Michael Corleone in The Godfather, played by Al Pacino, is hailed as one of the finest performances in world cinema. His memorable character transition in the Francis Ford Coppola film is still discussed among worldwide fans. But interestingly, Al Pacino was never the original choice for the role. They had their eyes on another legendary performer, Robert Redford for the role.
The Godfather presented a beautiful amalgamation of popular and lesser-known stars who looked straight out of Mario Puzo’s bestselling novel. However, the 1972 masterpiece had a very problematic production schedule due to an intense conflict between Paramount and Francis Ford Coppola. Paramount wanted it to be a more star-studded affair with better-known stars.
Al Pacino almost lost his historical role in The Godfather because of Paramount
Starting from the outstanding characters and the unforgettable soundtrack to the handling of complex themes, several reasons enabled The Godfather to have such a massive impact on cinema. While Marlon Brando‘s Vito Corleone is the titular character of the film, Al Pacino‘s Michael Corleone plays a significant part in the story. His character journey is one of the primary highlights of the film.
During the time of its production, Al Pacino was a newcomer with an impressive Tony Award for his stage appearances, but with only one movie under his collar. Paramount was hellbent on casting a well-known face like Robert Redford or Warren Beatty.
On the other hand, producer Robert Evans was convinced to take Ryan O’Neal for the role. Even Burt Reynolds and Jack Nicholson were offered the role. In an interview with The Guardian, Al Pacino openly admitted that if it was not for Francis Ford Coppola’s support, he would have never gotten that role.
Michael Corleone in The Godfather was and still is the most difficult role I’ve played. I didn’t see him as a gangster; I felt his power was his enigmatic quality. Unfortunately the studio couldn’t see that at first and were thinking of firing me. It was during my early career, a major movie with Marlon Brando, and no one other than Francis [Ford Coppola] wanted me for the part.
Despite the studio’s complaints about Pacino’s short height, Coppola asserted that he could visualize the Scarface actor roaming the Sicilian countryside (via NPR). Al Pacino gave such an impactful performance that it is tough to imagine how the MCU star Robert Redford would have looked as the mafia boss. For his portrayal of Michael, Pacino also received an Academy Award nomination.
Al Pacino also stated to The New York Times (see Collider) that the role elevated his career to an astronomical level and gave him a new identity.
The Godfather‘s casting was a complete mess in the beginning
In a popular article by Vanity Affair, it was reported that the casting process of The Godfather was “more volatile” than the on-screen war going on between the gangster families. In an attempt to make it one of the most memorable film adaptations ever, Paramount Pictures thought of incorporating more star power into the film.
The director and the studio went into a conflict from the very beginning as Paramount Pictures was reluctant to cast Marlon Brando in the titular role. His reputation for being difficult to work with and a series of disappointing box office results almost snatched away his iconic performance. Before Coppola’s choice was finally agreed, the makers wanted Carlo Ponti or Ernest Borgnine for the role.
The late James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in the film, also played a pivotal role in Al Pacino’s casting. Caan, being a favorite of the makers and a bigger star, also landed the role of Michael Corleone for some time with Carmine Caridi as Sonny. Although Coppola was strongly opposed to James Caan’s casting in the film, he had to reluctantly agree, as producer Robert Evans wanted to cast him as Sonny, so that Pacino could be finally cast as the younger Corleone brother.
Ultimately, it cannot be denied that Francis Ford Coppola‘s casting choices made history. Everybody in the film was brilliant and found a newfound popularity after The Godfather. While it is interesting to imagine how the classic would have looked with a different cast including Robert Redford, the 1972 masterpiece made an everlasting impact in the history of cinema.
The Godfather can be streamed on Paramount+.
