Copyright (C) 1974 by Paramount Pictures and The Coppola Company. All Rights Reserved. Restoration Copyright (C) 2007 by Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved.TM, (R) & Copyright (C) 2014 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved .

What are the coincidences that piled up on the way to the masterpiece of ``The Godfather''?

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The Godfather

2018.09.28Akira Murayama

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A conflict between the director and the production manager over the creation of a masterpiece!?

Of course, there are many episodes that prove Coppola's talent. Coppola, who initially accepted the directorship reluctantly, was in danger of being fired several times, but the biggest crisis was due to the sabotage of Aram Avakian, who was in charge of editing. Avakian, who was an older veteran of the industry than Coppola, tried to steal the director's chair from Coppola, who was a young director without a proven track record at the box office, and accused him of ``the art is great, but the editing doesn't connect.''

Panicked, production manager Robert Evans ordered the already shot film and, convinced of Coppola's genius, fired Avakian and those involved. Behind the scenes of the movie, which is full of intrigue, there are various plots and tactics going on.

However, Evans, who defended Coppola, and Coppola's side are in direct conflict over the running time of 2 hours and 55 minutes.

"The Godfather" Copyright (C) 1974 by Paramount Pictures and The Coppola Company. All Rights Reserved. Restoration Copyright (C) 2007 by Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. TM, (R) & Copyright (C) 2014 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

According to Evans' autobiography, Coppola first made a version that lasted two hours and six minutes (according to Harlan Lebo's The The Godfather , it was two hours and 20 minutes), but Evans dismissed it as too short and wrote, "Where are the masterpieces?" "Did you go? Show me the main story, not the trailer!" he reportedly urged Coppola. According to producer Albert Ruddy, Coppola first made a 2 hour and 55 minute version, but studio executives, who didn't want it to be a box office hit, ordered him to shorten it, so Coppola re-edited it. However, Evans strongly supported the longer version, and the 2 hour and 55 minute version was eventually adopted.

Honestly, it's unclear which version is correct, but both agree that Coppola submitted the short version and Evans stuck with the long version. If Evans had compromised, ``The Godfather'' might have only been released in a shorter version and never been considered a masterpiece to this day.

Evans also had Coppola remove the final scene, which he had originally intended to include. It is a scene in which Michael's wife Kay, played by Diane Keaton, prays for Michael in a church, similar to the ending of the original novel. However, Evans considered this scene unnecessary and requested that the scene end with Michael becoming the next Don The Godfather in name and reality, and the door closing in front of Kay. Coppola was tired of being meddled with by the editors, but he agreed to compromise with Evans on this, even if it wasn't a major change. .

It's difficult to judge which ending was better because I've only seen the current version. However, the cold, chilling finale of ``The Godfather'' could only be experienced in the current version. Also, if there had been a scene where Kei, who knows everything, prays for the salvation of Michael's soul, the relationship between Michael and Kei in `` Part II '' and `` Part III '' would have looked different.

These are just some examples. However, what is clear is that the factors that lead to the creation of cinematic masterpieces are so unstable that they are the work of miracles that would make the gods of film smile. Paramount wants to make a sequel to ``The Godfather,'' and Coppola will have 100% control over ``PART II,'' but if Coppola had had the same power as the first film, ``The Godfather'' would have been much easier. It would have been a work with a different impression. All I can say is that only God knows how great of a masterpiece it was.

reference:

“ The Godfather ” by Mario Puzuo, translated by Naoji Ichinose, Hayakawa Publishing

“ The Godfather Papers and Other Confessions ” by Mario Puzuo, Putnam

“ The The Godfather ” Written by Harlan Lebo, Supervised by Kazuhisa Kawahara + Tsutomu Suzuki, Sony Magazines

“ Fuck! Hollywood ” by Robert Evans, translated by Kyoko Shibata, Bungeishunju

Text: Akira Murayama

Born in 1971. Writes articles for magazines, newspapers, movie sites, etc. Representative of “ShortCuts,” a review site for distribution-based works.

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