‘The Godfather’ trilogy is one of the most iconic film series in Hollywood. In the first part, Marlon Brando plays the magnetic yet dangerous Don Vito Corleone. Of course, the film was a tremendous success. Then, in the sequel, Robert De Niro stepped into the shoes of the mob boss, portraying the young version of Vito, spearheading the rise of the Corleone family in New York.
For many fans, ‘The Godfather II’ surpasses the intensity and gravity of the original film. It received way more recognition upon its release and scored a total of six Oscars. A lot of it has to do with De Niro’s amazing performance, which fetched him an Oscar, too. But did you know the actor was also offered a role in the first film, which he turned down? The reason is surely calculated.
The Real Reason Why Robert De Niro Said No To ‘The Godfather’
Based on Mario Puzo’s epic novel, ‘The Godfather‘ chronicles the Corleone family saga. It has some connections to real-life mafia, but largely, the story shows the dominance of mob kingpin Vito, and later his son, Michael, brilliantly played by Al Pacino.
The Godfather is one of Marlon Brando’s most revered roles. And, the same goes for Pacino. However, the studio heads weren’t interested in casting them. The search was for Italian-American actors. In fact, Robert De Niro also auditioned for the part of Paulie Gatto, one of Clemenza’s made men who worked as Corleone’s chauffeur. He tried his shot at Sonny Corleone as well, but the role went to James Caan. Yet, De Niro was impressive and was considered for other parts too, including that of Michael Corleone. In the end, he suited Gatto better and was offered the opportunity.
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Thankfully, De Niro decided to drop out as there was a better offer on the table for the movie ‘The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.’ He believed in a more impactful screen presence, which the other project gave him. Looking back, it’s understandable since De Niro was establishing himself in the New Hollywood movement. Maybe he lost out on box-office glory, but that opened the door for his magnificent performance in Part II.
He was picking grounded dramas and making choices that would make him stand out at the time. The actor made a similar decision while picking Martin Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver‘ over Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Apocalypse Now.’ Still, we are glad he joined ‘The Godfather‘ family eventually.
For Robert De Niro, ‘The Godfather Part II’ Was Like A “Scientific Experiment”
It was a mammoth task for Robert De Niro to do justice to a role that had already become the highlight of Marlon Brando’s legacy. So, some serious study ensued. His approach to young Vito Corleone was something like a “scientific experiment.” He told CNN, “I went with Gray Frederickson [film producer] up to the Gulf and Western Building – which is now the Trump Tower – and went up to one of the screening rooms on the 28th floor and had an old video camera and videotaped all of Brando’s scenes. I took those and I studied those.”
Well, it paid off since De Niro and Brando remain the only actors to fetch an Academy Award for playing the same character. As per the ‘Goodfellas‘ actor’s own admission, ‘The Godfather Part II‘ was his first “big blockbuster.”
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He added, “Then came other movies. I might have this wrong, like some of the Spielberg films and so on, but when (‘The Godfather: Part II’) came, I said this might be a good chance that it’ll be a success.” And what a success it was… The movie remains one of the most beloved, most watched, and most spectacular films in Hollywood history.
