Word: italian-american
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...some ways it was ironic that the bloodletting should erupt now. Until last summer, many Americans were half-persuaded that the Mafia was chimerical. In New York, Mobster Joseph Colombo organized the Italian-American Civil Rights League, using many law-abiding Italian-Americans as a shield for the Syndicate. The Mafia and La Cosa Nostra, the league argued, were anti-Italian figments of the FBI'S imagination. Colombo even succeeded in embarrassing the producer of The Godfather into deleting the two names from the script. Then, at a "Unity Day" celebration in Manhattan's Columbus Circle last June...
...office appeal of a blockbuster best seller. The charisma of Marlon Brando in one of his finest performances. Warmth, violence, nostalgia and the dynastic sweep of an Italian-American Gone With the Wind. The Godfather, which will be released next week, is a movie that seems to have everything. Canny producers know that when a movie has everything, it needs something more: a sequel. What could the brains at Paramount come up with to match The Godfather? Something to do with the Mafia, something rife with greed, intrigue and passion. For that, they might consider The Making of the Godfather...
...sooner had Paramount announced plans to film Mario Puzo's novel about the powerful leader of a Mafia family than the protests began. The Italian-American Civil Rights League, a group headed by Joseph Colombo, the reputed don of one of New York City's five Mafia families, held a rally in Madison Square Garden, raising a $600,000 war chest to stop the production as a slur on Italian-Americans. Close to 100 letters of protest came in from Senators, Congressmen and New York State legislators. The Manhattan offices of Paramount's parent company, Gulf & Western...
...Oscar last year for co-authoring Patton), but he had an indifferent record as a director (Finian's Rainbow, You're a Big Boy Now). Nevertheless, Evans had faith in Coppola's ability, and attached particular importance to the fact that he was Italian-American. Says Evans: "He knew the way these men in The Godfather ate their food, kissed each other, talked. He knew the grit." Coppola, deeply in debt, could have used an offer to direct traffic, let alone a movie like The Godfather. He jumped at the chance, and over some strenuous front-office...
Ruddy turned his attention to the growing pressure being exerted by the Italian-American Civil Rights League. Shopkeepers in New York City, where the film was now being shot, were making difficulties over the use of their premises for locations, unions were becoming restive, and Joseph Colombo was continuing his harassment by publicity. Coppola was stopped on the street by people asking, "How come you, an Italian, can make such a movie...