1972 Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather opens (45 Year Anniversary)

History.Com (This Day in History) ^ | 03/15/2017 | staff

[Kid Shelleen]

Aside from the movie what I always find entertaining about this event was that Joseph Colombo was one of the original civil rights shakedown artists. He was head of the "Italian-American Civil Rights League". He spent the days protesting the FBI's "harassment" of Italians and at night he was "negotiating" with Godfather producer producer Al Ruddy for "permission" to film in New York city.

Here is an interesting read and would probably make a good movie too. The author claims Columbo had the script changed so that Mafia was never mentioned.
http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2012/03/04/the-time-the-mafia-protested-the-godfather

[lacrew]

Never saw it...people keep telling me should.

[Ciaphas Cain]

It is not without reason that it is considered one of the very finest films ever produced if not THE very finest.

There is a real tragedy in this movie and it continues into the sequel and even into The Godfather Part III (for all the problems that movie has).

[poobear]

No REAL Mafioso would agree with the film. Nor would they disagree. The way it is. Quite a screenplay. Brilliant!

[max americana]

I’ll make you an offer you cant refuse.

[SpaceBar]

A cinematic masterpiece. The novel is great too.

[max americana]

Novels were far superior. Genco may be the greatest consiglieri of all time, if people knew what he did for the Don. But in the film, he’s also mentioned once, and got cut. In Paramount, I always pass by studio B where they house the Godfather stuff.

[heterosupremacist]

Of course, you were right about Joey Colombo (scumbag) - but Godfather was one of the best films I had ever viewed on the Big Screen, maybe second best only to Godfather II...

[be-baw]

Best movie of all time. I’ve probably seen it 50 times and will be sure to watch it again.

[Boiler Plate]

Me neither. I saw Peter Griffin ‘s review and that was all I needed to know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wMQz3iJDzE

[Michael.SF.]

There are so many 'Godfather' stories, some true, some not. One that IS NOT true is this one:

When Paramount insisted that Brando do a screen test, the legendary actor complied because he wanted the role so badly.

Brando did not comply. He was tricked into it by Coppola.

The story from Coppola was: They went to visit Brando, to 'talk', they brought their camera with them. While talking about the role the camera was rolling. Brando envisioned how he would play the role. He transformed himself stuffing the Kleenex in his mouth, changing his voice, etc. This was caught on film. Coppola then edited it and showed it to the Paramount people as a 'screen test'. It worked (obviously)

[heterosupremacist]

# 6

SpaceBar wrote:

A cinematic masterpiece. The novel is great too.

Yes the novel was a classic! Mario Puzo ping...

[Michael.SF.]

I would reverse it. I like Part II more than Part I. It is the old scenes with DeNiro that make Part II superior IMHO.

[shotgun]

Both are absolutely an all time classics. GF1 and GF2

[yarddog]

Probably the most quoted movie in history.

[arrogantsob]

Agreed, I watch it once a year at least.

GF 2, Casablanca, the Big Sleep and many of the Duke’s always interest me.

[shotgun]

I will watch it every chance I get. Lately HBO has been showing the chronological version that blended GF1 and GF2 together and beginning with the opening scene from Godfather 1 and then transitions to all of the flashbacks with DeNiro as young Vito from GF2.

[trisham]

Agreed.

[shotgun]

See my post 17. It is a true epic masterpiece when combined in proper order.

[be-baw]

“many of the Duke’s always interest me.”

Rio Bravo. One of my two favorite westerns of all time; the other is Tombstone.