The-godfather-1 Guide

The gruesome horse head found in the producer's bed was not a prop . The production obtained a real one from a local dog food company.

The production of The Godfather was almost as dramatic as the film itself. From Marlon Brando’s unconventional audition to real-life mob interference, the journey to the big screen was filled with legendary "offers" and lucky accidents. the-godfather-1

Paramount executives were originally dead set against casting Brando, considering him "box office poison". To win them over, Coppola filmed a secret screen test at Brando’s home. Brando used shoe polish to darken his hair and to give the Don a drooping "bulldog" look. This physical transformation, combined with his quiet, raspy voice, so impressed the studio that they finally agreed to cast him. The Real-Life Mob "Ban" The gruesome horse head found in the producer's

Lenny Montana, who played the assassin Luca Brasi, was a professional wrestler who was so genuinely nervous about acting opposite Brando that he fumbled his lines. Coppola liked the authentic anxiety so much that he added a scene of Brasi rehearsing his speech to make the nervousness part of the character. Pauline Kael Reviews “The Godfather” - The New Yorker Brando used shoe polish to darken his hair

The production faced serious pushback from the real-life Italian-American Civil Rights League—led by mob boss Joe Colombo—who claimed the film was derogatory. To settle the conflict, the production agreed to a unique demand: the word was never to be spoken in the movie. They also hired several actual mobsters as extras and advisors to ensure "authenticity". Quick Highlights