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April 30, 2017 / 11:19 AM

'Godfather' reunion: Coppola recalls casting Pacino as Michael Corleone

"Without Francis, where would I be?" Pacino wondered.

By
Karen Butler
"The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola participates in a hand and footprint ceremony immortalizing him in the forecourt of TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on April 29, 2016. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Actor Al Pacino and singer Mavis Staples listen to U.S. President Barack Obama during a ceremony for 2016 Kennedy Center honorees in the White House on December 4, 2016, Washington, D.C. Pool photo by Aude Guerrucci/UPI | License Photo
Robert De Niro arrives on the red carpet at the closing night screening of "Goodfellas" during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at Beacon Theatre in New York City on April 25, 2015. File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI | License Photo
Actors Robert Duvall and James Caan (right) who starred in the first "Godfather" movie appear at a February 10, 2005 promotional event in New York for EA Games which is producing "The Godfather" video game for release in mid-2005. File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI | License Photo

April 30 (UPI) -- The Godfather icons Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire and Diane Keaton reunited to close the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival in New York Saturday night.

The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II were screened for about 6,000 people at Radio City Music Hall as part of the program. After the movies, the films' stars and director Francis Ford Coppola discussed the classic, gangster saga for about 90 minutes. Filmmaker Taylor Hackford moderated the panel.

The event was timed to the first movie's 45th anniversary. Among those in the audience were Leonardo DiCaprio, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, Peter Fonda, Alessandro Nivola, Whoopi Goldberg, Julian Schnabel, Robert Schwartzman and Sofia Coppola. 

Francis Ford Coppola said he knew immediately Pacino would be perfect as Michael Corleone, but he remembered Paramount Pictures wasn't so sure.

"I just saw his face," said Coppola. "Once you see someone in the role, it's very hard to get that out of your head."

"The studio didn't want me after they hired me. I was living on 90th and Broadway at the time. I walked [downtown] to the Village and back. I did it every day, thinking about this role. Just thinking where I could go with it. I came, and started filming it, I was dizzy. I was new to film. We were theater actors, weren't used to film," Pacino recalled, crediting Coppola with giving him his big break. "Without Francis, where would I be?"

What better way to close out #Tribeca2017 than to celebrate two of American cinema's most untouchable treasures with its legendary creators? pic.twitter.com/s2D2OQxaaX

— Tribeca (@Tribeca) April 30, 2017

Read More

Bruce Springsteen: 'I was a stone-cold draft dodger' 'Reservoir Dogs' reunion: Tarantino reveals happiest time of his life Hanks, Springsteen talk 'Philadelphia' and its director Demme Marvel stars Jon Bernthal, Tom Holland share screen in medieval monk movie 'Pilgrimage'
  • Topics
  • Al Pacino
  • Robert De Niro
  • James Caan
  • Robert Duvall
  • Diane Keaton
  • Taylor Hackford
  • Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Peter Fonda
  • Michael Corleone
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