“The Godfather” Reunion! Amazing Event For Movie Lovers!
New York’s Tribeca Film Festival had a terrific reunion panel on April 29th – the cast and crew of “The Godfather!”
This is my favorite film of all time – and won the Best Picture Oscar in 1972. The sequel is the only one to ever win Best Picture as well – this happened in 1974.
Here is how Deadline.com describe the event:
“The day began with an unlikely Saturday double-feature at Radio City Music Hall: Back-to-back screenings of The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather, Part II (1974), followed by a Q&A led by producer and director Taylor Hackford. The one-time-only reunion of the director and many of the original cast members included Coppola, Keaton, Pacino and Shire, along with James Caan (who played Sonny Corleone) and Robert Duvall (who played the consigliere Tom Hagen).”
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 29: Diane Keaton, James Caan, Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro take a bow onstage during the panel for “The Godfather” 45th Anniversary Screening during 2017 Tribeca Film Festival closing night at Radio City Music Hall on April 29, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
Bravo to Getty Images for capturing this incredible event. The night was full of great new insight from the cast, including how Diane Keaton felt about the first film:
According to Deadline.com:
“I hadn’t watched it in 30 years,” Keaton said, addressing the director. “It’s so astonishing. Every choice you made, it’s so authentically good. And it had slow, long scenes. I was absolutely blown out of the ballpark, crying. And I was totally surprised because I didn’t expect it, OK? And on my f!cking computer! I’d never paid much attention to The Godfather, because I always felt like I was the most outsider, weird person, and why was I cast in it, and I had no voice in it.”
That’s amazing! However, her character takes on so much more depth in the sequel, especially in the most dramatic scene in the film – which Coppola revealed was because of a suggestion from his sister, Talia Shire!
“Coppola responded by recalling one of the most memorable moments in both films, between Keaton and Pacino. “You know the very important scene where you tell Al that it wasn’t a miscarriage, it was an abortion? That was Talia’s idea.” Coming right after having watched that scene on the huge Radio City Music Hall screen, the revelation registered like a small earthquake: Kay tells Michael she’s leaving him and drops the bombshell about her decision to terminate her pregnancy rather than bring another child into the Corleone clan. Gordon Willis’ camera is focused tightly on Pacino’s face, which fills the screen as his eyes grow wide with pain and fury and his lips stiffen in rage. It’s one of the few times in both films when Pacino allows Michael’s feelings to erupt, making the scene even more devastating.”
A terrific writeup from Deadline.com – see more of it here:
http://deadline.com/2017/04/pacino-copolla-godfather-cast-tribeca-film-festival-1202079761/
And look at THIS reunion!
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 02: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino attend the SeriousFun Children’s Network Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 2, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Yes, that’s Al Pacino posing with his Dad – DeNiro was the young Don Corleone of course, but even though they didn’t act together in the sequel – they shared great stories as well.
DeNiro DID audition for the role of hot-headed Sonny Corleone in the original film, here is that audition video!
Of course, there is so much great “Godfather” trivia:
Yes, the horse head was real! But the Actor wasn’t warned, so that is his real reaction to seeing it in his bed!
Here is even more great trivia as well:
https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/
Bravo to the Tribeca film festival for this important event!
