MovieChat Forums > The Godfather Part II (1974) Discussion > Things that Coppola had planned that did...

Things that Coppola had planned that didn't work out that would have been great:

posted 7 years ago by TheUltimateHippo (2250)
8 replies | jump to latest

The Godfather Part II:
- Have Clemenza in place of Frank Pentangelli, I love Gazzo's performance but having a familiar face in that role rather than someone new would have made it better
- Marlon Brando making a cameo at the end

Apocalypse Now:
- Al Pacino playing Willard
- James Caan playing Colonel Lucas

The Godfather Part III:
- Winona Ryder playing Mary instead of Sofia
- The Joey Zasa character being replaced with Willi Cicci (same reason as wanting Clemenza in Part II)
- Robert De Niro in another role
- Tom Hagan coming back

Bram Stoker's Dracula:
- Johnny Depp playing Harker instead of Reeves (although this would mean we would be seeing Depp and Ryder together again but it worked in Edward Scissorhands)

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Especially Clemenza. He threw all that money around & away on "Now," but, on both sides of it he got cheap with the Clemenza actor in II & Duvall in III. Now decades later we're still lamenting the errors, the boundless loss.

And you're correct on Ryder, damn shame that fell thru, because his daughter was just awful. She'd walk thru scenes for crying out loud!

[–] TheUltimateHippo (2250) 7 years ago

Seriously, I so wish we got to see Clemenza again in Part II as he was a great character. I think even Lindsey Lohan could have given a better performance than Sofia Coppola, OK fair enough I suppose I am exaggerating just slightly, LOL.

From what I've read it seems that Marlon Brando has a history of screwing over Coppola:

- At the 1972 Oscars he doesn't show up to accept his Best Actor award and instead sends some Indian woman who rejects it and states about how Hollywood abuses Native Americans, sure that was at least somewhat embarrassing
- In Godfather Part II he doesn't show up to film his cameo and Coppola has to redesign the whole scene so that Vito doesn't have to make an appearance
- In Apocalypse Now he shows up overweight, shaved his head, didn't read the script or The Heart of Darkness, demands an insane amount of money and then threatens to quit and keep the money. It got so bad that Coppola ended up having the second unit director direct the scenes with Brando.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

- In Godfather Part II he doesn't show up to film his cameo and Coppola has to redesign the whole scene so that Vito doesn't have to make an appearance
- In Apocalypse Now he shows up overweight, shaved his head, didn't read the script or The Heart of Darkness, demands an insane amount of money and then threatens to quit and keep the money. It got so bad that Coppola ended up having the second unit director direct the scenes with Brando.

Fresh information for me, Ult.

Thank you.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 7 years ago

Although my instinct tells me III definitely would have been improved with Robert Duvall, I wonder what his role really would have been? How would Tom have reacted to the events of the film and how would he advise Michael?

My guess is that they would have set up some tension between Connie, who seemed eager to draw Michael back into the mob blood feuds, and Tom, who probably would have counseled the opposite -- keep Vincent out of their circle, stay away from the old bosses, etc. Of course, they might have planned a completely different story if Tom was going to be part of it.

[–] roreyking (637) 7 years ago

Coppola wrote the script with Clemenza in mind, not the Pentangeli character. But Richard Costellano, the actor who played Clemenza in the first Godfather, made too high demands, including full creative control of his dialogue. So Coppola replaced Clemenza with the Pentangeli character in the script.

[–] BourbonKing (5789) 6 years ago

Apocalypse Now:
- Steve McQueen as Willard
- Lee Marvin as Kurtz

Godfather III
- No Mary character taking up such a major part of the story. keep her in the background just like Anthony.
- Turn Vincent into Frank Corleone (Sonny's boy). In reality Vincent would have been aborted back in the 40s (just like the book)
- Agreed with Tom Hagen coming back

[–] strntz (12773) 6 years ago

While Pete Clemenza would have been the better character from a pure movie standpoint, I'm kind of glad it wasn't Clemenza who was dumb enough to flip on Michael. Pentangelli actually worked out as he seemed even a little less sharp than Clemenza.

It was kind of sad that Vito's friends from his younger years would attempt to kill his son(s). First Sal and then Pete.

[–] Tabbycat (915) 6 years ago

That is a very good point.
I just can’t see Clemenza flipping no way no how.
He was all about family loyalty.