#GODFATHER AUTHOR SERIES#

The Devil asks to be the godfather, offering the child gold and the world's joys. Then the man meets the Devil on the highway. The man, after finding out that the man is God, declines, saying that God condones poverty. God asks to be the godfather, promising the child health and happiness. He runs out into the highway and finds God walking there. When his thirteenth and last child is born, the man decides to find a godfather for this child. Synopsis Ī poor man has twelve children and works hard to feed each of them every day. 'That's what I recall.The tale was published by the Brothers Grimm in the first edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen in 1812, as tale no. 'He sort of jokingly said, 'Why don't we buy this (movie) from Paramount and I'll play the godfather,'' Coppola says. This run-in was far more lighthearted, with Sinatra even quipping about taking on the Brando role as head of the crime family. I took the bull by the horns!'Īt the 50th anniversary celebration of 'The Godfather' in February, Coppola told USA TODAY about his own chance encounter with Sinatra, who died in 1998, before filming. 'If you take the role, Sinatra will bar you from Las Vegas,' Martino recalled being told, adding that he continued to play Vegas. Singer Al Martino, who played Fontaine in 'The Godfather,' told Seal he was warned off playing the part. Sinatra used his influence to meddle with the film's casting. And the fact that Frank Sinatra doesn’t like me, or would think I would do anything to hurt him, breaks my heart.'Īl Pacino as Michael Corleone speaks with Francis Ford Coppola on the set of 'The Godfather.' They dragged Puzo out, put him in my car,' Ruddy told author Seal, noting that Puzo was upset afterward, lamenting, 'In the house where I grew up, my mother had two pictures in the kitchen: one of the pope and one of Sinatra. 'There are two waiters holding Mario back. But Ruddy, whose recollections form the basis of 'The Offer,' gives a more vivid account in the book 'Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli.' Puzo, who died in 1999, left without incident. 'What hurt was, here he was, a Northern Italian, threatening me, a Southern Italian, with physical violence,' Puzo wrote, calling it 'roughly equivalent to Einstein pulling a knife on Al Capone.' 'Sinatra started to shout abuse' and threatened to beat him, the author recalled. 'It was wonderful': Rita Moreno revenge-dated Elvis Presley to get back at Marlon Brando Puzo apologized by saying, 'Listen, it wasn't my idea,' which Sinatra assumed was a reference to the Fontaine character. It went south quickly, with Sinatra saying, 'I don't want to meet him,' after the two approached his table. 'They both looked absolutely great, better than on the screen, 20 years younger,' Puzo wrote.Īnother well-connected diner insisted on introducing Puzo to Sinatra. The simmer boiled over at Chasen's when Puzo ran into Sinatra, an entertainer he referred to as an 'idol from afar.' Puzo was dining with 'Godfather' producer Al Ruddy as Sinatra greeted John Wayne in the room. When making the movie, the Paramount legal team 'showed concern' about the possibility of being sued by Sinatra. 'I reassured them the part was very minor in the film. A fully restored 'The Godfather' trilogy is out March 22 on Blu-ray. Johnny Fontane (Al Martino) sings to Connie (Talia Shire) in 'The Godfather' wedding scene. The 25 greatest Oscar best picture winners, ranked: From 'Parasite' to 'The Godfather' 'The only story I knew about making 'The Godfather' was that Mario Puzo got into a fight with Frank Sinatra at Chasen's,' Tolkin said of creating the 10-part series. 'So I had five minutes in the show written, and I just needed nine hours and 55 minutes more to fill it in.'

#GODFATHER AUTHOR SERIES#

The infamous confrontation sparked the imagination of Michael Tolkin, creator of 'The Offer.' The Parmount+ series about the making of 'The Godfather' features a re-creation of the fracas. Go ahead and choke' at Puzo, who was taking a meal break from writing the film's screenplay. In a legendary blowup at Hollywood eatery Chasen's, Sinatra snarled, 'Choke. The Chairman of the Board was not a fan of 'The Godfather,' an opinion Sinatra made abundantly clear as Mario Puzo's 1969 novel was being adapted for film. 2 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest American Films of All Time.īut the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mob masterpiece (now available in an anniversary edition) has resurrected the negative opinion of one influential critic: Frank Sinatra. 'The Godfather' holds a revered position in film history, with the Corleone crime family saga – starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan – perched at No.

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