As a fervent admirer of the artistry that goes into crafting a cinematic masterpiece, I find myself captivated by the extraordinary tale behind the making of “The Godfather.” The story is as enthralling as the movie itself, with its myriad twists and turns, a testament to the power of gambling – both in Puzo’s fictional world and his own life.
A multitude of gangster films have been produced in Hollywood, but none have presented a more incisive, biting portrayal of the Cosa Nostra realm and its colorful array of criminals, associates, and businessmen quite like The Godfather. The intriguing behind-the-scenes stories about the making of this iconic gangster film are just as captivating as the movie itself.
As a movie critic looking back on the iconic saga, I can’t help but marvel at the tumultuous path that “The Godfather” took from concept to cinematic masterpiece. Before Mario Puzo’s novel graced bookshelves worldwide, Paramount Pictures already recognized its potential greatness. However, the road to completion was anything but smooth sailing.
In the end, all that chaos proved worthwhile. Despite the constant arguments during filming, this captivating story about a soldier’s transformation into a top mob boss left nothing but flames of excitement. The movie was a massive hit, both financially and critically, bagging three out of ten Oscar nominations and earning nearly $300 million at the box office. Life took a turn for the better for almost everyone involved in this project. Many actors became familiar faces, while the director and producers pocketed substantial profits. (From my perspective as a fan, it was quite an unforgettable journey!)
If Mario Puzo hadn’t sold his story, things would have turned out quite differently. It seems that he agreed to the deal with Paramount solely due to his substantial gambling debts.
Puzo’s Agent Never Wanted Him to Do the Deal
The books “The Godfather Legacy: Behind the Scenes of the Iconic Godfather Trilogy” by Harlan Lebo and “The Annotated Godfather” by Jenny M Jones offer new insights into the chaotic pre-production phase experienced by the film “The Godfather”.
1967 found me, as a film enthusiast at Paramount Pictures, captivated by an intriguing proposition. A literary scout from our studio had brought to light an unfinished 150-page manuscript, bluntly titled “Mafia,” penned by Mario Puzo. In the realm of adaptations, where films were reigning supreme, I recognized the potential in securing such a project early.
Keen to secure the concept before someone else beat me to it, I proposed $12,500 to Puzo for adaptation rights, with an additional $80,000 if the completed project secured a production budget. However, upon examining the contract proposal, his agent, Candida Donadio, believed he’d barely see any profit from it. Who could blame him? This wasn’t a pastime for him. Yet, despite my desire to reject the offer, I couldn’t. It was a tough call, but I found myself in a position where I had to accept.
In early 1968, Paramount’s Robert Evans shared a conversation with Puzo, where he revealed his immediate financial need of $10,000 due to mounting gambling debts. Evans consented to lend him the sum.
Isn’t it interesting that the writer of “The Godfather” had a penchant for gambling, a pastime closely associated with the mafia? This habit allegedly drew him closer to his fictional characters, but it was something that strained relations within his own family. Antony Puzo, his son, recalls those excessive gambling days with less than fondness, as he shared in an interview with AirMail.
“He liked to do things first-class, even though we only had fifth-class money.”
Thankfully, the fifth-class situation didn’t stay that way forever.
Life Changed for Puzo, But His Children Felt He Was Shortchanged
For Mario Puzo, the Hollywood deal marked just the start of brighter days. Upon the release of The Godfather, it astonishingly stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for a staggering 67 weeks, selling an impressive nine million copies in just two years. Prior to this, publishing house G. P. Putnam’s Sons had already granted him a substantial sum of $375,000 for the book. Moreover, he was recruited as a collaborator for the movie adaptation and its subsequent sequels. Needless to say, life had never been more prosperous.
Nevertheless, his children believed he had been unfairly treated financially. In 2012, Puzo’s estate took legal action to end their contract with Paramount. This was a response to Paramount’s lawsuit aimed at preventing the release of a prequel novel titled “The Family Corleone,” which they argued was published without their consent. The family’s lawyer, Bert Fields, expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that while the studio made billions from the mafia story, they paid Puzo mere pennies.
In response to the saga, Paramount released a statement, saying:
We hold Paramount Pictures in high regard for Mario Puzo and his heritage. Our intention is simply to honor the contractual arrangements that Mario Puzo himself had consented to.
In the end, the conflict between the two families was peacefully resolved through a settlement outside of court. They granted Paramount Studios the freedom to produce additional Godfather films (should they choose to), and the estate was given permission to publish the novel. Fingers crossed that The Family Corleone eventually gets turned into a movie. Frankly, the concept of a prequel seems intriguing, considering our current shortage of high-quality gangster films.
The Godfather
is available to stream on Paramount+
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2024-09-24 06:01