazale could have played Fredo.

[Williams]

Pacino was great in Insomnia. Not bad as Kevorkian, either. Fun in Heat.

[dfwgator]

The problem with Caan is that I watch him, and I still think of him as Brian Piccolo.

[Vaquero]

I've always thought Duval, and Caan to a lesser extent, were miscast.

WOW!

Sonny and the Consiglieri????

2 perfect performances in arguably the best movie of the 20th century.....You are tough.

[elcid1970]

Leave the gun.

Take the canoli.

[a fool in paradise]

Talking about his battle with drink, he said, 'I didn't defeat it that's all you can say. I just don't drink.'

Hey, Al. Lay off the cocaine.

[FTJM]

I always thought Caan tried to hard to be Italian. I agree. Miscast. But Pacino was perfect for Michael. I like Duvall. I think he did fine.

Agreed, Caan's parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany, he didn't look the part and he overcompensated.

I think Duvall looked the part (German-Irish) but he didn't fit a character who had been raised/adopted by that family. That could have been a Director's choice.

[a fool in paradise]

Pacino's replacement: Morgan Freeman or possibly Cher.

Robbie Benson, in an unexpected turn.

[antiRepublicrat]

Duvall played the adopted consigliere perfectly, the voice of restraint and reason. What amazed me was the movie producer scenes. He was so incredibly normal and businesslike when threatening the guy. Caan played well, but lacked any sense of being Italian, which messed it up.