Francis Ford Coppola almost did not direct The Godfather after reading the first fifty pages of Mario Puzo’s novel. The more interesting part is that Paramount Pictures wanted a novice filmmaker to helm a movie that ended up becoming a classic best-seller.
At the time, Coppola was only 29 and just starting his career in filmmaking. He was known alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg – all budding legends in the making. When Paramount offered the job to Coppola, the latter initially refused.
The Godfather’s Francis Ford Coppola Despised The Film’s Source Material
Francis Ford Coppola previously told Playboy what he found repulsive in Puzo’s novel. It was the first time the studio giant proposed the project to him:
“I started to read the book, and I got only about 50 pages into it. I thought it was a popular, sensational novel, pretty cheap stuff. I said, ‘My God, what is this, The Carpetbaggers?’ So I stopped reading it and said forget it.”
Months later, Paramount offered the project to Coppola again. During this time, the budding director’s production company was already failing and falling into massive debt. He took a second chance with the novel and ended up liking it:
“I got into what the book is really about. The story of the family, this father, and his sons, and questions of power and succession. I thought it was a terrific story if you could cut out all the other stuff. I decided it could be not only a successful movie but also a good movie. So, the fact is, it wasn’t a piece of trash.”
Puzo and Coppola ended up collaborating to create the screenplay, the masterpiece that earned them an Oscar. They also worked on the sequel which won Best Writing.
Francis Ford Coppola Reveals Stressful Experience With Paramount Pictures
Coppola made extensive research while working on the film. He told Cigar Aficionado that he made some sort of scrapbook that served as his guide:
“When I accepted the job, I cut all the pages out of the book where I made my notes, and I glued them into this thing myself. I made this myself, and then I went through very carefully, and I analyzed each scene.”
The director revealed he has disagreements with Paramount due to creative differences. He also had trouble when he started the casting process and the executives had different ideas. In the end, Coppola managed to bring Marlon Brando into the set. The filmmaker’s experience with Paramount left him stressed out until the movie’s post-production.
“It was just a horrible experience. I hated it. I still hate the memory of it. I didn’t even know the picture was any good until a friend of mine, that I called to give me some advice, looked at it. But, at the time, I had nothing positive happening.”
Thankfully, when Coppola made the sequel, Paramount was already out of the picture. He revealed that the rules have changed, and none of the executives meddled with the script or production.
Source: Playboy, Cigar Aficionado
