Francis Ford Coppola

Well, it's true that Mario had always liked the idea of Brando. But Mario was often Bayshore. He was not really on the scene so much. Even a lot of my work with him was my sending him drafts and him writing notes. So although he had posed the idea of the Godfather being Brando, I don't even know if he told me that. because I just was hit by a whole bunch of ideas from the studio.

Well, it's true that Mario had always liked the idea of Brando. But Mario was often Bayshore. He was not really on the scene so much. Even a lot of my work with him was my sending him drafts and him writing notes. So although he had posed the idea of the Godfather being Brando, I don't even know if he told me that. because I just was hit by a whole bunch of ideas from the studio.

Well, it's true that Mario had always liked the idea of Brando. But Mario was often Bayshore. He was not really on the scene so much. Even a lot of my work with him was my sending him drafts and him writing notes. So although he had posed the idea of the Godfather being Brando, I don't even know if he told me that. because I just was hit by a whole bunch of ideas from the studio.

Danny Thomas was one, Ernest Borgnine. It was a whole bunch of ideas. Even Carlo Ponti was suggested. And finally, I came down to the thing about the character of that character was that, you know, you couldn't find anyone new, as we had done for all the other parts. Al Pacino was totally unknown. Johnny Casale was... Bobby Duvall was really a lot of new people got big parts.

Danny Thomas was one, Ernest Borgnine. It was a whole bunch of ideas. Even Carlo Ponti was suggested. And finally, I came down to the thing about the character of that character was that, you know, you couldn't find anyone new, as we had done for all the other parts. Al Pacino was totally unknown. Johnny Casale was... Bobby Duvall was really a lot of new people got big parts.

Danny Thomas was one, Ernest Borgnine. It was a whole bunch of ideas. Even Carlo Ponti was suggested. And finally, I came down to the thing about the character of that character was that, you know, you couldn't find anyone new, as we had done for all the other parts. Al Pacino was totally unknown. Johnny Casale was... Bobby Duvall was really a lot of new people got big parts.

But like a man who was supposed to be in his 60s, it couldn't be new and like had never been in anything before because what was he doing all those years? So finally, with my colleague in casting, Fred Roos, we said, well, who are the two greatest actors in the world? So we said, well, Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando. Each one had a difficulty for that part. Olivier was British.

But like a man who was supposed to be in his 60s, it couldn't be new and like had never been in anything before because what was he doing all those years? So finally, with my colleague in casting, Fred Roos, we said, well, who are the two greatest actors in the world? So we said, well, Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando. Each one had a difficulty for that part. Olivier was British.

But like a man who was supposed to be in his 60s, it couldn't be new and like had never been in anything before because what was he doing all those years? So finally, with my colleague in casting, Fred Roos, we said, well, who are the two greatest actors in the world? So we said, well, Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando. Each one had a difficulty for that part. Olivier was British.

He was perfect age. He looked like one of the real guys, Genovese. and Brando was only 47 years old. He was extremely handsome, as always, had long, flowing blonde hair, and most important, he had just been in some pictures, notably one by the great Pontecorvo called Byrne, That was a huge flop, tremendous financial flop.

He was perfect age. He looked like one of the real guys, Genovese. and Brando was only 47 years old. He was extremely handsome, as always, had long, flowing blonde hair, and most important, he had just been in some pictures, notably one by the great Pontecorvo called Byrne, That was a huge flop, tremendous financial flop.

He was perfect age. He looked like one of the real guys, Genovese. and Brando was only 47 years old. He was extremely handsome, as always, had long, flowing blonde hair, and most important, he had just been in some pictures, notably one by the great Pontecorvo called Byrne, That was a huge flop, tremendous financial flop.

So the studio felt that Brando was supposedly difficult to work with, sort of irresponsible, you know, would cause big delays. The film was only budgeted for $2.5 million, you have to understand. It wasn't like we could throw money around. And my decision to make it in the 40s and have period cars and shoot in New York was

So the studio felt that Brando was supposedly difficult to work with, sort of irresponsible, you know, would cause big delays. The film was only budgeted for $2.5 million, you have to understand. It wasn't like we could throw money around. And my decision to make it in the 40s and have period cars and shoot in New York was

So the studio felt that Brando was supposedly difficult to work with, sort of irresponsible, you know, would cause big delays. The film was only budgeted for $2.5 million, you have to understand. It wasn't like we could throw money around. And my decision to make it in the 40s and have period cars and shoot in New York was

was already impacting the course, so that's one of the reasons why I was so unpopular. But they also hated my casting ideas. They hated Al Pacino for the role of Michael, and they hated Marlon Brando for the role of the Godfather.

was already impacting the course, so that's one of the reasons why I was so unpopular. But they also hated my casting ideas. They hated Al Pacino for the role of Michael, and they hated Marlon Brando for the role of the Godfather.

was already impacting the course, so that's one of the reasons why I was so unpopular. But they also hated my casting ideas. They hated Al Pacino for the role of Michael, and they hated Marlon Brando for the role of the Godfather.

And I was told categorically by the president of Paramount, Francis, as the president of Paramount Pictures, I tell you here and now, Marlon Brando will never appear in this motion picture, and I forbid you to bring it up again.

And I was told categorically by the president of Paramount, Francis, as the president of Paramount Pictures, I tell you here and now, Marlon Brando will never appear in this motion picture, and I forbid you to bring it up again.