Posted on 04/21/2023 10:56:37 AM PDT by nickcarraway
In a wide-ranging conversation at the 92NY, the actor, who revealed he's currently writing a book, also talked turning down 'Star Wars' and how "about half" of 'The Offer' is true.
Al Pacino sat down for a wide-ranging conversation Wednesday night in New York, touching on everything from his early days on The Godfather and his decision to turn down Star Wars to his views on retirement.
The 82-year-old star sat down with David Rubenstein as part of the 92nd Street Y, New York’s “People Who Inspire Us” series for an hourlong chat, where he looked back on his career and revealed he is currently writing a memoir. “You get to that age, you start to do things like that. I stayed away from it, but I think I’ve got to sort of talk about certain things,” Pacino said. “It’s fine, I have kids and all, it’d be a good idea, and I’m working on it,” noting his co-author was in the audience.
Starting with his big break in The Godfather, Pacino first asked the crowd who had seen recent Paramount+ series The Offer, which follows the behind-the-scenes making of the 1972 film. “I watched it and about half of it was true. Really, that’s a shock,” the actor said. He recalled starting work on The Godfather, and after the first day of shooting, “Diane Keaton and I got drunk and thought, ‘This is it, our careers are over. This is a mess.'”
The film obviously ended up being far from a mess, going on to receive 11 Oscar nominations. Rubenstein asked Pacino if he was upset that Marlon Brando was nominated (and won) best actor while Pacino was recognized as supporting actor, though Pacino had more lines in the film. “How does a story like that get out? I wasn’t upset, are you kidding me?” said Pacino, explaining that he didn’t go to the ceremony that year “not because of that. Let’s clear the air on that one. I’d been hearing about that up the grapevine.”
Rubenstein also asked Pacino if he thought The Godfather Part II was superior to The Godfather, to which the star replied, “No, I don’t. I really think it’s more — what would you call it — artistic or something, I don’t know. I don’t mean to play it down and be overly modest because I star in it with Bob de Niro, but at the same time, it’s a different film.”
“You see, The Godfather is more entertaining. Godfather II is this study, this personal thing for Francis [Ford Coppola],” Pacino continued. “Godfather I, I saw it recently, it’s always got two or three things going on in a scene. You’re always in the story, you’re going. You don’t know what’s going to happen next, it’s storytelling, it’s really storytelling at its best. Godfather II sort of linearizes, and [it’s] kind of different, somber, moves slowly. But it’s a great movie, I have to say.”
He also reflected on his later roles in Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and Scarface. When asked if there were any roles he regretted passing on, he noted, “I turned down Star Wars” when he was new on the scene and being offered anything and everything to play.
“So I was there and all of a sudden they gave me a script that was called Star Wars. I said, ‘I got the script, they offered me so much money, but I don’t understand it,'” eventually deciding he couldn’t do it for that reason. He joked, “I gave Harrison Ford a career, which he has never thanked me for!”
After nearly 50 movies, Pacino said he currently has four more on the schedule and hopes to do an adaptation of King Lear next year. When Rubenstein asked about retirement, the actor joked, “I’m always retired. I was retired when I was 25. I mean, who cares? Please don’t call it retired, I just don’t want to work anymore.”
“I don’t know, sometimes I just don’t want to do it as much. I like the lead-up to it, you know what I mean? It’s sort of like foreplay or something. I like to get there and then see, ‘Will I make it? Will I not make it? That kind of thing. I don’t know anymore,” he continued, putting his hands on his knees. “I wake up in the morning, I sit at the edge of the bed like this. And I think, ‘Is it really possible that I’m gonna get through this day?’ And then I think, ‘But I did say that yesterday, and I said it the day before and the day before that, and I got through it.’ I said that this morning, ladies and gentlemen, and you’re seeing him today!”
You had to have the Sonny/Carlo trashcan scene.
That led to Sonny leaving the house when he should not have.
Which was the ONLY way to get Sonny out of the house.
Without both scenes you would not have understood why The Godfather(Michael) had to settle the score with Carlo on the day of his son’s baptism.
Maybe a dig at De Niro...?
I saw I and II, but like II better. Although it’s been a while since I have watched them.
Try watching both movies with the close caption on. It makes it way more enjoyable.
If only Sonny Had an EZ-Pass, he would still be alive.
I like the Godfather Saga. That has the young Vito first, and then the Godfather, Part 1. I usually skip Part 2, and never watch Part 3.
its the worst...trust me..
Sonny needed Yoda to teach him how to deal with his anger. But that was a different franchise.
He still went to New Jersey, so maybe he’d be dead anyway.
its such a small, minor glitch in the film, yet its so obvious..i see it every time i watch.
Part 2 is a very good film...the flash back scenes make it an OUTSTANDING film. Never seen an era (1900-1920’s) recreated so realistically and beautiful. Just awesome film making...
On a side note: I just watched Dog Day Afternoon, which featured John Cazale. This was on TMC, the host made mention of Cazale appearing in only five movies, before his premature death:
GodFather I and II
The Conversation,
The Deer Hunter
Dog Day Afternoon
It was mentioned that all five were nominated for Best Movie. The contention was that John Cazale was so good, that his appearance was a factor. A tad over done, I think, but he was a very good actor.
I & II are equivalent to the opposing thumb and finger...
Missing either one could make life a bitch...
The Conversation was one of the first movies I ever saw; I loved it. Gene Hackman is great.
I haven’t seen any of them but I’m considering checking it out.
I will watch it again. March is the best month for watching TMC: 30 Days of Oscars. All movies won or were nominated for Oscars. I record many of them and watch them later. I still have about 6 to go. Never saw the conversation pop up, so did not record it.
Especially when you have a chopped off horses head in your bed.
I & II are classics. III is a waste of time.
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