Not to be a film snob, but ‘The Godfather‘ is the most excellent movie ever. A product of literal blood, sweat, and tears, it remains a towering figure in the cathedral that is cinema. A Shakespearean saga of a family in America, ‘The Godfather‘ is a timeless classic worthy of all the praise bestowed upon it. It wouldn’t have existed without Al Ruddy.
A newbie producer, Al Ruddy, was handed a movie nobody wanted to make. A determined Al Ruddy would take on the movie studio, politicians, and even the mobsters to make a movie he believed in. Even with his life at stake, he never stopped believing in the film he was making. And for that, we’ll forever be in his debt.
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All About Al Ruddy, The Producer Behind ‘The Godfather’
Born in 1930, Albert ‘Al’ Ruddy was raised by a single mother. He got his career started by designing homes for a construction company. After a short stint at Warner Brothers, he worked as a trainee at the RAND Corporation. Al Ruddy soon returned to showbiz to co-create the CBS sitcom ‘Hogan’s Heroes‘.
With the sitcom at its life’s end, he produced comedies ‘Little Fauss and Big Halsy‘ and ‘Making It.’ These movies were low-brow art, leaving Ruddy wanting something creatively more challenging. This is when he got handed the Mario Puzo novel ‘The Godfather‘ and asked to produce the film based on the book.
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How Did Al Ruddy Get ‘The Godfather’ Made?
From early on, Al Ruddy faced opposition from all sides. Be it the casting or the budget, he often clashes with studio executives. Eventually, when the filming for ‘The Godfather‘ started, the production was marred by the threat of mob violence. The mob boss, Joe Columbo, was upset with the film’s portrayal of Italian-American families. He vehemently opposed the making of the film, threatening to shut down the production.
Al Ruddy ended up meeting with Joe Colombo in 1971. After a lengthy discussion, both parties agreed to delete the words “Mafia” and “Cosa Nostra” from the film. Ruddy agreed to let Columbo review the script, even agreeing to remove anything that would damage the “Italian-American” image.
Ruddy further employed members of the mob as film extras. His relationship with Columbo resulted in him being temporarily fired, but ultimately, the mob protection ensured a smooth movie production. The account of the making of ‘The Godfather‘ is dramatized in the Paramount series ‘The Offer‘.
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