The Godfather Legacy: The Untold Story of the Making of the Classic Godfather Trilogy Featuring Never-Before-Published Production Stills (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Crammed with behind-the-scenes details."

-- Los Angeles Times

"Fantastic -- an incredible job."

-- Al Ruddy, producer of The Godfather

Product Description

Here is the official companion to Francis Ford Coppola's masterful trilogy, revised and updated, and packed with more than 100 photographs.

The director was a renegade filmmaker who'd never made a profitable picture. The producer was hired because he could stay below budget. The star had a reputation for being difficult. A formula for disaster?

No, the makings of one of the greatest films of all time.

The Godfather Legacy explores the fascinating behind-the-scenes intrigue and uproar during the making of all three films:

• The clashes between Coppola and the studio chiefs during the filming of The Godfather, the pressurized production schedule, and the project's near cancellation

• The real story behind the cooperation of the Mafia in the creation of The Godfather

• The worldwide acclaim and stunning financial success following the release of The Godfather -- a triumph that set the stage for the film industry's renaissance

• The production of The Godfather Part II and the rise of Coppola, Al Pacino, and others to the loftiest heights of power in Hollywood

• The creation of The Godfather Part III two decades after the original film and the completion of video projects that unified the three films for the first time

Featuring production records, credits, reviews, and interviews with many of the principals involved, The Godfather Legacy is a rare and vivid peek into the making of three of the most compelling films in Hollywood history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; Rev Upd edition (October 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743287770
• ISBN-13: 978-0743287777
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #54,086 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read the book, watch the movies...(repeat as necessary), April 16, 1998

By	Crosstie Walker (Morgantown, WV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Godfather Legacy (Paperback)

Great in all aspects (source material, trivia not previously covered in other books/articles, etc.), except that Parts II and III kind of get short shrift!

I know that just getting Brando, Coppola and everybody else on board was a huge undertaking and that's why the launch of the "franchise" gets so much ink, but many of us (including me) are partial to Part II and wanted a bit more on Pacino/Michael's continued character development, as well as more on DeNiro/Young Vito Corleone. Maybe another volume?

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific inside information behind a great trilogy, October 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Godfather Legacy (Paperback)

This book makes an *excellent* supplement The Godfather films. It's full of interesting behind-the-scenes info, anecdotes, and recollections. The book is even a bigger "must have" now since the trilogy is finally now out on DVD.

There are some minor discrepancies between what this book says and Coppola's commentary on the DVDs. For instance, the book mentions that Al Pacino twisted his ankle in the scene following the shooting of McClusky and Sollozo, but Coppola believes it happened outside the hospital scene after Michael visits his father. Also, the book claims Clemenza's role was cut from Part II because Richard Castellano (the actor) wanted too much money. Coppola says Castellano wanted to have an associate write Clemenza's dialogue.

There's a wealth of production photos, and great inside stories of a troubling production. Coppola was almost fired several times, and he got into heated disagreements with his crew many times. Pacino had problems during the production (the studio wanted to fire him) and had a rocky road to stardom at this time. He was paid a measily $35,000(!) for the first film. And he never saw any of this money because of legal expenses from a lawsuit. For Part II, his paycheck was $500,000 plus a percentage of the gross.

If you're a movie fan and of this trilogy in particular, get this book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are a fan...this is the book for you., August 6, 2001

By	mariea stella "mershk" (philadelphia, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Godfather Legacy (Paperback)

I read this book twice in one week and I'm reading it again. I just couldn't put it down! There is so much insider info in here that you must know. If you are a true Godfather Fan, this in one book that you must have. I just couldn't believe the problem that Francis Ford Coppola had in trying to get this movie done. This is a wonderful book to have in your collection. Read this and then watch the movie again. It gives you a whole different perspective on the movie. This is one book you can't refuse!