RUDDY: Lenny was a little on edge today.
He was saying something about Joe Gallo.
Are you worried about me?Yeah, maybe.
How is he?I don't know.
I'm gonna go see him at the hospital later.
Do you really think you should be doing that?
No. I can't not go.
BOB: Look, we got a problem.
Bluhdorn and Lapidus saw dailies
of Pacino's first day, and they want to fire him.
Barry's a fucking rat who's always wanted my job,
and this is part of his power grab.
I'm Joe Gallo,
and I'm in charge of your movie now.
Whatever you were giving Colombo, you now give to me.
Fuck Sicily.
Give Gallo the money.
FRANCIS: Without Sicily, it doesn't live or breathe.
I'm begging you.
I can't find the money.
I don't know what's going on with you
or you and Ali or whatever happened to you--
My marriage is none of your fucking business.
Ever since then, you haven't been the Bob Evans I know.
[Bob snorting]
[glass shatters]
Joe Colombo says goodbye, fuckhead.
[spits]
You can cross one thing off your list.
You don't have to worry
about that fucking psychopath anymore.
We're going to Sicily, baby.
We're going.You son of a bitch!
[soft dramatic music]
♪
[upbeat dramatic music]
♪
♪ [Dik Dik's "Sognando La California"]
♪
Grazie.
[singing in Italian]
♪
Okay, we should be getting close to Corleone.
How many more miles?
I don't know. It's in kilometers.
You used to work at Rand.
You can't convert that?
We're a half inch away. How's that?
[scoffs, chuckles]
You know what my grandfather, Francesco Penino,
once told me about Italy?
[sighs] I bet we're gonna find out.
He was a composer.
And he told me that when he emigrated to America
that he missed home like crazy.
And when he finally got to come back,
it was like picking up an old, beloved instrument
that he hadn't played in a really long time.
Yeah, at first it was a little out of tune,
but then when he started playing it,
all the notes became familiar again.
For me, it's like I'm--
I'm hearing these notes for the first time.
♪
[singing in Italian]
♪
[indistinct music playing over speakers]
Would've been nice to take a shower.
Well, our Italian AD said to meet him here,
so we may as well eat.
Okay.
My friends, ciao!
You must be Tony.Yes, I'm your AD.
I'm Al. This is the gang.
Oh, my God, che bello.
What a beautiful group on a beautiful day.
You came on the right day, because it's today.
Okay, you guys want anti-pasta?
RUDDY: Grazie, grazie.
[speaking Italian]
BETTYE: Wow!Whatever you like, please.
Exactly how I pictured it.TONY: I take as a compliment.
BETTYE: Table for kings. Look at this.
Mr. Coppola, sit.
[speaking Italian] Nice to meet you.
Yeah.
Thank you so much.All right, please.
Wow.
Can't believe we're actually here.
I know. Don't jinx it.
Hey, have you heard at all from Evans?
Since the circus act he pulled at the wrap party?
No, I haven't.Mm.
You gonna call him?
Have some eggplant, Bettye. You look hungry.
So how are you planning to light the exteriors?
You know that big ball of burning plasma in the sky?
No. Oh, the--the sun?
Yeah, that's the one.
Yeah, go fuck yourself.
This Anisette, this is so smooth.
Al, what do you think?Oh, it's fantastic.
Scusi,how do you make it?
Um, come si prepare?
Eh, local secret.[chuckles]
Um, I make my own,
but this--I--when I'm--
[laughter]
RUDDY: I think he-- I think he likes you.
[laughter]
Al, Al, let me introduce you to our friend, Bruno.
Oh, okay.Excuse me, excuse me.
This is Bruno, okay.
Now, he's made sure everything will go smoothly,
and he's assured us that no permits will be necessary.
Oh, that's very kind of you, Bruno.
We appreciate it.
Please thank him for his generosity.
[speaking Italian]
Bruno would like for you to come see him tomorrow.
Oh.
[dramatic music]
Capisce?
♪
Okay.Yeah?
[speaking Italian]
Mangia, mangia, mangia. Eat, eat, eat.
TONY: Grazie. FRANCIS: Grazie mille.
[clears throat]
Uh, Tony.
Is Bruno by any chance, uh...
mafia?
Si, Cosa Nostra.
They run everything here.Okay.
[clears throat]
You okay?
We need to get out of here.
[lively music]
♪
Why are we leaving?
This is like home.Trust me, it's not.
Well, would you please tell me what happened back there?
Yeah, the mafia happened back there.
The fucking Cosa Nostra, buddy. The real fucking thing.
Well, so what?
You dealt with the mafia back in New York,
and you lived to tell the tale.
Yeah, and I'd like to keep it that way.
Hey, at least the food was good, huh?
Wait, there was actually--
there was a town that we saw on the scout
that would work perfectly.
Uh, Taro-- Taormina? Taormina?
Yes, Taormina.TAVOULARIS: Taormina?
Taormina is beautiful.
Is the Cosa Nostra in Taormina?
No, not so much there.
Is near the airport.
The airport. Great.
We just flew halfway around the world to shoot in Burbank.
Wow, Bob's Big Boy.
Yes, I understand that. We'll have to circle back
around on that because-- I'm sorry.
Mr. Lapidus, he's not in right now.
And when will you be expecting him back?
I'm not sure, but I will have him get right back to you.
[chuckles softly]
Uh--
I'll have to call you right back.
[door opens]
BART: Sheila, can you do a deal memo
for Alvin Sargent to write the adaptation
[door closes]of the book "Addie Pray"?
Um, don't you want to call Business Affairs?
I want it to come from this office.
I thought you would've had enough of authors
writing their own screenplays.
[chuckles] Barry!
Uh, uh, when did you get in?
Come in.
Right.
Close the door.
Sure.
So, you know, Alvin Sargent
actually didn't write "Addie Pray."
It was--Where the fuck is Evans?
He's not in.No shit.
Yeah. Um, he's got a really bad back.
Sciatica.
So, um, he's working from home.
Ah, I see. Okay.
Well, in that case, he won't mind if I use his office.
I'm sure that's fine.
Yeah, I'm sure it is, too.
Listen, Peter... [clears throat]
I want to have a meeting with you and go over our slate.
Everything in production, development, everything.
Got it?
Mm-hmm.
Great.Great.
[door opens, closes]
[lively folk music]
♪
Oh.
This is even better than Corleone.
Uh, yeah, I think I finally agree with you there, Francis.
TAVOULARIS: Francis, you know, this could be perfect
for Don Tommasino's estate.
I know.Yeah?
The whole feel is just spot-on.
Francis, this entire hillside gets amazing light.
Ooh, you know what we could do?
This could be our opening, right?
Do, like, an overhead shot.
Espresso?
[both speaking Italian]
Grazie mille.
[goat bleating][clears throat]
There we go.
BETTYE: This place looks great.RUDDY: Yeah, it's nice.
Very authentic, right?BETTYE: Yeah.
[both chuckle]
[church bell ringing in distance]
Buongiorno. Buongiorno.
Two coffees, please.
Due espressi, per favore.
You've been holding back on me.
I've picked up some phrases.
When in Rome, right?
Yeah, we're not in Rome.Close enough.
[roughly] Give me your money.
[laughter]
You know what I'm thinking?You're a funny guy.
This would be a great location
for when Michael meets Apollonia's father.
Oh, yeah.
Excuse me. Uh, are you the owner?
[speaking Italian]Okay.
We'd like to have a conversation with the owner.
Grazie.
What did he just say?
Something in Italian.
So you have selective Italian?
[both speaking Italian]
I'm Angelo, his son.Angelo.
Al.
This is Francis--
[flirtatious music]
Bettye.
Great.
So, Angelo, we're in town. We're filming a movie.
We'd love to use your restaurant as a location.
We'd like to film here.
[both speaking Italian]
50,000 lira.
[scoffs]
♪
Si.
What?
Al, are you sure we can afford that?
Who's bad with conversions now, Bettye?
50,000 lira's like 35 bucks.
Come on. Andiamo.
Can I show you what we're planning for tomorrow?
Yeah. Grazie.
Grazie.
I'll be back in a little bit.
[chuckles] Thank you.
Also, I need your help casting tomorrow.
Casting?Yeah.
What?
Oh! [speaking Italian]
[camera shutter snaps]
[chuckles]
BETTYE: Thank you so much.
I ordered a coffee.
Ah, you don't need so much water.
This is better, piu Siciliano.
[softly] Ooh, yeah.
Everything is better in Italy, huh?
[chuckles]
So did you like any actresses so far?
Well, in the script,
they describe Apollonia as a thunderbolt.
When Michael sees her, he immediately falls in love.
You saw a lot of beautiful girls,
and I'd like to love all of them.
[chuckles] Yeah.
But it's more than that.
It's about how she makes you feel.
Not just her beauty, but the way she looks at you.
PERSON: Scusi.
[speaking Italian]
Sorry, I don't speak much Italian,
and, uh, you just broke my translator.
[Angelo clears throat]Do you speak any English?
Yes, I-I think so.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday.[both chuckle]
Come ti chiami?
Simonetta.
FRANCIS: So--so the dark ones--
GORDY: They've just been on the tree longer.
They've been there longer than the younger ones.
More for me? Thank you so much.
It's really the--hey, no,
you're gonna fill up on the bread,
and you're gonna ruin your appetite.
What are you, my mother?
Let's hope for your mother's sake
she doesn't look anything like him.
Yeah, right?[all chuckle]
Al, can I steal you for a second?
Yeah.
GORDY: You don't want it?
RUDDY: [clears throat]
We have a problem.
Another one?Yeah.
Okay, big or small?
Evans is out.
What? What do you mean?Bluhdorn is going to fire him.
How do you know this?
Because I just got off the phone
with Bluhdhorn's secretary.
Does Bob know?
It hasn't happened yet, because no one has seen him.
He hasn't been in the office in days.
Fuck.
This movie's like a Hydra.
You cut the head off one, and just another one pops up.
Fuck.
Hey, what do we do?
I mean, I should let him twist in the wind
for what he said to me.
But you're not going to,
because he is single-handedly responsible
for giving you your shot.
It's because we need Bob
to finish this movie the right way.
[sighs] All right, book us two flights
back to New York tomorrow.
We'll head back after the car stunt
and let Francis finish the rest.
Okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And just the reaction is just perfect.
Go find some place to be safe, all right?
Keep an eye out. How's he doing?
[both speaking Italian]
Gino? Bene?
Si, si. Bene.
Okay, we're ready!Okay.
He understands we only have the funds
for one shot of blowing this thing up?
Oh, yes. I made sure.One shot.
Yeah, he know. I make sure to tell him.
Okay, everybody, please. Silenzio!
We have one shot to do this,
so everybody in final positions.
[speaking Italian]
Good luck. Buona fortuna.
Grazie.
GORDY: We're rolling.
Ready? And set.
Azione!
[bird caws]
FRANCIS: What happened?
[loud explosion]
[screams]
[shouting in Italian]TAVOULARIS: You get it?
[shouting in Italian]
Is everybody okay?
RUDDY: All right, look. Okay, listen, I'll handle it.
We didn't mean for that to happen.
We'll pay for the window.[speaking Italian]
Shit, you know? Sorry, sorry, scusi.
Al.We'll pay for it.
Yeah?Airport.
Airport. Let's go.
You got it?Okay, all right.
You're eyebrow's on fire.Yeah.
What?
[lively music]
Yeah!
RUDDY: You can't fire him.
Well, then what am I supposed to do with him?
He's a lame horse.
And you know what you do with a lame horse?
Bob Evans is the only reason that Paramount still exists.
Well, then where is he?
He's supposed to be running a studio.
I know you Hollywood idiots think that
it's all make-believe, but it's still a business.
Nobody understands this business better than he does.
And it doesn't matter if he's missing in action.
A business does not run itself.
Charlie, show some fucking decency, would you?
The guy's given his blood for your company.
I gave my blood for him!
God damn it!
Everyone told me that he didn't have what it takes.
Everyone!
But I saw something in him, and I believed in him,
and I chose to bet on him.
It was a good bet.
He's meshugana, and he's just crazy enough
to make you believe his line of bullshit.
He's got that thing, you know?
It just--it draws you in.
Charisma.
But it's gone now, Ruddy...
that spark.
And I have responsibilities.
I cannot have a drug addict running my company.
Lapidus is in LA to look out for things.
He's in charge for now.
Let me talk to Bob.
Without him, this movie won't succeed.
And after everything he's done for the company,
at the very least, that deserves a meeting.
But that window is closing fast.
[gentle piano music]
♪
I'm gonna talk to him.
♪
[distant bell ringing]
All right, should we start with the development slate?
Yeah.Yeah?
Okay.
So, as you can see,
we got quite a list here--"Great Gatsby."
Yeah.I love that book.
Reminded me of my father.
Uh, what is this? Uh, the "Save the Tiger"?
What tiger? What is this?Yeah.
That's based on a novel by Steve Shagan.
We optioned the galleys.
It hasn't been published yet,
but it's a great character study.
This--this man with an apparel company
who can't keep it afloat,
and he's going down a dark rabbit hole.
Stop right there.
Who the hell wants to see that? [chuckles]
Barry, this is a prestige project.
I guess Evans misses lady's apparel after all.
You do know that we are
in the entertainment business, right?
There's more to it than that.
Oh, and this, no, no, no, no, no.
"Chinatown," no.
What?
I'm--I'm sorry.
That's a-- that's a really great script.
Um, inspired by real events.
Yeah, water, I get it. I heard Evans' pitch, right?
Dump it.
Dump it?
Sell it.
Or we'll have to take a loss on it.
We should be making what the people want to see, right?
"Airport," a thriller in the sky.
"M.A.S.H.," funny doctors.
Again, entertainment.
I'm sorry, Barry, um... [chuckles weakly]
"Chinatown" can really be something.
You know, uh, uh, Nicholson's attached.
It does not matter who is in it
if it's another dark, confusing piece, but go ahead,
give me the elevator pitch.
Okay. It's about original sin.
It's about the sin of stolen water
and the sin of incest
and how politics and greed connects them.
But it's more than just a pitch.
It's the actor, the director, the big picture.
That movie is really coming together.
No.[pen clicks]
I'm not green-lighting anything I don't understand, all right?
We're gonna stop developing these rarified flights of fancy
and start applying some good business sense
to what we do here.
[doorbell ringing]
Bob, open up.
[knocking on door]
Come on, Bob, open up. It's me. It's Al.
[melancholy piano music]
[knocking continues]
Bob, open up, buddy.
♪
Hey, it's Caesar.
Okay.
BETTYE: Caesar, I have Al coming to you
in three, two...
[phone beeps]Caesar.
CAESAR: How they hanging?
Low and ready for trouble.
Hey, how's Joe doing?
Same.
How's the movie going?
Good. We're getting close.
That's great.
You know, we're all really looking forward
to the premiere.
You have a date yet?
Boss wanted to invite some of our...associates.
Yeah, listen, about that...
I know I said I would donate the proceeds
to an Italian League charity,
but Gulf and Western's not gonna let me do that.
Eh, forget about it.
Boss was never gonna hold you to that.
Okay, great.
I just didn't want you guys thinking that I forgot.
We wouldn't have thought that.
Is there anything we can do to help Joe?
You got a direct line to God?
[sighs] Look, I got to go.
But, um, let me know about that premiere, all right?
I want to get a new suit.
[line clicks, dial tone buzzes]
Hey.
You know you can't invite those guys
to the premiere, right?
Charlie would murder you.
I know, but I gave my word.
So what are you gonna do?
[phone ringing]Oh.
Al Ruddy's office.
Yes, sir, I'll tell him.
Lapidus wants to see you.
Great. Where?
In Evans' office.
Fuck.
[sighs]
[upbeat music]
Try Evans again. Let it ring until he picks up.
♪
[knocking on door, door opens]
Oh.
How was Italy?
Fine.
Why did you stop in New York on the way back?
Ooh...
I wanted a good bagel. Ah.
Just isn't the same out here in LA.
I'm working on "The Godfather" while Evans is out.
Apparently he's got a bad back, poor fella.
Well, I think we can manage until he's back on his feet.
Oh, we don't know when or even if that'll happen.
It'll happen.
When will I see a cut of "The Godfather"?
Francis is still shooting.
Yes, I know.
He's in Sicily wasting money.
It was always in the budget.
I want to see that cut as soon as possible.
He'll be back end of the week,
and our editor's standing by.
Great.
Great.[phone beeps]
SHEILA: I've got Bluhdorn on line one.
Thank you, Sheila.
[upbeat bass music]
♪
Charlie.
[reel slows, stops]
[focused music]
♪
That one there.
♪
How's it looking?
You want to see for yourself?
[sweeping dramatic music playing]
♪
[lights click]
[sighs]
Well, I guess no reaction is a reaction.
We got it.
What?
Come here.Oh.
Oh, it's--it's beautiful. It's beautiful.
It's better than I ever thought it could be.
Buddy, it's so good.
[crying] Jesus, fuck. Thank you.
It is so powerful. It...
FRANCIS: Yeah.And Sicily.
My God, it looks so beautiful.
It was worth us fighting to go there.
RUDDY: Yes, yes.
I know.Yep, absolutely.
Absolutely.
I want to show it to Evans.
Yeah, I think it's ready.
I think it's ready.Okay.
Well, get him in here. I want to show him right now.
Put it on the screen right now.
RUDDY: I'm gonna-- I got to talk to him.
He's dealing with some back issues right now, but--
but he's--he's excited.Yeah.
It's ready for him.
[exhales heavily] Okay.
[all chuckle]Um, I'm going to...
get some sleep, then.
A shower couldn't hurt.
[chuckles weakly]
You know what Evans told me?
He said the movie makes 50 mil,
he's gonna buy me whatever car I want.
[laughs]It's good to be you.
[door opens]
How are we gonna show it to Evans
when he isn't answering your calls?
I don't know.
Also, Caesar called about the premiere.
They're really expecting to go.
Good news--
Bogdanovich wants to direct
after he's finished with post on "What's up, Doc?"
Great.He also--
he wants to change the name to "Paper Moon."
Well, I'm not sure how that applies,
but it's a great title.
Now, I see you've done your homework.
Uh, what's your take on adapting this?
[knocking on door]Well--
Peter.
Hey. Uh, I'm in a creative meeting.
Barry Lapidus.Alvin Sargent.
Eh, Barry, did you need something?
No. It can wait.
I think I'll, uh, sit in. Please, continue.
[clears throat]
Uh, so--
Well, I love the relationship between Moses and Addie.
Uh, I've never seen anything like that.
Sometime partner in crime, sometimes father/daughter.
But she'd never admit that she wants a father figure.
Well, girls need their fathers.
It's important that we never play him talking down to her
as if she's a regular nine-year-old.
She was older in the book, right?
Yeah, I'd age her down a few years.
Make it even more shocking that this little kid
is so good at being a con artist.
BARRY: Well, my daughter is 12,
and I think she'd relate to a 12-year-old
more than a 9-year-old.
Let's make her 12.
You need to keep the audience in mind.
Do they really want to see a young kid as a con artist?
[sighs] That's what's so unique about the book.
Have you read it?
Skimmed.
[exhales softly] It's not about her being a criminal.
It's about her secret longing
for the family that she's never had.
And she is the key to redemption
for the Moses character.
Yeah. He's--he's more the child
because he caves in to her every whim,
her every desire.
He can't see past his own ambition.
Well... [clears throat]
I'm sorry to have to leave, but I've got a thing.
It was nice to meet you.
Peter, I'll catch up with you later.
[door opens]
Jesus!
FELIX: Oh, man.
Why can't I do just one lousy thing right?
[loud crash] Ow! I hurt my arm.
You're hopeless. You're a hopeless mental case.
[chuckles]
FELIX: I can't throw with that arm--I got bursitis.
I hope you don't mind I let myself in.
OSCAR: Leave your meals outside the doors.
The window was open. Slide in the newspapers.
FELIX: Oh, shut it, Oscar. I hurt easily.
And that's the way I am, and I can't help it.
Well, you're not gonna cry, are you?
I think all those tears dripping on your arm
is what gave you bursitis.
What's going on here, Bob?
Watching a movie.
No. I mean, what's going on with you?
I've called you 50 times.
Nobody's seen you in God knows how long.
[chuckles]
He's a fucking genius.
OSCAR: How?
[projector clicks]
People are worried about you.
[sighs] Who cares, Al?
You?Yeah, me.
Francis, Charlie.Bluhdorn?
He's probably got Barry redecorating my office by now.
None of it matters.Yes, it does.
It doesn't.Yes, it does.
But you can't just disappear on us now, Bob.
We need you.
I'm a bad guru.
I'm a false idol.
What happened with Ali?
She's gone...
and I can't get her back.
Yes, you can.
It's never too late, but you got to get your shit together.
Interesting.
Yeah, I never thought of that.
Get my shit together. Huh, piece of cake.
Well, that won't take back my wife fucking Steve McQueen.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Oh, go away, Al.
Just let me fucking rot in peace would you?
Please, please.
Look... [clears throat]
I'm no expert on any of this either.
I fucked up my relationship with Francoise...
and I really loved her.
It hurt like hell when she left me.
[clears throat]
And all she really wanted
was a piece of me that I couldn't give her
because I was giving it all to this movie.
Bob, I'm here because I care about you,
but also because "The Godfather"
needs its godfather.
You can't ignore who you really are.
Oh, God. I mean, who am I?
You're a fucking maverick.
You're the guy that told me,
"Do whatever it takes to get it done."
I'm no maverick. What the fuck?
I'm an illusion...
a character.
Looks great on screen, but it's just pretend.
That's not true.
What--what are you talking about?
We--we're all pretending. Look at you.
Pencil pusher...
who thinks he's a producer.
Look at me. Fuck.
Shitty actor becomes the king of Hollywood.
I mean, if that-- if that's not pretending,
I--[chuckling] I don't what the fuck is.
[scoffs]
Yeah.
[soft solemn music]
♪
I just wanted it so bad...
prove to the world there's only one Bob Evans.
I could do it on my own terms.
[exhales deeply]
Power, prestige...
perfect girl on my arm.
I fell in love with it all.
Particularly the girl, you know?
[sighs]
I can't--I can't-- [breath catching]
I can't fucking do it without her, all right?
♪
Nope. No.
Bob, think about all the films that you've done.
That's who you are, with or without her.
None of it's fucking real! None of it!
Oh, yes, it is, or at least it fucking better be,
because we've sacrificed too much
for it not to mean anything.
And as much as I'd like to think
that if either one of us had the opportunity to go back
that we do anything fucking different,
I know that we wouldn't.
♪
With guys like us...
♪
There comes a point where there is no separation
between who we are and what we do.
And this...
this is who we are.
Al...[sighs]
I-I don't know.
I-I don't know if it's worth it anymore, man.
I really don't, you know?
♪
It has to be.
♪
[projector clicks] OSCAR: Beginning to listen.
FELIX: You're not gonna hear another peep out of me.
OSCAR: You're not gonna give me a haircut, are you?
FELIX: I'm gonna cut up some cabbage and greens
and make coleslaw for tomorrow.
OSCAR: I don't want any coleslaw for tomorrow.
I just want to have some fun tonight.
FELIX: Thought you liked my coleslaw.
OSCAR: I love your coleslaw. FELIX: Uh-huh.
OSCAR: I swear, Felix, I love your coleslaw.
I'll take your coleslaw with me to work tomorrow
but not tonight-- let's go out of the house.
All right, let's go.
I only make it for you. I don't like coleslaw.
If you wanted to get out of the house,
why didn't you say so in the first place?
BARRY: "Murder. Mayhem. Mafia."
That's sharp. That's really sharp.
"Murder. Mayhem. Mafia." I like that.
No, no. We can't have the word "mafia"
on the poster.
What else are you guys thinking?
Hmm. I'm not sure about the cat.
Really? The cat's the problem?
I just don't get it.
What is this saying about our film?
He's powerful, dangerous, and has a soft side.
[chuckling] Oh, I see.
The cat represents the soft side,
and the tagline, "Take the Cannoli,"
that's because he has a sweet tooth, right?
BART: These are just preliminary.
That's--that's the point of this meeting.
So that the marketing team can hear from the creatives, too.
Well, I think the approach is just a little off, okay?
Our film is about power.
Who holds the strings and manipulates everything?
That is why I think we should use
the cover of the book as the poster.
Agreed.
No, one's gonna know what that is, right?
People are gonna think it's a Nazi movie or something.
Nazi?What the fuck?
That's not a fucking swastika, Barry.
Those are marionette strings.
I know that, Ruddy.
Look, these guys have worked on hundreds of movies, all right?
They know what they're doing.
So you make the movie,
and let the adults figure out the poster, okay?
Top-notch work, guys. Thank you.
Where the hell is Evans?
Barry, why don't we hear the guys out?
You know, the cover is from the bestselling book of the year.
[door closes]
You want me to hear these guys out?
Why?
Because they're so good at delivering?
That's an interesting thought,
because the only thing that they've delivered
is a movie that's 45 minutes too long.
Yeah, well, Evans hasn't given his notes yet.
So what?
You shouldn't have seen it yet.
Well, I have seen it, and I can't unsee it.
So welcome to Hollywood, Francis.
I didn't realize you were new to this.
This movie cannot be longer than two hours.
[shouts] Did you even like it?
It was a little slow for my taste.
I mean, that whole Sicily thing?
Why?It's Michael's tipping point.
He understands that his life can no longer be uncomplicated.
Well, it's a waste. Cut it.
No, it's important for the storytelling.
You want to know what's important for the storytelling?
Maximum plays per screen.
A normal two-hour movie can run five showings in a day,
but your masterpiece can only run three or four
because it's too long.
Now, that is 20% less box office.
And money, gentlemen,
whether you care to admit it or not,
it's important,
'cause otherwise, movies don't get made.
Well, it doesn't matter if the movie's not any good
because nobody's gonna be in the fucking theater
for the maximum plays per day.
All right--RUDDY: Who gives a shit?
Is there a compromise to be had here?
Yes, there is. Cut 30 minutes.
It's not an option.
[dramatic music]
Better get cracking, gentlemen, or I'll cut it myself.
♪
Ruddy--
♪
What do you think?
That work?
I don't know.
♪
[breathes deeply]
You want me to run it again?
Do whatever you want. They're ruining my picture.
♪
[knocking on door]Come in.
Hi.
You were, uh, a little rough on them in that meeting.
They're big boys, Peter.
I don't have to pander to spoiled children.
Actually, you do, Barry.
Look, if you're stepping into Evans' shoes...
you need to understand what he actually does...
and what he's really good at.
I've got my own shoes. I don't need Bob's.
The creatives aren't just monkeys
with pens and typewriters.
They--they have a real vision for the film.
I mean, they know it better than anybody.
Yeah, and I know what sells.
Yes, you do, and that is great,
but it's more than that.
It's--it's using the creatives
to guide the marketing so we can come up
with something unique and eye-catching.
It's nurturing their talent to write the best script,
to direct the best film.
And it's talking over character and themes--
Bob isn't here, Peter, okay?
So his shoes, no matter how big and creative they are,
they will remain empty, in a closet, forgotten.
Okay?
[sighs quietly]
Okay.
[melancholy piano music]
Okay.
♪
You're a valuable asset, Peter.
You are.
So I, uh...
I hope that you'll remain on board.
♪
I wasn't criticizing you, Barry.
I was trying to help you.
♪
[door closes][sighs]
♪
[sighs]
♪
Good night, Sheila.
Good night, Mr. Evans--
Mr. Lapidus.
Good night.
♪
[door closes]
Charlie. I wasn't expecting you.
I just got in. You're my first stop.
You're a pain in the ass, Ruddy,
but you've done a good job on this movie.
Thank you.Yeah.
Evans is done.
I wanted you to hear it from me.
This isn't easy for me, whatever you think.
But it has to be done.
And I'm putting Lapidus in charge.
Charlie, we need Bob.
You know that we do.
This whiskey tastes like shit.
Get something that burns.
We're going to go with this one,
but let's use the other tagline--
"Take the Cannoli."That's great.
Charlie, what do you think?
Just observing.
And, Francis, thank you for trimming the fat off the movie.
It's much better now.Yeah, stayed awake this time.
FRANCIS: Shorter is not always better.
Charlie, you really should consider the longer cut.
It is better.BARRY: For who? Hmm?
Your ego?
I thought I explained the business to you, Ruddy.
BOB: The audience doesn't care
about our business, Barry.
Bob.
How's the back?
Getting there. Thanks for asking.
Flying V?
We can't use this.
You can't just show up here whenever you want
and just blow apart everything we're working on.
I'm not blowing anything up, Barry.
It simply does not represent the film.
It doesn't create mystery or intrigue.
That's your opinion, Bob.You're damn right it is.
But it's also based on market research as well.
Our testing has shown
that audiences are turned off by busy key art.
They particularly don't like the V.
It doesn't allow them to connect to anything.
Look, "The Godfather" sold more copies
than any other book in history except for the Bible.
Now, we're trying to take the audience
for a peek inside the secretive subculture
they're not normally privy to.
We should be using the key art
from the book.
It creates mystery.
What about the cut?I'm glad you asked.
'Cause as far as I remember,
we hired Francis to make us a movie.
And the shorter version of this film, it's a trailer.
It's a teaser. It's a--it's an insult.
It is defeat
waiting to be pulled from the jaws of victory.
And, Francis, frankly, your cut is gorgeous.
Sublime. Perfect.
Bob, you know as well as I do
that, one, it's going to reduce
the number of screenings per day.
And, two, no one wants to sit in a theater that long
for a gangster movie.
Yeah, I do know that,
but this is not a typical gangster movie.
It never was, and we're not offering
the audience a transaction.
We're offering them an experience.
Look, we need to evolve with the population.
We need to lead the revolution, or it will pass us by, Charlie.
Barry...
you never wanted to make "Rosemary's Baby"
or "Love Story."
You didn't want to make "The Godfather."
These--these movies, they break all the rules.
They're not formulaic.
This is part of why they work.
But, look, we can't chase
after what we think an audience wants to see.
We got to show the audience what it needs to see.
How did you get the cuts, Bob, huh?
Bubbe, please.
Let me think about it.
Everybody out.
Barry, you stay.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
RUDDY: All right. How do you think that went?
BART: [scoffs] Hard to tell.
Bob, what does this mean?
Can we go back to the longer cut?
Oh, God, I hope so.
I really loved it, Francis.
You did it, man.
Thank you.
One thing--
horse's head scene,
the music gets too ominous too quickly.
It gives away what's about to happen.
Why don't you take a look at that?
Is that it?
For now.
[laughs] Okay.
It's good to have you back, boss.
Yeah, we'll see.
Go on. Get out of here.[chuckles]
Go on.
You still want it?
What?
And Evans?
That would be your decision.
He's a pain in the ass.
He's egotistical, smug, and entitled.
We've never gotten along.
We agree on nothing, and if it were up to me,
I would've been the first one to get him a one-way ticket
to anywhere but here.
And I would've been wrong.
He's still an asshole, but there's no denying talent.
And despite all of his posturing and bullshit,
he's got good instincts.
A lot of what he touches turns to gold.
That's what's important.
Are you saying you--Evans should be at the helm.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
You surprise me, Barry.
Yeah, well... [clears throat]
Never hate your enemies.
It's not personal.
It's just business. [scoffs]
Hmm.
♪
How do I know I can trust you?
I don't know, Charlie.
I only have my word.
I like movies about history.
Did you know that?
I did not. Mm.
Yeah, sure, I like all the tits and the action
and all the rest, but history...
we get to see something which is impossible for us to see,
and the story is retold to be whatever we want it to be.
Some people think that's a crime,
but I don't.
Rewriting history...
Maybe that's how we can deal with the horror.
If you could rewrite your history, would you?
No.
May not be pretty, but it's mine.
Smart money says get rid of you.
I understand.
Barry convinced me otherwise.
You're getting a chance to rewrite your history, Bob.
Don't make me regret it.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
Now go make me some fucking money.
[chuckles softly]
♪
[footsteps approaching]
[door opens]
[door closes]
Guess what.
We're going with the longer cut.
Oh, thank God.
That's great news.
Oh, you think so?
You said you liked the longer cut.
I meant it. I meant it.
But don't think for a second
that if this thing flops financially,
you and I won't end up being chained to a rock
with Bluhdorn picking at our livers every day.
Lapidus wasn't wrong.
There are huge risks to doing it the way we're doing it.
I know, I know. Less screenings a day.
That's a very big deal.
And even more than that, with a longer cut,
there's no way we're ready for Christmas,
which is the best time to release this movie
or even a month later.
Audience attendances drop like a fucking brick.
Oh, come on, we got lightning in a bottle here.
Well, if that bottle's in your pocket,
be careful you don't fry your balls with it.
[chuckles]
Look, if it was easy,
everybody would do it.
Amen.
Oh, and, Al...
Thank you.
Anytime, bubbe.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
[door opens]
[soft lounge music playing]
BOB: Oh, yes, I see. Thank you.
♪
Michael.Hey, Bob.
Hey, Jerry.Hey, Bob.
Eat your food.
Well, it's a very particular--
He's coming this way. Um, Bob?
♪
Barry.
Bob.
Mind if I join you?
Please.
[grunts, sighs]
You know, they don't always put salmon on the menu,
but they'll make it for us.
[chuckles]
Mineral water, Barry?
Yeah.
John.
Thank you for coming in.
Oh.Excuse me.
Hey.
Is that the cigarette ad guy?
I got to be honest, that is one handsome motherfucker.
So?I've never been so happy
to see that tan bastard in my life.
Bettye, I need your help.
Could I get fired for it?
We both could, but it's worth it.
[funky music]
You're not on the list.
Well, that just doesn't make any sense, Gene.
Eugene.
Of course. Sorry.
It's just you remind me a lot of Gene Kelly.
You must get that all the time.
You're not on the list.
Bob Evans sent me.
Call Sheila. Check it out.
What's your name again?
[sighs]
Be careful.
There's only two prints.Of course.
Thank you, Eugene.
[giggles]
[engine turning over]
♪
[chuckles] Relax, they're fine.
That is $6.5 million sitting in that seat.
[chuckles]
How'd you end up getting the plane?
Bob owed me one.
Mm.Yeah.
So what was up with that actor meeting the other day?
I was just looking at options for your next picture.
All right, all right.
[clears throat]
I was thinking about what I want to do next,
and I'm thinking of maybe becoming an agent.
[soft piano music]
What? You don't think I can do it?
No, no. I think you can do anything.
What is it, then?
♪
I don't know. I guess...
when I think about what's next,
I just assumed you'd be there with me.
I love working for you, Al.
But I do want more.
I mean, when the world looks at me, all they see is someone
whose job it is to support a man.
Why an agent?
I really like actors.
I mean, they're delusional-- they have to be
if they think they're gonna make it in this business.
And justified or not, they all dream big.
Also, I am loud. Mm.
I am very smart.Mm.
[chuckles] I'm vicious.
I mean, maybe I'm delusional, too.
But I do know
that I don't want to get trapped in this tiny little box
that the men of this world have given me.
I want my own seat at the table.
♪
[indistinct chatter]
Hey, get up.
Hi.
Hey.
They didn't have Raisinettes.No.
What about Whoppers?
She wants Whoppers, okay.
I'm joking. Sit down.
Is this one mine?Yeah.
Thank you.
I can't believe Paramount
is gonna do this special screening just for us.
Hey, where did you just come from?
The alley.
Why?
Because every gangster within 50 miles is in here,
which means the FBI is out there.
And I for once would like to remain anonymous.
PERSON: Hey, Ruddy!
If this movie sucks, you ain't making it out of the theater.
[laughter]
And he fucking means it, too![laughter]
[solo trumpet playing]
[person shushes]
♪
[cheers and applause]
Awoo!
[cheers and applause continue]
♪
[dramatic music]
ALL: Oh!
PERSON: Ruddy!
[soft laughter]
[dramatic music builds]
[explosion]
[audience gasping]
[music mellows]
♪
PERSON ON SCREEN: Don Corleone...
[projector clicks]
[cheers and applause]
I guess we live to see another day!
What a relief.[laughs]
Look at this!
Wow.
Oh, my God.
I think that might be the best movie I've ever seen.
That means a lot.
Honestly, I think we care more about what you guys think
than anybody else.
The boss would've loved it.
Do me a favor.
Grab the print, catch a cab back to the hotel.
I got to go do something.Of course.
Hey.
Listen, I'd really like to take you out
the next time you're back in New York.
I don't know, Caesar.
You're a pretty dangerous guy. [chuckles]
Um, some girls like dangerous.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
[monitor beeping quietly]
♪
They, uh--
They all stood up and applauded, Joe.
[chuckles]
You would've loved it.
Tell you what, buddy.
When you're feeling better,
I'm gonna set up a special screening
just for you.
♪
AL: We've got a great movie.
It doesn't matter if nobody sees it.
We gotta do something different here.
Like what?
We need to get something going, and fast.
It's crazy.Crazy's good, I like crazy.
That's unheard of.
BARRY: It's never been done before.
Why play it safe when we can crash and burn.
The idea of losing money gives me a rash.
But if it works...
Do you think I'm crazy for doing this?
...we make film history.
ROBERT: I have this recurring dream aboutThe Godfather premiere.
Wow.
ROBERT: It's the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
And it's a perfect night. To The Godfather.
DIRECTOR: Action.
Barry, when did you get in?
Come in.
Right.
Close the door.
Sure.
I play Barry Lapidus.
Lapidus is kind of the bad guy.
He's an antagonist for a lot of the series.
He is basically a composite of every single person
that did not want to make The Godfather.
No, I'm not green-lighting anything I don't understand.
All right, we're going to stop developing
these rarefied flights of fancy,
and start applying some good business sense
to what we do here.
Normally, you know, when you have those kinds of roles,
it can kind of be one dimensional.
But every reason that Lapidus has
as to why this is a bad idea,
from his perspective, makes perfect sense.
And money, gentlemen, whether you care to admit it or not,
it's important,
'cause otherwise movies don't get made.
If there weren't for the business side of people
who did fight for the creatives,
then it would just be the business side
and who knows what we may have lost
or what we may have never seen.
PETER: If you're stepping into Evans' shoes,
you need to understand what he actually does.
Lapidus was the last character
I thought I was going to have empathy for,
but there's a scene in nine that Colin does beautifully,
where he's trying to kind of take over
and fill Evans' shoes,
and there's a moment where he's sitting
behind Evans' desk,
and you're enough in his head at that point
that you realize he's grappling with the thought
that he does not have what it takes
to be what Bob Evans was.
He realizes that he doesn't necessarily
have the skill set for that.
And to his credit,
he was smart enough to recognize that,
and ends up being a champion of Evans in the end.
We agree on nothing,
and if it were up to me,
I would've been the first one to get him
a one way ticket to anywhere but here.
And I would've been wrong.
ADAM: I love that when characters
that you have pegged as being one thing
suddenly end up having to play a different and vital role.
I thought it was a nice touch,
and it was a nice way to sort of bring him into the fold,
as sort of, you know, one of the quote unquote "good guys".
You surprise me, Barry.
There's a lot of things in the original Godfather
that, they've become iconic lines.
Yeah, well, never hate your enemies.
It's not personal.
It's just business.
COLIN: We are able to slip those things in,
and hopefully it's something that, you know,
fans of the film will sort of get the reference.
Making a reference to The Godfather,
I feel like I've been doing that my entire career.
There were, you know, sort of winks and nods
and Easter eggs.
The intention of the Easter eggs in The Offer
was meant to draw a parallel
between the story in the film and the story of the film.
[HEART MONITOR BEEPS]
It's the final scene of Episode 9.
Colombo's unconscious, still sedated.
The final moment of the scene
is Al kissing the hand of Colombo.
I wanted to compose a shot
that echoed the final shot in the film ofThe Godfather,
where Kay is in the foreground out of focus,
and you see back into the room,
and before the door closes,
you see Clemenza kiss his hand.
Colombo is a real friendship for him.
I developed a great relationship with this man.
And without Colombo's help,
he never could have got this movie made.
I genuinely respected him.
We became lasting friends for a long time.
He pays homage.
This really is one of his godfathers,
and maybe the biggest one.