One of the biggest casting decisions for the film was that of Michael Corleone. Actors such as Martin Sheen and Jack Nicholson were all considered, but Coppola found them too WASP-y to play the Italian Michael. He pushed hard for his preferred actor, Al Pacino, and eventually got his way.
This was to the chagrin of producer Robert Evas who referred to Pacino as “The Midget.” Boy, this Evans character certainly wasn’t making any friends. Of course, Evans was probably plenty pleased with the finished project and Pacino’s performance. Eat your worse, Evans.
Just Making Stuff Up
Coppola wasn't a big fan of the original script for "The Godfather". It turns out that Puzo doesn't actually speak Italian – which most people would realize is a pretty big blockage when writing a book and screenplay that is almost entirely made up of Italians and their culture.
But Puzo forged ahead, doing his best to create phrases that meant what he wanted – and thanks to the popularity of the films, they've entered the American lexicon. “Don” now means boss, but it originally means something more like “Uncle,” somewhat similar to Japanese honorifics for an older male.
The Lost Minutes of Sonny
The late, great James Caan would have stolen the show as the emotional and violent Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather", had he not been right by acting titans like Pacino and Brando.
Audiences loved the character, and Caan knew he had done well. This prompted an outburst at the premiere of the film when he found out a good forty-five minutes of his character had been cut out. It severely limited the depth of the character, and Caan got into an argument with producer Robert Evans. While it wasn't as violent as Sonny is in the film, some fiery language got tossed around.
Switching Roles
Coppola wanted Pacino so badly, he forced Paramount Pictures to pull some strings and get Pacino out of his previous job (a role in the film "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight"). Robert De Niro replaced Pacino on the film – De Niro was originally going to be Paulie in "The Godfather".
This ended up working out well for everyone; Al Pacino killed as Michael Corleone, and Robert De Niro went on to play young Vito Corleone in "The Godfather II". This ended up being his big breakout role and even earning him an Oscar.
Two Actors and Two Oscars
Robert De Niro winning the Oscar for Best Actor thanks to his role as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather Part II". He and Marlon Brando were the first time ever – and the only time since – when two actors have both won Oscars for portraying the same character in two different films.
In addition, both "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II" are also the only first two films of a trilogy that have both won an Oscar for Best Picture. They were so close to the three-peat, but, well, then "The Godfather Part III" happened.