pre movie novel readers

hi guys,

is anyone on this board old enough to remember the GF having yet to be made into a movie? if so, if anyone from that era has read the book, did he or she agree w / the casting. i myself, read the book in the mid 90's, prior to watching any of the fliks. by then, Pacino was already a old man, so when I pictured Michael, I pictured some young hotshot, such as Johnny Depp, or Nicolas Cage, or even Tom Cruise (from his Top Gun Days). but when i saw the movie, i realized that the role of Michael could have been excecuted by none other than Al Pacino

No I haven't read the novel before watching the movies. But I have always thought that the choice of Barzini and Neri (at least in part I) could have been better. I mean, Barzini doesn't look Italian to me, and when he spoke he sounded nothing like a person who lived among non-English-speakers for so long...

I read the novel a few months after it was first released, and even though I loved it, I never thought of a movie being made from it. Before I first saw the movie I was disappointed in the casting of the sons....I thought Warren Beatty would have made a good "Sonny" (I had never heard of James Caan then), and even though I had already seen Al Pacino in "Panic in Needle Park" and thought he was a decent actor, I was surprised that he was given such a chance to play a big role.

Aside from Brando as The Don, the other big role I was dumbfounded by was Robert Duvall's "Tom Hagen". I had seen him in "M*A*S*H", and thought he was a good comedic actor, and I couldn't understand how he landed the role of the consigliere.

Its funny how after 30 years, and seeing the movie many times my opinions have changed so drastically (I can't see anyone else in those roles now).

I'm with SC! I read the novel many times before the movie was made (or the casting announced). Wasn't familiar with anyone in the cast except Brando, Conte and Hayden, all of whom seemed logical choices for their roles. A major part of the greatness of the GF Saga was Coppola's brilliant casting--and brilliant directing in bringing out the best in the cast he chose. I've never thought of any other actors in any of the parts ever since.

i saw the movie and fell in love, afterwards i read the novel which in my opinion was a better thing to do seeing as i understood it alot better since i saw the movie.

warren beatty, in the gf? bonnie & clyde was bad as it was, so i can't see him in the gf!

I was a young kid when the movie came out, so I couldn't see it in the theater. I used to secretly read the book ( I was 12 and my parents didn't want me to read it). After the movie left the theaters it disappeared for a few years until NBC ran it on TV. Than was the first time I saw the movie. Remember, this was before VCRs and Blockbuster, so it wasn't easy to see it. Once we got a VCR, it was one of the first tapes I rented and eventually owned. In fact, I had to bu a new copy about 5 years ago because I watched it so much that it wore out.

Which makes his nepotism with Sofia Coppola so hard to understand, don't you agree?

i definately agree

I agree with you on most fronts except for the Barzini part. I think the one who played Barzini was perfect for the part.

I agree 100% with Tony. I thought Richard Conte played Barzini in perfect accord with the novel. Puzo makes a point of portraying Barzini as a "modern Don," with little of the warmth of the older Dons, whom he dismisses as so many Moustache Petes. Barzini "was even rumored to have a toe-hold on Wall Street." In the film, notice in the Dons' meeting scene that he's the only Don who's smoking a cigarette, not a cigar.

My thoughts exactly Turnbull. FFC did a great casting job on Barzini.

Hi!
I am just new to discovering this site. I have only read The Godfather of Mario Puzo's novels, but don't worry, I definately intend to read them all!

And I haven't seen the movie at all! I always like to read the book before seeing it portrayed on screen. I don't think I have even really seen any of the GF cast in anything else (I'm not really into movies!) I plan on seeing it soon!

Has anyone here read the Bella Mafia by Lynda La Plante? I saw the mini series on TV first, then read the book, and much much perferred the latter. So i assume it will be the same wiht the GF?

Anyway! Nice meeting u all.....

Hi Emma,
Mixed responses will happen here, some people prefered the Godfather book, others prefered the movie, when there were others who didn't like the book at all but loved the movie.
The only 2 movies I prefer to the books are The Godfather and Girl, Interrupted.
Welcome to the boards

Hi!

My general experience with reading a book first and then watching a movie based on that book is disappointing, so I'd advise to decide it on the individual basis. In the case of the GF, it's definitely better to watch the movie first; in many other cases, it's better to read the book and never watch the movie.

Can't help mentioning it here, but what they did to the magnificient "Lord of the Rings" really sucks! I especially hate the very "Eastern"-like struggle of the two wizards - they should've invited Jackie Chan to play Saruman, no disrespect intended. And where from, may I ask, will Merry get his ancient elven sword to kill the Ghost King in the third installment? Surely not from the hands of the future King Arathorn. And so on...

As for the GF, I'll never get tired of repeating that without the film I could've hardly bothered to read Puzo's bestseller. It's a nice if strikingly unfocused companion to the movie, though; it falls well short of the movie as a piece of art.

Running for cover...

Best regards.

Alexander

I first saw the flick when it first hit cable ('80?). It was actually reading this BB that inspired me to go out and buy a copy of the book! Although I've seen the movie a hundred times, I'm finding the novel a real page-turner! It gives so much rich insight into the characters, like Johnny Fontaine, and of course the Corleones. For example, I never appreciated Woltz's refusal of Don Corleone until reading the novel. I thought he was just an idiot; but the novel brings out Woltz's own "connections," and you no longer wonder why he thought he was immune to Corleone's threats. I also picked up "Omerta," but haven't read it yet. I just wanna thank you guys for inspiring me to leggo of a few bucks and expand my GF & Puzo knowledge!

Well, I thought Neri could've been a LOT more aggressive, like the book says, but I must say that I loved how Barzini and Don Corleone are portrayed.

Aye! It may sound corny, but I think it oughta' be a prerequisite to read the GF novel if you've seen the movie...or at least a "must" for getting on this BB!

Of course it should. It's awesome. Peoples quetions can often be answered by th book. Who was the sixth family? What hapeend between Fanucci and Gf1? What else happened in Sicily. What is the unheard Luca story? Where did Neri come from? What did Paulie do wrong? I need to know more about Johnny Fontane. etc.

I too bought Omerta but haven't read it yet.

I first bought the Gf two months ago, then read it. AWESOME! Then bought Omerta and last Don. I read LAst Don and am waiting to see the mvies. I bought the Sicilian last week. I am curently reading that. Omerta is next. Then..the Family.

Last Don is AWESOME! It's a Godfather fourty years later kind of deal. I love it.

**SPOILER**
Inter-Family betrayal. Intra-Family betrayal. New Don. Fight between two sons. Murdered of a Father. Capo goes to court. Crooked cop. Luca Brasi clone. It's awesome. Legitimacy. Duahgter's husbnad killed. Oldest son murdered. Casinos. Hollywood. A MUST read!

Originally posted by Ricardo:

Quote

**SPOILER**
Inter-Family betrayal. Intra-Family betrayal. New Don. Fight between two sons. Murdered of a Father. Capo goes to court. Crooked cop. Luca Brasi clone. It's awesome. Legitimacy. Duahgter's husbnad killed. Oldest son murdered. Casinos. Hollywood. A MUST read!

Thanks for the **SPOILER** warning, Ricardo! But seriously, I'm with ya', man! I'm definitely gonna expand my Puzo library!

I want to read The Family. It sounds like Gf3 500 years prior. Crooked Vatican! That's always cool.

Yeah. I'm waitin' on it to hit paperback (I'm cheap)!

*Cough cough* Library *cough cough* Audio cassettes are out already!

i forget who reads tho.

Finally finished the GF novel! You novel "virgins" GOTTA' read it! (I hear "du-uhs" echoing in my head from all the underbosses!) Seriously, though, it's a great read, even if you've seen GF 100 times.

Thanks for the advice I am cuurently reading it. I was fortunate to purchase it for just 50 cents at a library (the pocketbook 1969 copy - at the back it says soon to be a motion picture from Paramount). Im at Chapter 10, hehehe. Does anybody know if this would be worth something in the coming years (won't sell it just want to know how valuable it is so I can make some freinds jealous, lol).

i'm one of them Dan!

GoodFella

I really don't think that a 1969 pocketbook copy of the Godfather novel will be worth anything. Maybe if you had a mint-condition hardback first print edition, you could get some good money. But paperbacks rarely fetch any kind of money.

Thanks for the info. Don Corpuzzi

PocketBook? What's a pocketbook?

I've gott he paperback 1999 30th annversary ediiton for 7.99, and bought the GF Hardcover 3rd edition No. 1 est Seller from the 70's from Library for 2 dollars. It's got Godfather written white on black backgrund repapetdly all over the book ( a la The SHining "All work, and no play, amkes Jacka dull boy")

They have the second-edtion 1969 Hardcover which is BEAUTIFUL, as well as The Last Don, Omerta, 4th K, Family, and Fools Die hardcovers. Omerta's white hardcover is awesome, i lov the way the black stands out on white.

A library in Niagara Falls has the Master copy of The Godfather released in 1969 with only a dull plain red cover frotn and back it doesn't even say Godfather, and you don't know till you open it up! They've also got Forgotten Pilgrim, Dark Arena, and The Sicilian like that???