(H/B) THE GODFATHER FAMILY ALBUM

Παρουσίαση

When I first arrived on the set of "The Godfather" for a scene in New York's Lower East Side, I had already heard the rumors that Marlon Brando was in bad health. The streets and surrounding tenements were teeming with onlookers; even the fire escapes were crammed with children and their grandmothers. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to catch a glimpse of the man who had been chosen to play Don Vito Corleone.
I had convinced "Life" magazine to do a "guaranteed" cover story on the "Godfather" film -something they did not ordinarily do- provided Paramount would grant "Life" the exclusive right to print the photographs before any other publication. Curiosity as to what Brando would look like in the film had already captured the public's imagination, and Paramount's plan was to keep everything as secretive as possible and to hold back on revealing Brando's look until the film actually came out.
As I approached the set, the crew was setting up for the attempted assassination of the don. When I came closer I noticed a sallow-faced elderly man, wearing a worn coat and hat and talking in a low, frail voice to an assistant director. I suddenly realized that I was looking at Marlon Brando. My heart sank, and at that moment I thought all the bad-health rumors must really be true.
Then Brando suddenly turned away, facing the many spectators, and the electricity of a young man's eyes shot out into the crowd. Brando turned back to the A D, and warned in his familiar dynamic voice, "Someone's out there with a camera." It was not until the farewell party, after production was finished, that I saw the real Marlon Brando -a smiling, handsome man in his 40s who had just accomplished one of the greatest tours de force in the world of acting.
It is common knowledge that, at the time, no one thought this film would be an important film -or even a good one. It was rumored that Paramount executives were sending out their secretaries during lunchtime to buy copies of Mario Puzo's novel, hoping the increased sales might influence the New York Times best-seller list and heighten public interest. [...] Steve Shapiro, Chicago 2008 (From the publisher)

Περιεχόμενα

-Foreword by Steve Schapiro
-The Making Of The Godfather by Mario Puzo
THE GODFATHER PART I
-"I Believe In America"
-Becoming The Godfather
Marlon Brando Interview by Shana Alexander
-"An Offer He Couldn't Refuse"
-"A Man Who Doesn't Spend Time With His Family Can Never Be A Real Man"
-"Come Live Your Life With Me"
-"Why Do I Deserve This... Generosity?"
-Sort Of A Home Movie
On-Set Report by Nicholas Pileggi
-"Blood Is A Big Expense"
-"Ba fa'gul!"
-Making Crime Pay
Retrospective Interviews by Peter Biskind
-"A Reasonable Man"
-"Women And Children Can Be Careless, But Not Men"
-"The Death Of Don Vito"
THE GODFATHER PART II
-"He Will Grow Strong"
-"I Trust These Men With My Life"
-"The Black Hand"
-"Good Health Is The Most Important Thing"
-The Playboy Interview: Al Pacino Interview by Lawrence Grobel
-"Bigger Than U. S. Steel"
-"Assure Him That There Will Be No Reprisals"
-"You Should Let Me Wet My Beak A Little"
-The Playboy Interview: Francis Ford Coppola
Interview by William Murray
-"You're Too Quiet For Your Own Interest"
-"You Can Never Lose Your Family"
-"In The Name Of My Father, And My Brother ..."
-"If History Has Taught Us Anything, It's That You Can Kill Anybody"
THE GODFATHER PART III
-"The Only Wealth In This World Is Children"
-"Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In"
-"Never Hate Your Enemies. It Affects Your Judgement"
-Every Family Has Bad Memories
On-Set Report by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
-"I'm Not The Man You Think I Am"
-"The Death Of Michael Corleone"
-Der Pate: Das Familienalbum
-Le Parrain: l'album de famille