Late confession
Al Pacino was almost fired from ‘The Godfather’
He became immortal as Michael Corleone in the cult film trilogy "The Godfather". But Al Pacino was almost fired shortly after his engagement.
Director Francis Ford Coppola was under pressure from the film studio to replace his leading man with a more famous name. And according to Pacino in his new memoir "Sonny Boy", the filmmaker told him after just ten days of shooting that Al's performance in front of the camera was a real disappointment for him.
"Anything but spectacular"
Coppola had invited his young leading actor to his home. In true Don Corleone style, the host received him with the almost whispered words: "I hold you in high esteem and have placed so much trust in you. Now I have to tell you - you disappoint me!"
Not exactly "spectacular"
According to Pacino, the entire Coppola clan was at the villa and sat at a large table for dinner: "I wasn't offered the chance to join them." He then went home and watched the footage that had been shot so far: "I had to realize that it was anything but spectacular."
In order to save his film, Coppola managed to shoot some of the most important scenes in Sicily despite budget problems. On the first day, he asked his star to do three things before the cameras rolled: "Talk to your beloved's family, then dance a tango with her and then get in your car and drive away with her." To which Pacino informed him, "I don't speak Italian, I can't dance and I don't have a driver's license."
Coppola exploded
Whereupon Coppola exploded and shouted: "Why did I take you for the role in the first place?" Pacino countered with a joke: "If it helps, I can weave baskets. That might keep me afloat if you have me removed from here right now." Whereupon his colleagues and the entire crew burst out laughing - including Coppola. Pacino: "That broke the ice between me and Francis and I was allowed to play Michael until the end."
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