Hi!

Actually, judged by any literature standards - bestselling *not* being one of them - the book is awful. It would have been completely and rightly forgotten by now without the films.

Back to the topic. I compared the book and the movies the other way round, for the reason stated above - I don't read pulp fiction, whatever sales it scratches up to. So, I had the brilliant film images in my head and was sometimes astonished by the discrepancies - as well as matches - between the book heroes and their on-screen representation.

Bad news first: James Caan is not Sonny from the book, just like John Casale is not Fredo - both appear much weaker and unserious in the film, to make place for Vito and Mike, apparently.

Kay is certainly less bleak in the novel than she's in Diane Keaton's screen image. I can't believe Mike loving her passionately - unlike Appolonia who can certainly "thunderbolt".

Marlon Brando is quite adequate and nearly undetachable from Don Vito's image - the trademark prying eyes being rather distracting in the movie once you know the true cause.

Al Pacino fits the bill absolutely. He *is* Michael - up to the point of reportedly having ancestry in Corleone, Sicily.

Tom Hagen and old Pete Clemenza are perfect. Young Clemenza is too jolly for my taste. Old Tessio lacks the "viperous" qualities mentioned in the book - the young one is better at that.

Most of the smaller supporting roles, with the notable exception of Luca Brasi and Paulie Gatto, are adequate.

Best regards.

Alexander