AUDITION TAPE: Al Pacino trials for The Godfather

on Broadway I said this kid would be terrific for this you know I mean we talked about it you know informally see I'm not I'm not saying there's Sonny you know and saying Sonny you know or you know or Freddie come here I could meet not doing how far to go so he does in this very indirect way he doesn't say look at my father as a criminal a gangster where who has been shot and he kind of tells her little anecdotes and at first it's nice even when you're it's lighter it's fine but the scene is a serious sin when I read The Godfather whenever I would see the character of Michael - I saw Al's face Luca Brasi held a revolver against Halley's head and my father told Haley that either his signature or his brains would be on the contract he wasn't a star uh which was not pleasing to the executives at that time he didn't look like stars look like at that time in the business so that when they were suggesting you know like Ryan O'Neal or or Robert Redford could be like a northern Italian I already had Al's face in ingrained Michael why are these people bothering your father on a day like this oh that's because they know that no Sicilian can refuse any requests for some reason they they were not happy with Al's test but I knew Francis wanted out and 104 I was aware that they didn't want me and at one point I I and it was actually you know Encino okay finally I thought Francis look they will do another movie together use any I was relatively young so I didn't know quite I thought well maybe they were all like this you know I think it all I'd see movies about Hollywood I thought maybe that's why all the screen test well this is a slow wedding this isn't a wedding one night I got a call from Francis he was in New York and he said Jimmy and I could tell from his voice this was not his idea Jimmy once you come in and test I said that's what do you got a poor she want me to drive around the block what do you want that's what he said please there they want you to play Michael well please like so I went in at 68 Michael why are those people bothering your father on a day like this well that's because they know no Sicilian can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day oh good I don't think you can name an actor that wasn't there the waltz sitting around on cement floors from 7:00 in the morning late at night guys would know some guys talk like this you know I mean that guy's from all over the world they tried to kill him my father they did they nearly did mr. Bronte went after them and so the story goes the story goes that he killed six men in two weeks he killed six men in two weeks six men in one week and he kept sneaking al in you know at the a capacity gal does the al you know it kept happening a lot I was countless I cry and they went on and on well I remember saying at the time you know I just don't respond well to being around where I'm not wanted well anyway he just stayed with it was his tenacity and that that got me in there Luca Brasi held a gun to his head and my father assured him of either his brains or a signature would be on the contract that's a true story a little point of memorabilia that was Marshall Lucas who is the editor George's wife who cut those tests altogether and she told me that she said cast Al Pacino cuz he undresses you with his eyes man right and I answered I said to Diana I said man which one you want said how I knew Diane before the test we had a kind of immediate like for each other and Francis I think recognized that and thought that that would be useful in the picture me you don't want me to marry you oh I'm that's very clever but I saw her in a movie called lovers and other strangers and I just two things I just thought she was just I just liked her myself I thought she was a cute woman you know I just was attracted to her but also because she was so eccentric and kind of weird in a way her delivery that I thought this character of K it could be like really straight boring character that maybe the Diane would bring some how I am eccentricity to it Fredo my brother Fredo this is Kay Adams so what I'm saying is that they spent $400,000 or so on tests and mild up with the for corned beef sandwiches they I wish that you could get inside Al's head a little more Michael's character because he's always such a master

Channel: Let It Cast

Views: 261,921

Keywords: let it cast, audition tape, casting, audition, archives, english, celebrity, archives first casting, auditions, The Godfather (Film), Al Pacino (Author), RARE

Id: P3Vp2PKx5jo

Length: 5min 42sec (342 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 07 2013