“I don’t think they’re going to fire you now”: Francis Ford Coppola Almost Never Directed ‘The Godfather’ Before His Trashed Script Won an Oscar That Changed Studio’s Mind

For Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather was the movie that revolutionized the gangster genre of filmmaking, received a strong commercial reception, and gave him high acclaim.

Coppola has other classics to his name, from The Conversation to Apocalypse Now, but the release of the mobster epic has cemented the director’s reputation. The Godfather won three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay (shared with Mario Puzo).

Also read: “What is this, the Carpetbaggers?”: The Godfather Director Francis Ford Coppola Hated Mario Puzo’s Original Novel That Nearly Made Him Refuse to Make Marlon Brando Starrer Epic

Francis Ford Coppola was Almost in Danger of Being Fired From The Godfather

Earlier, Francis Ford Coppola was unimpressed with Mario Puzo’s novel, calling it “sleazy.” But Coppola needed money for his company, American Zoetrope, so he agreed to direct for Paramount.

Although, Paramount didn’t hold respect for Coppola, and they only selected him due to his Italian heritage. It’s because Robert Evans, Paramount’s head at the time, wanted an Italian team for The Godfather to enhance its depiction of Italian-American culture. So, when Sergio Leone declined, the studio opted for Coppola.

While making the film (directed and co-written by Coppola), he faced immense pressure, clashes with the studio, and numerous external challenges in bringing his vision to the screen. Coppola ultimately won these battles, but he has admitted that he felt in danger of being fired from the project three or four times.

Also read: “I got only about 50 pages into it”: Francis Ford Coppola Nearly Refused to Make $291M The Godfather After Finding Original Novel ‘Cheap and Sensational’ as Movie Turns 51 Years

Patton‘s Script Saved Francis Ford Coppola to Survive in The Godfather 

Francis Ford Coppola and North won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Patton (Coppola co-wrote the script for Patton in 1970 along with Edmund H. North). However, Coppola didn’t attend the ceremony. Instead, he watched it in New York with his friend Martin Scorsese, and they celebrated Coppola’s win together.

“I was thrilled, and Marty said to me, ‘I don’t think they’re going to fire you now.’ He was right. In other words, they probably wouldn’t fire me for a while because, how do you have the guy who wrote your script and is directing your film and then he wins an Oscar and then you fire him? Marty recognized that winning the Oscar was going to preserve me. I was really worried.”

Coppola’s artistic decisions were proved right, and Paramount had a successful film. Despite having almost fired the director once, the studio was now urging him to create a sequel.

Watch The Godfather on Prime Video.

Also read: ‘Francis Ford Coppola don’t give a damn’: Internet Divided as Godfather Director Casts Controversial Actor Shia LaBeouf in New Movie ‘Megalopolis’ While He Faces Sexual Assault Charges

Source: The Playlist