Al Pacino reveals that he avoided watchingThe Godfatherfor fifty years. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the classic crime film was first released in 1972, and starred Pacino as Michael Corleone, the son of a mafia boss who gradually takes over the family business.The Godfatheris considered one of thebest movies of all time, and even earned Pacino an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
In Pacino’s new memoirSonny Boy(viaEW), the actor talked about how he avoided watchingThe Godfatherfor a long time. In the book, Pacino wrote that he went to the movie’s premiere. However,he left the theater before the movie even began playing. Pacino’s comments about leaving the premiere can be found below:
I went toThe Godfatherpremiere at the Loew’s State Theatre in Times Square wearing a bow tie the size of my head. I only remember standing on a platform with my costars, being asked questions by the press that I couldn’t answer. Then we got in our seats, but I didn’t watch the movie. I didn’t want to see the finished product. As soon as the lights went out, I went out.
The actor continued by elaborating about his feelings about not wanting to watch himself onscreen with an audience. He said, “I could never watch myself on-screen while other people were watching me. It was a bit disconcerting andit made me shy, almost embarrassed.As a younger actor, I guess I needed attention and didn’t want it at the same time.”
Pacino also wrote that even though he had seen a few parts of the movie on television, he tried to avoid watchingThe Godfatheraltogether. In the book, he explained that he didn’t think he would be able to enjoy watching the film since he was in it. He said:
I almost went my whole life without ever seeingThe Godfatherin its entirety. I don’t know why. Maybe I felt that because I was in it,I wouldn’t be a good audience for it.Over the years, of course, I’d catch a part of it here or there on TV, and once you’re watching it, it’s hard to turn off.
However, Pacino says that over the years, his feelings of watching himself onscreen have changed. He then said that he was able to watchThe Godfatherin theaters for its fiftieth anniversary, and it proved to be a great experience for the iconic actor. He wrote:
I recently watchedThe Godfatherat a screening for its fiftieth anniversary at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a restored print was beautifully projected, with crisp, perfect sound.The whole experience was uplifting.There’s not a scene in the film where there aren’t two or three things going on. There’s not a dull moment in it, it’s constantly telling a story. There was so much I was struck by.
What Pacino Not Watching The Film Meant For The Godfather
At One Point, Pacino Wanted To Leave The Film
Pacino has recently talked about his experience working onThe Godfather, which sheds some light on why he would have been self-conscious about watching himself in the film. InSonny Boy, Pacino talked about how a week into filming,Coppola told him that he was unhappy with Pacino’s performance. Pacino also recently shared that he hoped an injury he received while filming would force him to leave the movie.
Instead, he continued to layer his performance to help move Michael’s story forward and show where he was at that point in his life.
Since Pacino didn’t watchThe Godfather, when it came time to return to the role forthe twoGodfathersequels, he wouldn’t have just tried to recreate his performance from the first film. Had he watched the movie upon its release, his performance would’ve been clear in his head, andit might’ve then impacted his future depiction of Michael Corleone. Instead, he continued to layer his performance to help move Michael’s story forward and show where he was at that point in his life.
Our Take On Pacino Avoiding The Godfather For 50 Years
Pacino’s Story About Finally Watching The Movie Is A Full-Circle Moment
SinceThe Godfatheris considered one of the best movies ever made, it’s a shame that Pacino spent five decades feeling that he would not be able to enjoy it. However, his story about finally watching it showshow much the actor has changed in his view of watching himself onscreen. 50 years after walking out of its premiere, Pacino was finally able to enjoy watchingThe Godfather, with an audience that loved both the movie andhis performance as Michael Corleone. It makes for a beautiful conclusion to his ever-evolving feelings toward the iconic movie.
The Godfather
Cast
The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.
