Al Pacino’s Old Friend Saved Him From a Fatal Situation While Shooting The Godfather 2
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy transcends time to be a blockbuster for every generation. People keep going back to the classic movie and enjoy the thrilling story of a mobster in the 1970s. As fun as the movies are, the behind-the-scenes stories are also interesting for us to know how the incredible movies came to be. For instance, Coppola had to put up a fight to cast Al Pacino as the lead since he was not a well-known actor at the time.
Al Pacino’s Health While Shooting The Godfather 2
The star of one of the greatest movies of all time, Al Pacino suffered a serious illness on the sets of The Godfather Part II. While filming in the Dominican Republic, Pacino’s health took a serious hit and he had to be taken to the hospital immediately. As reported by Entertainment Weekly in 1990, “If The Godfather was about Michael Corleone’s rise to power, The Godfather Part II showed him preserving that power at the expense of his humanity. The part earned Pacino his third Oscar nomination but almost cost him his life.”
When Pacino’s close friend Lee Strasberg saw the actor’s health worsening, he took charge and called Pacino’s doctor. The actor was then taken back to the USA for treatment where he eventually got better and returned to finish filming. All thanks to Strasberg for ensuring Pacino gets well because later it was revealed that he could have died if there had been further delay in his treatment.
Al Pacino has remained a relevant and skilled actor to this day with films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Irishmen and Hangman. His ability to perfectly blend into the character he’s playing is remarkable. It enables him to take on more diverse roles and explore the depths of his skills.
Also Read: Marlon Brando Resorted To Semi-N*dity To Drive Away Mob Enforcers Who Stalked ‘The Godfather’ Stars
Which is the Best Godfather Movie?
It’s hard to pick one movie out of a franchise when all the flicks are phenomenal. In a time when mafia movies were all the rage, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather made waves in the Western cinematic landscape. The revolutionary movies in the franchise make it one of the best series of sequels in the history of cinema.
Matt Damon revealed to Rotten Tomatoes which movie would Martin Scorsese pick out of the entire franchise, “I remember talking to Scorsese on The Departed and saying, “Hey, Marty: Godfather 1, or Godfather 2?” And he instantly said, “Godfather 2.” And I said, “Why?” And he goes, “[Francis Ford Coppola] had more money.””
Not everyone agrees with this opinion. The Godfather Part II was undoubtedly one of the better sequels in Hollywood, but the charm and thrill of the first part are unmatched. The production value of the sequel offered more creative and financial freedom to further the story. Nonetheless, this battle of the movies can have no clear answer since all three Godfather movies are great in their own rite.
