Al Pacino Thinks the First 'Godfather' Is “More Entertaining” Than 'Part II': “It's Really Storytelling at Its Best” 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.
His big break, though, came in 1972 when he stepped into the role of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. The role led to Pacino's first Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, though he skipped the ceremony altogether.
Jack Nicholson turned down the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather because he believed that Italians should play Italians and Indians should play Indians.
Pacino wasn't a movie star in 1972, he was actually a well-respected theatre actor who had only accrued a small number of film roles by the time he hit 30. Francis Ford Coppola took notice of Pacino for his role in the 1971 film The Panic in Needle Park and cast him in The Godfather.
In terms of his career earnings, Al Pacino's first big check came in 1972 for an estimate $35,000 for his role as Michael Corleone. In today's money, that's around the same as $215,000, which is a small fortune for the regular citizen.
A distinguished character actor, Richard S. Castellano was the highest earning actor in The Godfather, whose fame outside the saga included playing Joe Girelli in The Super. He also received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Love and Other Strangers.
How much did Marlon Brando make for doing The Godfather?
Ultimately, Brando was paid $250,000 and a percentage of profits, reportedly netting about $2 million from the film. After the film's triumphant release, Brando, appeared on the covers of Time, Life and Newsweek and was prominently featured in Playboy, Ladies Home Journal, Rolling Stone, Vogue and other publications.
He most likely liked his performance in the Godfather. He was lucky to get the part. Hollywood didn't want him to have it (Al Pacino wasn't well known at the time) instead wanting a more well known actor. Coppola however kept insisting Al Pacino and so it was at the end.
How old was Al Pacino while filming The Godfather?
Al Pacino took center stage as Michael Corleone, heir to the Godfather, at 32. James Caan as the alpha male Sonny Corleone, was also 32. Robert Duvall was the clever consigliere Tom Hegan at 42. One-time film noir star Richard Conte turned in a memorable Barzini at 62.
"The studio didn't want Al Pacino at all," Keaton said, noting that she was cast before him in the Francis Ford Coppola classic. She then explained what caused the studio to change their opinion: their chemistry read.
Emilio "The Wolf" Barzini is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and in its 1972 film adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Richard Conte. The Barzini crime family was inspired by the Genovese crime family.
What did Robert De Niro have to do with The Godfather?
1974–1980: Scorsese collaboration and acclaim. De Niro had a pivotal role in Francis Ford Coppola's crime epic The Godfather Part II (1974), playing the young Vito Corleone.
Brando, who was only 47 at the time, underwent a transformation with the help of prosthetics, makeup, and a wig to make him appear older and burdened as the head of a crime family.
In 2017, Keaton told People she "had a crush" on Pacino when they began shooting the movie. Once they got together, she said, "I was mad for him. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker. There was an aspect of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant.
Robert De Niro auditioned for the 1972 film The Godfather and was surprisingly rejected. Watch his audition tape. Robert De Niro is one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema. So it is quite hard to believe that he would have auditioned for something and did not land a role for the same.
Numerous actors, many of whom were bankable stars, were considered to play Michael. From Jack Nicholson to Warren Beatty to Robert Redford, some of Hollywood's biggest stars were either offered the role or turned it down. Coppola held out for Pacino, but Paramount made a move to cast James Caan as Michael.
Al Pacino's portrayal of Michael Corleone is partly so spectacular because of the way he is able to interact with his co-stars. The relationships he creates on screen are incredibly believable and the variety of chemistry he strikes up with his peers really makes it feel like they are a real family.
Al Pacino stated that he did not agree with the portrayal of Michael in the film. He didn't believe that Michael would ever feel regret or remorse for his actions, especially the murder of his brother. Robert Duvall turned down the $1 million that the studio had offered to re-create his role of Tom Hagen.
Why did Marlon Brando refused to appear in Godfather 2?
Casting. Several actors from the first film did not return for the sequel. Marlon Brando initially agreed to return for the birthday flashback sequence, but the actor, feeling mistreated by the board at Paramount, failed to show up for the single day's shooting. Coppola then rewrote the scene that same day.
Other names floating around to play the Godfather ranged from Charles Bronson to Burt Lancaster to Orson Welles, who tried to convince Mario Puzo he was perfect for the role.
