Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli
The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather
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- €15.99
Publisher Description
This “wickedly pacey page-turner” (Total Film) unfurls the behind-the-scenes story of the making of The Godfather, fifty years after the classic film’s original release.
The story of how The Godfather was made is as dramatic, operatic, and entertaining as the film itself. Over the years, many versions of various aspects of the movie’s fiery creation have been told—sometimes conflicting, but always compelling. Mark Seal sifts through the evidence, has extensive new conversations with director Francis Ford Coppola and several heretofore silent sources, and complements them with colorful interviews with key players including actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Talia Shire, and others to write “the definitive look at the making of an American classic” (Library Journal, starred review).
On top of the usual complications of filmmaking, the creators of The Godfather had to contend with the real-life members of its subject matter: the Mob. During production of the movie, location permits were inexplicably revoked, author Mario Puzo got into a public brawl with an irate Frank Sinatra, producer Al Ruddy’s car was found riddled with bullets, men with “connections” vied to be in the cast, and some were given film roles.
As Seal notes, this is the tale of a “movie that revolutionized filmmaking, saved Paramount Pictures, minted a new generation of movie stars, made its struggling author Mario Puzo rich and famous, and sparked a war between two of the mightiest powers in America: the sharks of Hollywood and the highest echelons of the Mob.”
“For fans of books about moviemaking, this is a definite must-read” (Booklist).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Seal (The Devil and Harper Lee) expands his 2009 Vanity Fair article "The Godfather Wars" into a revealing and entertaining look at the behind-the-scenes machinations of Francis Ford Coppola's epic film. Fifty years after its premiere, The Godfather still preoccupies the minds of film critics and historians, but Seal states that "some things remain overlooked, or misrepresented" about the film. With this he "untangle the competing narratives and self-aggrandizing contentions that continue to enshroud ." Through extensive research and interviews with key actors and production staff, Seal weaves his tale with enthralling portraits of The Godfather's main architects: author Mario Puzo, whose original 1969 novel saved him from an "insatiable" gambling habit; Paramount Pictures executive Robert Evans, who was struggling to save his tanking studio; Coppola, a Hollywood newcomer in need of a hit to establish his reputation; and, most importantly, a number of real New York Mafia kingpins who nearly derailed the film entirely. Along the way, Seal dishes up fascinating morsels for fans to savor—including how actor Richard Castellano came to improvise his famous line, "Take the cannoli," and a detailed look at the way Marlon Brando transformed himself into the aging Godfather, Vito Corleone. Masterpiece yields masterpiece with this exuberant page-turner.
