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The Godfather: Al Pacino Nearly Fired From Iconic Film
Fans of the acclaimed film The Godfather were astonished to discover that Al Pacino, one of its leading actors, was “almost dismissed” just a week into production. The movie, now considered a cinematic masterpiece in Hollywood history, nearly lost one of its key performers who played a role in all three installments. Director Francis Ford Coppola faced challenges securing approval for the ambitious undertaking and also risked being replaced.
Al Pacino’s Initial Struggle
The actor, Al Pacino, has since expressed his shock at almost being let go from the project, recalling his initial dismay.
- A post on the r/TodayILearned subreddit highlighted quotes from the actor and director regarding the near-dismissal.
- A decision to potentially remove both Pacino and Coppola was allegedly considered before a rough cut was available.
- Fortunately, no action was taken, and the rest is film history.
Paramount’s Doubts and Coppola’s Defense
A Reddit post detailed Paramount’s initial lack of confidence in The Godfather, stating that the director almost lost his job before the studio reviewed the initial footage. The post highlights how the film eventually became a landmark in cinematic history.
Pacino, who portrayed Michael Corleone, went on to star in the sequels, The Godfather II and The Godfather III.
Fans reacted to news of the near-dismissal, as Pacino, confirmed that Coppola felt he wasn’t adequately “delivering” in the film’s early stages.
Pacino recounted: “You know how much you mean to me, how much faith I had in you. And Francis said, ‘Well, you’re not cutting it.'”
Pacino’s Reaction to the Criticism
This anecdote is described in Pacino’s memoir, Sonny Boy, released last year. “I felt that one in the pit of my stomach. It’s when it finally hit me that my job was on the line. I said to Francis, ‘What do we do here?'”
“He said, ‘I put together rushes of what we’ve shot already. Why don’t you take a look at it yourself? Because I don’t think it’s working. You’re not working.'”
Fan Reactions and Marlon Brando’s Influence
Supporters were horrified to learn of Pacino’s near-firing from The Godfather. Many felt that the movie would not have been the same without him.
Online Discussions
- A Reddit user commented, “They also didn’t believe in Al Pacino as lead… how wrong could they be in the end…”
- Another user wrote about potential issues surrounding co-star Marlon Brando before filming began.
Speculation arose that Marlon Brando’s insistence on using cotton balls to mumble his lines threatened the movie’s potential success.
Coppola’s Career on the Line
One theory suggested that Coppola’s track record at that time was not strong, stating: “At the time he had made a number of complete bombs. He outbid everyone else for the book rights by paying an excessive fee. It was a last desperate move to rescue his career.”
The user continued, “Sure, amazing film but most people don’t get to fail that many times and buy themselves into one of the hottest literary properties of the time.”