4/28/71
Scene: Meeting of the Five Families (location: Grand Central Station).
4/29/71
Rehearsal of Don Vito/Bonasera scene. First “mooning” on set.
4/30/71
Scene: Opening scene of the movie, first scene shot at the Corleone house set (“The Mall”).
5/3/71
Scene: Luca Brasi gives The Don the envelope, other wedding scenes.
5/5/71
Scene: Johnny Fontane.
5/7/71
Scene: Brando brought to his bedroom on a stretcher.
5/12/71
Scene: Lucy/Sonny sex scene.
5/13/71
Production returns to Staten Island location for exterior shooting, but rain prevents filming.
5/14/71
Brando told to take a week off; makes plans to go to Tahiti.
5/21/71
Production moved to Long Island. Scene: Woltz.
5/22/71
Scene: horse head.
5/24/71
Production moved back to Staten Island for Connie’s Wedding—rain delays.
5/26/71
Scenes: Wedding party.
6/1/71
Scenes: Wedding party.
6/7/71
Scene: Exteriors of baptism.
6/8/71
Scene: Carlo’s murder.
6/9/71
Scenes: Completed filming at Corleone Mall (Staten Island location).
6/16/71
Scene: The Don’s Funeral (location: Calvary Cemetery in Queens).
6/21/71
Scene: Interiors of baptism.
6/20–22/71
Scene: Assassination of Sonny.
6/23/71
Scene: Sonny beats up Carlo.
6/24/71
Scene: Interior hotel shots. Pacino spends the night at the St. Regis Hotel.
6/28/71
Scene: Kay and Michael in hotel bed together (scene does not appear in original release). Italian-American Civil Rights League leader Joe Colombo shot near Gulf+Western building.
6/29/71
Scene: more hotel scenes, including Clemenza shooting into elevator.
7/1/71
Scene: Murder of Don Barzini, murder of Moe Greene. Wrap party at the Cornish Arms Hotel down the street from YMCA (location of Moe Greene murder).
7/2/71
Scene: Michael’s pickup outside Jack Dempsey’s Restaurant. Last shot of New York principal photography.
7/15/71
Variety announces 50-50 chance that The Godfather will be ready for Christmas.
7/17/71
Coppola goes to Italy.
7/20/71
“The Godfather will not be available until some time between next March and June.”—Frank Yablans, soon to be head of Paramount, in Variety. Budget: “a little over $5 million.”
7/22/71
Key personnel go to Sicily.
7/24/71
Cast and crew go to Sicily.
8/71
Postproduction begins.
9/71
Coppola screens first assembly, sound effects collection. Paramount booked the film into 800 theaters for mid-December.
11/71
Semifinal version completed.
11/15/71
Paramount CFO, Frank Yablans, sees the film. Coppola notes in his journal, “Evans is so optimistic that I feel hopeful—I’ll know in several hours.
Several hours later … He liked it.”
12/71
Screening for Paramount staff and exhibitors.
2/23/72
Preview screening for the top 500 exhibitors at the Directors Guild of America theater on Sunset Boulevard.
2/25/72
First review (reviewer snuck into preview): rave in New York Post.
3/15/72
Premiere at New York’s Loews State I Theatre on Broadway in Times Square during snowstorm.
3/23/72
Producers private screening at the Paramount Studio Theatre.
3/29/72
National release—The Godfather opens simultaneously in five New York theaters.
APPENDIX III: NOTABLE AWARDS
THEN
1973 Academy Awards®
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Marlon Brando (refused)
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium:
Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Best Picture:
Albert S. Ruddy
Nominated:
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Robert Duvall
Best Sound:
Charles Grenzbach, Richard Portman, Christopher Newman
Best Costume Design:
Anna Hill Johnstone
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Al Pacino
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
James Caan
Best Film Editing:
William Reynolds, Peter Zinner
Best Director:
Francis Ford Coppola
Directors Guild of America
Best Director:
Francis Ford Coppola
Golden Globes
Best Motion Picture—Drama
Best Motion Picture Actor—Drama:
Marlon Brando
Best Screenplay:
Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Best Director—Motion Picture:
Francis Ford Coppola
Best Original Score:
Nino Rota
Nominated:
Best Motion Picture Actor—Drama:
Al Pacino
Best Supporting Actor—Motion Picture:
James Caan
Grammy Awards
Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV Special:
Nino Rota
National Board of Review
Best Supporting Actor:
Al Pacino (Tied with Joel Grey in Cabaret)
Best Picture (nominated)
National Society of Film Critics
Best Actor:
Al Pacino
New York Film Critics Circle
Best Supporting Actor:
Robert Duvall
Writers Guild of America
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium:
Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
NOW (Lifetime Achievement)
Writers Guild of America
Second-greatest screenplay ever (after Casablanca)
United States National Film Registry
Selected for preservation, 1990 (the second year of selection process)
American Film Institute:
Second-greatest movie score of all time
Rankings:
Ranked as one of the greatest films of all time:
American Film Institute (#2, “100 Greatest Movies”)
Entertainment Weekly (#1)
Internet Movie Database users (#1)
Sight and Sound international critics poll (#4)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTERVIEWS
Peter Bart: March 8, 2007
Francis Ford Coppola: February 12, 2007
Sonny Grosso: November 20, 2006
Alex Rocco: January 15, 2007
Fred Roos: March 29, 2007
Albert S. Ruddy: January 8, 2007
Dick Smith: November 15, 2006
Robert Towne: March 11, 2007
BOOKS
Bart, Peter. Boffo!: How I Learned to Love the Blockbuster and Fear the Bomb. New York: Miramax Books, 2006.
Biskind, Peter. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘n’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998
Biskind, Peter. The Godfather Companion. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1990
Brando, Marlon. Songs My Mother Taught Me. New York: Random House, 1994
Cowie, Peter. The Godfather Book. London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1997
Evans, R
obert. The Kid Stays in the Picture. Beverly Hills: New Millennium Press, 2002
Gardner, Gerald and Gardner, Harriet Modell. The Godfather Movies: A Pictorial History. New Jersey: Wings Books, 1993
Grobel, Lawrence. Al Pacino: In Conversation with Lawrence Grobel. New York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2006
Gross, Terry. All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians, and Artists. New York: Hyperion, 2005
Harlan, Lebo. The Godfather Legacy. New York: Fireside, 2005
Lavery, David. This Thing of Ours: Investigating The Sopranos. Darby, PA: Diane Pub Co., 2004
Malyszko, William. Ultimate Film Guide: The Godfather. London: York Press, 2001
Puzo, Mario. The Godfather Papers: and Other Confessions. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Crest Publications, 1972
Puzo, Mario. The Godfather. New York: Signet, 1978
Sheridan-Castellano, Ardell. Divine Intervention and a Dash of Magic: Unraveling the Mystery of “The Method”: Behind the Scenes of the Original Godfather Film. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2002
Zuckerman, Ira. The Godfather Journal. New York: Manor Books Inc., 1972
ARTICLES
Bacon, James. “‘The Godfather’ Casting Game Continues.” LA Herald Examiner, October 6, 1970.
Brando, Marlon. “‘The Godfather’: That Unfinished Oscar Speech.” New York Times, March 30, 1973
Cameron, Sue. “‘Godfather’ Biggest Thing Since GWTW, Al Ruddy Says.” Hollywood Reporter, November 6, 1970.
Cameron, Sue. “Mario Puzo Says ‘Godfather’ Experience Was Frustrating.” Hollywood Reporter, February 25, 1972
Canby, Vincent. “Bravo, Brando’s ‘Godfather.’” New York Times, March 12, 1972.
Canby, Vincent. “A Moving and Brutal ‘Godfather.’” New York Times, March 16, 1972.
Champlin, Charles. “‘Godfather’: The Gangster Film Moves Uptown.” Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1972.
Davis, Ivor. “Smuggled into ‘Godfather’ Screening.” LA Herald Examiner, March 3, 1972.
Faber, Stephen and Green, Marc. “Dynasty, Italian Style.” California Magazine, April, 1984s
Gage, Nicholas. “A Few Family Murders, But That’s Show Biz.” New York Times, March 19, 1972.
Heller, Wendy and Willens, Michele. “Life-styles for Waiting in Line to See ‘Godfather.’” Los Angeles Times, April 16, 1972.
Kael, Pauline. “Alchemy.” The New Yorker, March 18, 1972.
Kauffmann, Stanley. “On Films: ‘The Godfather.’” The New Republic, April 1, 1972.
Knapp, Dan. “Coppola ‘Godfather’ Director.” Los Angeles Times, October 1, 1970.
Maslin, Janet. “Hollywood Wunderkind’s Fall and Rise,” New York Times, August 25, 1994.
Penn, Stanley. “Colombo’s Crusade: Alleged Mafia Chief Runs Aggressive Drive Against Saying ‘Mafia.’” Wall Street Journal, March 23, 1971.
Pileggi, Nicholas. “How Hollywood Wooed and Won the Mafia.” Los Angeles Times, August 15, 1971.
Pileggi, Nicholas. “The Making of ‘The Godfather’—Sort of a Home Movie.” The New York Times Magazine, August 15, 1971.
Scott, Tony. “Ruddy Raps Extras Guild, Won’t Shoot in Its Jurisdiction.” Variety, September 2, 1970.
Setlowe, Rick. “Paramount’s Gamble Four Years Ago on Mario Puzo Has Really Paid Off.” Variety, September 30, 1970.
Setlowe, Rick. “Italo American Thesps Picket Par Studio, Protest ‘Godfather’ Casting.” Variety, February 11, 1971.
Shanken, Marvin R. “The Godfather Speaks.” Cigar Aficionado, October, 2003.
Toy, Steve. “Another Sour Note for Acad: Governors Mulling Possible ‘Godfather’ Music Rub-Out As Not Being Original Score.” Variety, February 28, 1973
Wayne, Fredd. “‘Godfather’ Casting: An Italian Uprising.” Los Angeles Times, February 28, 1971.
Weiler, G.N. “Source Material.” New York Times, March 5, 1967.
ARTICLES, NO AUTHOR CITED
“Para Buys Puzo’s ‘Godfather’ Tome.” Hollywood Reporter, January 24, 1969.
“One Man’s Family.” Time, March 14, 1969.
“Par’s Bargain Price (80G) For ‘Godfather’ Rights.” Variety, September 17, 1969.
“Par to Produce ‘Godfather’ Film.” Variety, November 26, 1969.
“Hollywood: Will There Ever Be a 21st Century-Fox?” Time, February 9, 1970.
“How Does Coppola Par Deal Affect His WB Status?” Variety, September 28, 1970.
“Paramount Paid Puzo $80 Thou For ‘Godfather’ Plus Two.” Hollywood Reporter, September 30, 1970.
“Coppola Says Para Deal ‘On Leave’ From Warners.” Hollywood Reporter, October 1, 1970.
“‘Godfather’ Director Coppola Unhappy Producer Ruddy Has Nixed N.Y. Locale.” Variety, October 9, 1970
“Fredrickson Aide on Par’s ‘Godfather.’” Variety, October 15, 1970.
“No Stars for ‘Godfather’ Cast—Just Someone Named Brando.” Variety, January 28, 1971.
“Brando to Play ‘The Godfather,’ Evans Announces.” Hollywood Reporter, January 28, 1971.
“Marley Firmed for ‘Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, February 19, 1971.
“Injunction in Pacino Suit on ‘The Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, March 11, 1971.
“Puzo, Ruddy Deny Friction on ‘Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, March 11, 1971.
“The Making of ‘The Godfather.’” Time, March 13, 1972.
“Suit Settlement Clears ‘Godfather’ Role for Pacino.” Variety, March 17, 1971.
“Rocco for ‘Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, March 18, 1971.
“Par Burns Over ‘Godfather’ Deal, But Will Rub Out Mafia.” Variety, March 23, 1971.
“Par Repudiates Italo-Am. Group Vs. ‘Godfather.’” Variety, March 24, 1971.
“Robert Duvall In ‘Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, March 24, 1971.
“‘Godfather’ Rolls Today.” Hollywood Reporter, March 29, 1971.
“Damone Quits Role in Picture ‘The Godfather.’” L.A. Herald Examiner, April 5, 1971.
“Damone Vacates Role in ‘Godfather.’” Variety, April 5, 1971.
“A Night for Colombo.” Time, April 5, 1971.
“Italo Service Club Slaps ‘Godfather.’” Variety, April 7, 1971.
“Shooting ‘The Godfather.’” Newsweek, June 28, 1971.
“The Mafia: Back to the Bad Old Days?” Time, July 12, 1971.
“Puzo Book Tells About ‘Godfather’ Experiences Mute Paramount Mafia.” Variety, December 25, 1971.
“How Gianni Russo Muscled His Way into ‘The Godfather.’” Hollywood Reporter, February 1, 1972.
“Par’s ‘Godfather’ Date Is Scuttled By London Daily.” Variety, March 1, 1972.
“Brando’s Mute ‘Test’ Copped Role; ‘Godfather’ Funnier Than Mafia Picnic.” Variety, March 8, 1972
“‘Godfather’ Godsend for Gunmen.” Variety, March 20, 1972.
“It’s Everybody’s ‘Godfather.’” Variety, March 22, 1972.
“‘Godfather’ Sets Industry Record.” Hollywood Reporter, March 23, 1972.
“City Troublemaker…” Seventeen, April 1972.
“The Godsons.” Time, April 3, 1972.
“‘Godfather’ Sparks Queue Gimmicks.” Variety, April 5, 1972.
“Five More Versions of ‘Godfather’ Planned.” The Hollywood Reporter, April 7, 1972.
“The Story Behind The Godfather By The Men Who Lived It.” Ladies Home Journal, June, 1972.
“Coppola Kicks Back at His Pic-Fest Critics.” Variety, October 19, 1972.
“Not So Says Al Martino.” LA Herald Examiner, January 2, 1973.
“Mafia Insisted on Its Own Preview of ‘Godfather,’ Producer Reveals.” Box Office, December 17, 1973.
“The Promoter: Frank Yablans.” Time, March 18, 1974.
“The Producer: Robert Evans.” Time, March 18, 1974.
AMERICAN ZOETROPE RESEARCH LIBRARY: ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS
The Godfath
er Notebook, Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola Journal
The Godfather Screenplay by Mario Puzo, First Draft, August 10, 1970
Francis Coppola Memo, Subject: Special Effects, January 22, 1971
Transcript, preproduction meeting between Francis Ford Coppola, Gordon Willis, Johnny Johnstone, Dean Tavoularis, January 25, 1971
Transcript, preproduction meeting between Francis Ford Coppola, Richard Castellano, Al Lettieri
The Godfather Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, Second Draft, March 1, 1971
PARAMOUNT PICTURES: ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS
The Godfather Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, Third Draft, March 29, 1971
The Godfather Dialogue Continuity Screenplay
VIDEOS AND WEBSITES
Gangland: Bullets Over Hollywood. Image Entertainment, 2006
The Godfather: DVD Collection. Paramount Pictures, 2001
thegodfathertrilogy.com [creator: J. Geoff Malta]
gangsterbb.net
INDEX OF MEMORABLE LINES
I believe in America, 24
Some day, and that day may never come, I’ll call upon you to do a service for me, 28
What are ya, a dance judge or something?, 31
No Sicilian can refuse any request on his daughter’s wedding day, 32
And I hope that their first child … will be a masculine child, 39
My father made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, 46
A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man, 50
I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse, 50
The Annotated Godfather: The Complete Screenplay with Commentary on Every Scene, Interviews, and Little-Known Facts Page 24