![Flashback To March 15, 1972](http://townsquare.media/site/86/files/2012/03/gfr12.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
Flashback To March 15, 1972
Fifty years ago today "The Godfather," Francis Ford Coppola's mob gangster movie based on the Mario Puzo novel and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, premiered in New York City.
Here's some "Godfather" trivia.
The cat held by Marlon Brando in the opening scene was a stray the actor found while on the lot at Paramount, and was not originally called for in the script. So content was the cat that its purring muffled some of Brando's dialogue, and, as a result, most of his lines had to be looped.
Marlon Brando did not memorize most of his lines and read from cue cards during most of the film.
Don Vito Corleone's distinctive voice was based on real-life mobster Frank Costello. Marlon Brando had seen him on TV during the Estes Kefauver hearings in 1951 and imitated his husky whisper in the film.
Al Pacino boycotted the Academy Awards ceremony, angry that he was nominated for the Academy Award Supporting Actor, noting that his character had more screen time than his costar, Best Lead Actor nominee (and winner) Marlon Brando.
Al Pacino, James Caan and Diane Keaton were all paid $35,000 for their work on the film.
Robert Duvall received $36,000 for eight weeks work
Stanley Kubrick rated The Godfather as one of the greatest movies ever made.
The line "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." was voted as the #10 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
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