RUDDY: This is what it's all about--the excitement.
You got 300 people all watching the same thing,
reacting in real time, just feeding off each other.
I mean, that's magic, baby.
I need to be in the movies.
ANDREA: Why are we here, in show business?
Because this is the life that we've chosen.
We all ran away from home
so that we could join the circus.
[knocking on door]
ALI: Bob, what are you doing here?
Well, that's not the greeting I was expecting.
I'm sorry. You just--Is there somebody in there?
It's McQueen, isn't it?
RUDDY: What happened with Ali?
She's gone.
BETTYE: I was thinking about what I want to do next.
And I'm thinking of maybe becoming an agent.
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.
This movie cannot be longer than two hours.
A normal two-hour movie can run five showings in a day,
but your masterpiece can only run three.
Guess what. We're going with a longer cut.
That's great news.Lapidus wasn't wrong.
There are huge risks to doing it the way we're doing it.
With a longer cut, there's no way we're ready for Christmas,
or even a month later.
Audience attendances drop like a fucking brick.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
[upbeat dramatic music]
♪
[groaning]
[exhales deeply]
[footsteps approaching]
Francis, what are you doing in here?
I can't watch them watching it.
What happened to "I'm not nervous,
I'm proud of my work"?
I lied.Well, listen, buddy,
you got nothing to worry about--they're gonna love it.
Well, this is a first.
Director and producer of highly anticipated film
spend premiere in the john.
It's a bold choice, boys, but I like it.
[chuckles]
[Francis groans]
[Bob sighs]
A dozen spots either side,
and you come stand next to me, huh?
I didn't want you to feel lonely.
[chuckles] What about you, Francis?
You're feeling left out, too, huh?
Come on, pal, saddle up.
I don't understand how you're so calm, Evans.
Bubbe...
I'm always calm.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Motherfucking "Cabaret."
I thought it was pretty good.
I like the dancing.Oh, well, of course you do.
The man who created a comedy about Nazis
loves the musical about Nazis.
I mean, are you sure you're even Jewish? Huh?
I'm sure.
Look, I don't know why
you're so worked up about "Cabaret."
They open way before we do.Yeah.
On Valentine's Day weekend,
officially the last fucking gasp at getting an audience.
Opening "The Godfather" in March
is gonna fuck us big-time.
We've got a great movie.
It doesn't matter if nobody sees it.
If "The Godfather" doesn't open big, and I mean big,
Bluhdorn is gonna literally eat my heart for breakfast.
Well, it's a good thing Bluhdorn loves "The Godfather."
Oh, Bluhdorn loves money.
If it works, he's a hero.
If it tanks, it's on me, and you by association,
because your cute little tuchus is hitched to my wagon.
No, no, no, no.
If "The Godfather" is gonna stand any chance...
we got to do something different here.
[lighter clicks]
Like what?
You know, if you hadn't been so obsessed
with the editing on this--
We both need this to work.
I said that we should use the shorter cut.
I did. I said, "Let's use the shorter cut.
We can have this movie out by Christmas."
Why? Because Christmas is the best time
to open movies, isn't it?Yeah, I know that.
Christ, you're really enjoying this, aren't you?
No.
Oh, maybe a little.
Barry...
I may have underestimated you in the past,
but right now, I need your amazing business brain
to go off the edge of the graph paper
and think outside the box on this, okay?
Okay.
[sniffs, clears throat]
Well, we're too late for this year's Oscars,
and we're too early for next year's.
There's no big holiday weekend left.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
What was that?
Nothing. It's crazy.
Crazy's good. I like crazy.
It's never been done before.
Well, now I'm tingling with anticipation.
I'm practically erect.
It's too risky.
Nothing good ever came from playing it safe.
Come on, Barry.
Pitch it.
How quickly can you come to New York City?
I read the Mark Zuckerman script.
What'd you think?It needs work.
You read it?Hard pass.
Sue Mengers had the one that--
About the couple in the beach house.
Yeah, no, thanks. I still have nightmares
from her working with Francoise.
BETTYE: Oh, God.
We need to get something going and fast.
Francis is already shooting "The Conversation."
Bob's got half a dozen movies going.
Even Puzo's fielding offers.
What am I doing? Running in fucking place.
So what's the play?
If the agents aren't sending us good enough material,
then we create our own.
A treatment?
"By Albert S. Ruddy"?
[mellow funky music]
♪
Hmm.
♪
[whispering] God damn.
♪
[clears throat]
I loved it.
Yeah?Yeah.
When did you get this idea?
Had it for a long time, actually.
That was the first thing I wrote after I sold "Hogan's."
Wow.
A team of misfits tries to make the impossible happen.
That sounds familiar.
That's it.[chuckles]
Bettye, I need you to apply your talent brain on this
and think about who could star in it.
I'm gonna meet with Bob as soon as he gets back from New York.
Okay.
[loud crash]
[loud bang]
CHARLIE: Send Tweedledee and Tweedle-dumber in.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Bluhdorn will see you now.
Yes, thank you, sweetheart. We got it.
After you, Barry.Thank you, Bob.
[loud thump]
BOB: See you got some new clubs.
Oh, what do you want?
I'm busy.
Well, come on. What is it? Speak.
We feel "The Godfather"
may need some help for the opening.
Oh, you think so?
Well, you're opening in fuckin' March.
Whose idiotic idea was that?
Doesn't matter because Barry's got a brilliant idea.
We block book.
Usually we'd book just a few specific theaters--
Yeah, I know how the business works.
Don't tell me what I already--Listen!
[exhales deeply]
We block book a huge number of theaters.
300, at least.
We spend an unprecedented amount of money on the prints,
but we make that first day a juggernaut.
If we release it in that many theaters at once,
everybody will see it at the same time.
It's all anyone's gonna be talking about.
BARRY: We get more bang for our initial ad campaign
and we front-load sales like never before.
It's a brilliant idea, Charlie.
There's already a huge amount of buzz about the movie.
It'll create headlines beyond "Variety."
Think about it.
"Forbes," "Wall Street Journal,"
"Financial fucking Times."
What if no one shows?
Well, then we're out a shit ton of your money
on the spend, Charlie.
But if it works,
we make film history.
We reinvent the distribution business.
[club tapping softly]
The idea of losing money gives me a rash...
But do it.
Now, get out.
Thank you.
And, Evans...
You know who I want at that premiere.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thank you, Barry.
Son of a gun, Barry.
I love it, baby.[chuckles softly]
Who is he talking about for the premiere?
Huh? Oh.
Kissinger.
He's a friend, but what Charlie doesn't seem to grasp
is that the Secretary of State
might have slightly more important things on his agenda
than slumming it in Hollywood.[chuckles]
Yeah, well, good luck with that.
Hey, win or lose, Barry,
it's a hell of an idea you had in there.
Yeah, well, thank you.
Well, just-- let's see what happens.
[both chuckle]Yeah.
Do you know what they say
the leading cause of divorce is, Bob?
Marriage.
[chuckles softly]
I've been married three times.
Did you know that?
I did not.
Yeah.
My first wife, she just gutted me.
Got the second wife to try and replace the first wife,
but that didn't stick.
[sighs deeply]
The trick of it
is you got to find something you love more than her.
And for you, the third wife was the charm?
No, money was the charm for me,
but the third wife's a close second.
Hmm.
[soft tender music]
[door opens]
Hey, Sheila.Hi, Bob.
Ali is on line two.
Huh?Ali, line two.
Thanks.
[door closes]
Sheila.Hi, Al.
Oh, give him a sec.
Okay.
How's his mood today?
Uh, I'll tell you in a minute.
♪
Yeah, yeah.
It's a nice surprise.
ALI: Sorry about the article.
They told me it was only gonna be about the movie.
So it's not true?
ALI: It's complicated.
Well, I appreciate the call.
ALI: Wait.
Can I come over sometime?
I'd really like to talk to you.
Yeah, no, I-I'd like that.
When were you thinking?ALI: Tonight?
I know it's last minute, but I can come by the house.
Tonight's perfect.
I'm looking forward it.
ALI: See you tonight.All right, bye.
[intercom beeps]Sheila, call La Scala.
Tell Jean Leon I need a favor tonight.
Mood is good.Mood is good.
RUDDY: Thanks.[sighs]
Hey.
How was New York?Well, Lapidus' idea is crazy,
but it might just work.
Why play it safe when we can crash and burn, right?
Hey, you want to play it safe?
Go back to programming computers.
Fair enough.
Listen, Bob, there's something I want to talk to you about.
It's a new idea that I'm very passionate about.
What's America's favorite pastime?
Baseball.
No, football.[intercom beeps]
SHEILA: I've got Bluhdorn on line one.
I'll be right there.So--
SHEILA: He wants to know if you've spoken to Kissinger.
Oh, fuck me. It never ends.
Look, Ruddy, I want to know all about your life--
who you're dating, what you had for lunch,
what kind of underwear you have on,
but right now I can't.
Bluhdorn's still using my ass
like it's his own personal jungle gym.
We'll talk about your idea another time, okay?
Charlie, what's going on?
Huh?
I-I have left messages all over town.
RUDDY: If he's not gonna listen to my pitch,
then we need to get a star that Bob can't say no to.
Who are you thinking?
We know he's got a hard-on for Nicholson.
Meh.
What? Jack's a great actor.
Yeah.
But you need somebody big and strong and sexy.
Okay.
Like who?
Burt Reynolds.
[soft funky music]
♪
That's a great idea.
Call his agent tomorrow, set a meeting.
With pleasure.
[match strikes]BOB: Jean.
Jean?
How we doing?
Everything is ready, Mr. Evans.
Yeah?
The Beef Wellington will rest here.
You can serve in 25 minutes.
Oh. Oh, I got it.
Nicoise is in the refrigerator.
Dressing is on table.All right, you're--
[doorbell rings]Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Use the back door.
It was a pleasure to help--No, I know.
I appreciate it. Go, go, go, go.
Hyah![smack]
Oh, hang on.
[exhales deeply]
Hey.
Did you lose your key?
You don't have to knock.
I don't live here anymore.
Come in, come in.
Wow, you...
you look fantastic.You too.
Thanks for making time on such short notice.
Well, I'm glad you called.
You've been on my mind a lot.
I was hoping that we'd have the chance to--
[soft tender music]
♪
I want this to be easy.
I swear that when you called today...
even though we haven't spoken for a while...
It's like you were in the room with me.
I could paint your face with a blindfold on.
[sighs softly] Ali...
The biggest mistake of my life was letting you slip away.
And I know, I-I let my job take over my life,
and I don't have to do that anymore.
I mean, I'm a different man than I was even six months ago.
I don't have to prove anything or--or be anyone.
I know that I can have both things,
a career and a life.
And that's what I want, to do both...
With you.
You can't, Bob.
It's not who you are.
It's one of the things I love the most about you.
I've never met anyone who loves what they do more than you.
I'm worried that I can't do it without you.
You already have.
Which is why I had to leave.
Yeah.
Well, I guess this, uh--
I guess this means that you won't be joining me
for "The Godfather" premiere.
[chuckles softly]
You really want me there?
Or just the version of me
that lets you say "fuck off" to the press.
[both laugh]
Sadly--
sadly, it's the former,
but I would really enjoy the latter.
I'm sorry this went down the way it did.
[softly] I'm sorry, too.
Be good to yourself.
You know me.
[sniffles]
[door opens]
Bye, Ali.
Goodbye, Bob.
[sniffles, sighs]
Okay, your itinerary is inside,
and it's just you and Evans on the plane.
Good, I like a captive audience.
How are we doing setting that Burt Reynolds meeting?
His schedule's tight, but we'll get him.
As soon as possible.Mm-hmm.
Hey.
Good luck.
To the both of us.
Car's here.
Ruddy's meeting you on the tarmac.
Bob?
You all right?
I'm fine.
Yeah, well, the premiere tickets are in here.
The limo in New York will pick you up at 7:00 sharp,
so that should give you enough time
to shower at the hotel.
[phone rings]
Bob Evans' office.
Uh, yes. Yes, of course, sir.
It's him. It's him.
Him who?
Kissinger.
[tense upbeat music]
Henry, bubbe, did you save the world yet?
KISSINGER: What's the emergency?
I was in a meeting with the Joint Chiefs.
Just a front-row ticket to the hottest movie
the world has ever seen, "The Godfather."
I need you there with me at the premiere, Charlie too.
KISSINGER: I wish, but I'm supposed to fly
to Moscow tomorrow.Ugh. Can't you delay?
Seriously, Mother Russia's not going anywhere.
KISSINGER: Oh, I don't think I can.
Please, Henry.
I could really use an ally tonight,
and I'll owe you, pal.
KISSINGER: I'll try, Evans, but no promises.
All right.
Thanks, Henry.
♪
Don't pity me, Sheila.
I'm not.
Car's waiting.
Thanks.
You know,
I have this recurring dream about "The Godfather" premiere.
I got Ali on one arm, I got Kissinger or the other,
and it's a perfect night.
Sounds silly, I know,
but I've had it in my head a really long time.
Doesn't sound silly at all.
This is gonna be huge, Ruddy. I know it.
Tonight's premiere is just the beginning.
And with Ali gone,
I'm doubling down on it all.
I want to talk to you about the next one.
So I'm meeting with Burt Reynolds
as soon as we get back to talk about that project
I mentioned to you. He's really into it.
Ruddy--And I'm thinking--
hear me out--
we get Francis to write and direct it.
I know you don't immediately think
of Francis Coppola and sports, but he's--he's the guy.
Ruddy, your little movie's gonna have to wait
'cause we're doing "The Godfather" sequel first.
Francis is right.
We can't wait on this.
Bob, we don't even know
if this one's gonna be a hit yet.
We can't be banking on a sequel.
And I know it's just a treatment right now,
but this little movie's
starting to get a lot of momentum to it.
And I think if we can get it off the ground
while "The Godfather" is rolling out--
Ruddy, there is no other pick right now.
This is it. There's more of a meal here.
First rule of Hollywood--
never leave anything on your plate.
Look, if this thing hits,
it's the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
and you and I are sitting at the end
like a couple of good-looking leprechauns.
I need your full attention on this.
It's important.
Do you understand?
Do you ever wonder why
they fly out all the way over the ocean
only to turn around and head the other way?
Look,
I know that you and I haven't always agreed on everything,
and, fuck me,
you did some pretty dubious shit.
But for the most part, I think...
you did a really good job producing your movie.
[soft piano music]
Our movie.
It's our movie, Bob.
It's your name on the poster, pal.
♪
To "The Godfather."
♪
[knocking on door]
♪ [Elton John's "Rocket Man"]
♪ She packed my bags last night ♪
Hey.
♪ Pre-flight
Hey.
Uh, what are you doing here?
I'm giving the press something to write about...
one last time.
♪ And I'm gonna be high
♪ As a kite by then
[whispers] Thank you.
♪
[loud thud]
♪ I miss the Earth so much, I miss my wife ♪
[crowd clamoring]
♪ It's lonely out in space
[crowd shouting and cheering]CROWD: We love you!
♪ On such a timeless flight ♪
♪
PERSON: It's the producer, Al Ruddy.
PERSON 2: Ruddy!PERSON: Al! Al Ruddy!
[reporters clamoring]
♪ And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ♪
♪ Till touchdown brings me 'round again to find ♪
♪ I'm not the man they think I am at home ♪
♪ Oh, no, no, no
♪ I'm a rocket man
Thanks for coming. It means a lot.
Thank you.PERSON: What's up, Al?
♪ Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone ♪
♪
There he is.
Mario Puzo.Hey!
Hey, buddy! How the hell have you been?
Oh, you're not gonna believe this.
I wrote a treatment for Warner Brothers.
A treatment. For what?
"Superman," all right? It was one page long.
Guess how much they paid me.
[quietly] A million bucks.
Get the fuck out of here. For one page?
They wanted a say from the author of "The Godfather."
Well, they got off cheap, then.
Hey, let me finish this, and I'll see you in a sec.
Yeah, you got it.All right.
♪
[crowd cheering loudly]
♪ Mars ain't the kind of place ♪
♪ To raise your kids
♪
♪ In fact, it's cold as hell
Excuse me.
Evans!Henry!
Bubbe, you made it!The Russians can wait.
♪ There's no one there to raise them ♪
Hey, Charlie. We're finally here.
[chuckling] Yeah!
That son of a bitch, he did it. He really did it.
Evans actually got Kissinger.
Yeah.
See, I told you.
I got a good feeling about this movie.
Congratulations, Al.Thanks, Barry.
BOB: Charlie![chuckles]
Henry, thank you so much for coming.
Evans, you did it.You remember Ali.
CHARLIE: Ali.ALI: Charlie.
♪ A rocket man
Francis.
[chuckles]
How are we feeling? Are you nervous?
Not at all. No, I'm very proud of my work.
So am I.
♪
♪ And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ♪
♪ Till touchdown brings me 'round ♪
Go ahead.
♪ I'm not the man they think I am at home ♪
Look after my princess now.
Oh, yeah, yeah.I'll be fine.
Thanks so much for coming.
Barry! Barry.Good to see you.
You look spiffy.Congratulations.
I love this.
♪ Rocket man, burning out
Look at us, three musketeers.Hey.
Hey, what the fuck? Wh--where's Puzo?
What's going on?Mario.
Hey, can I get a shot of you guys?
Yeah, why not? Why not?
Hey, the brothers.Come here.
[chuckles]There he is.
Francis, what was it like adapting the book?
Oh, I had a wonderful time
working with this gentleman right here.
What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a treatment for Warner Brothers.
Bob, what's up next for Paramount?
Well, uh, we have a wonderful picture, "Chinatown,"
which is in pre-production starring Nicholson.
And then we start shooting "Serpico"
with Al Pacino early next year.
And after that, God willing, "The Great Gatsby,"
written by our very own Francis and starring...
Robert Redford.
And, Al, what's next up for you?
Well...
you know, the Corleone story might not be finished.
There's a lot in Mario's book
that we haven't even touched yet.
The team's all in place.
I mean, what can I say? We got lightning in a bottle.
Mr. Evans, can you confirm
that Paramount is already planning
a sequel to "The Godfather"?
We're jumping the gun.
Let's enjoy this moment
because the world will never forget it.
Couple of photographs, then we'll get in there.
Come on.
♪
♪ And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ♪
[soft theatrical music plays]
♪
It's so quiet.
It's not a good sign.
Francis, relax. You're making me nervous.
But that's it. That's it. That's the ending.
They hate it.
[sighs]
♪
[muffled cheers and applause]
I told you we got it.
We got it.[chuckles]
♪
[exhales deeply]
The audience, fine, but what about the reviews?
[muffled cheering continues]
[snorts]
FRANCIS: Okay, we got it. Thank you, thank you.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. You read it.
I-I-I can't. You read it.
What does it say? What does it say?
"'The Godfather' fans Brando's old flame.
"The old irresistible magic is revived
"in Paramount's 'The Godfather.'
"The immensity of the project must have been staggering.
[cheers and applause]
Stop it. Thank you, thank you.
Well, thanks. It's very kind of you.
BETTYE: "But producer Albert S. Ruddy,
"director Francis Ford Coppola,
"and screenwriter Mario Puzo with Coppola
make it seem easy."
[funky upbeat music]
♪
"Elements of excitement and suspense are sustained
"in the high peaks of the story.
Gangland strategy, vendettas, violence, revenge."
Beautiful, thank you.
Hey, Al.
You need to look at this.
Fucking Waldo Salt.
[upbeat brassy music]
"'The Godfather' is a stunning production.
"There never has been and probably never will be
"an ending as wondrously wrought
as the unforgettable climax of 'The Godfather.'"
♪
[chuckles]
Son of a bitch.
♪
[laughs softly]
You wrote this?
I did.
But that's just a treatment, Burt.
So he's a coach?
And he's a quarterback, Burt.
Can you throw a spiral?[scoffs]
Yeah, sugar, I can throw the ball.
I thought a sports movies scared everybody.
Well, this one's unique
because it takes place in prison.
What?Yeah.
The guy breaks up with his girlfriend,
steals her car, does 18 months down south.
I wish you would've told me that before,
I could've saved you some time.
I don't want to do a prison picture.
Well, this movie isn't about prison.
It's about a guy
who gets one more chance to get the dignity back in his life,
and he takes it.
It's an underdog story.
And honestly, Burt,
I think you're the only actor alive who can pull it off.
[chuckles]
Al Pacino told me about you.
What did he say?
He said you were relentless.[laughs]
Told me how you went to bat for him.
That there's no one else he'd rather have
in a foxhole with him.
You sign on, I'll be with you every day,
every step of fucking the way.
And I will kill to make sure the integrity of this movie
is something that we can both be proud of.
[soft funky music]
♪
[sucks teeth]
Come on, Burt.
♪
Can't believe I'm about to say yes to a prison picture.
[gasps]
"Part II."
We're calling it...
"Part II."
BOB: Well, I love it.
Sells the saga.
So, come on, what--what are you thinking?
Vito Corleone is not dead.
I'm sorry?
They put him in the fucking ground.
What are you talking about? Is he a ghost?
'Cause Brando will not-- will not play a fucking ghost.
The old man is dead,
but the young man who first comes to America...
is alive.
FRANCIS: It takes place turn of the century,
young immigrant Vito,
who, with a sense of justice and brutality,
becomes the feared and powerful businessman.
It's still a commentary on capitalism.
Ruddy doesn't like it. You don't like it?
No, no.
I think everything you guys are saying sounds great,
but, uh, I mean, no Michael.
No Michael? of course, Michael.
He--he's the Don now.
Oh, thank fuck.
FRANCIS: Takes place in the two time periods
so we can play the juxtaposition
of Vito Corleone building up his family, his empire,
while Michael watches his family fracture.
It's just like this country as it hurdles toward the '60s.
Well, I can see you haven't given this much thought.
No, none. [chuckles]
BOB: Come on, keep going. You got me. I'm interested.
PERSON ON TV: Many of them leaving a year to the day
from the time they arrived.
Ruddy, the TV's here.
That's the fireplace.Elizabeth Taylor.
Oh, I love Liz.
That was a fun night.
You know, I saw her one time.
It was right before I pitched "Hogan's Heroes,"
and she took my breath away.
Feels like 100 years ago now.
Well, that's because you're not on the outside
looking in anymore.Oh, come on.
You never get used to Liz Taylor, right?
That's right. You never do.
Ooh.
But before we tell you
about the sunny Southern California weather,
let's find out which pictures were nominated
for this year's 45th Academy Awards.
Gigantic long shot.
Doesn't even matter.Not at all.
Biggest box office of all time.
We already won.
PERSON ON TV: First up, the nominees chosen
by members of the Academy
for Actress in a Supporting Role.
Here's to 11 fucking nominations.
[glasses clink]Unbelievable.
Oh.Oh, now, that is nice.
That's a 1954 Macallan Single Malt,
aged in God's finest barrel.
Special drink for a special occasion.
Ooh.
I'm only gonna say this, Ruddy.
I want this so bad,
I will fuck the entire Academy if I have to.
What happened to "we already won"?
[chuckles] Sure, sure.
But there are other prizes to be had now.
You're still talking about the Oscars?
Hey, I got plans.
I've just been waiting for the right time,
and that right time is coming soon to a theater near you.
[ice clinks]Thank you.
And for you, too, Oscar changes everything.
You're in a different category now.
This is your moment.
And when they call the nominations for Best Picture,
it'll be your ugly mug on TV, not mine, you.
Unless, of course, I'm sitting next to you,
which, by the way, I'll be sitting next to you.
[both chuckle]
BOB: Oh, shit.
People are gonna start promising you things.
They're gonna wine and dine you.
But between all the glamour
and all the bullshit,
remember, you hold the keys.
It's what you want that matters.
Trust your gut. It's what got you here.
I told you once, some people have brains,
some people have balls, but you have both.
Don't forget that.
Salute.Salute.
BETTYE: Stevie Phillips wants to set up a call
to discuss talent for "The Godfather II."
Um, Stevie Phillips is gonna have to wait.
I'm a little slammed today.
You also have a call set up on Monday
with Francis and Mario.
They want to pitch you some new ideas.
Burt Reynolds also called.
He wants to know if you found a writer yet.
He says his window is closing.
Okay.
We're gonna find a writer, Al.
It's not that.
I'm just afraid the sequel's gonna kill my other movie.
I don't understand.
You know how it goes.
If I do "The Godfather,"
it's gonna take up every aspect of my life.
And then I got to wait, what?
A year, year and a half until I can get my own movie going.
I'm gonna lose Burt.
You can do both.
Producers do that all the time.
Well, not this one.
I can't do something halfway.
I know.
Oh, hey, before I forget...
Meet me at this address today in Beverly Hills, 2:00.
You got it.
PERSON: Al Ruddy?
Yeah.
My name's Eddie Kurland.
I'm sorry to be approaching you like this.
It was just the only chance I could get to talk to you.
Your secretary's really tough.
You a caterer?
It's the only way I could get on the lot.
Okay.
I want to do what you do-- make movies.
Here's some advice, kid. Do something easier. Trust me.
Yeah, I would if I could.
I've seen "The Godfather" six times.
It changed my life.
I read about the sequel,
and I want to be a part of it, any way I can.
You got any experience?
I've seen a lot of movies.
Not the same.
You didn't have any experience.
You were a programmer at Rand Corporation
when you sold "Hogan's Heroes," right?
Tell you what...
leave your name and number at the desk.
If anything comes up, we'll call you.
Thank you, Mr. Ruddy.
You won't regret this.
Regret what? I haven't done anything yet.
You will.
[engine turning over]
Eddie, this is where you get out of here.
CHARLIE: So what does this mean?
You--you're quitting?
No.
Well, what does he mean? I don't understand.
I think what Bob is pitching
is he remain the head of Paramount
while also enjoying a five-picture deal
as a producer.
Did I get that right?
Nail on the head, Barry.What?
That's--that's--
You did it, Bob. Charlie's speechless.
[chuckles]
CHARLIE: That's two jobs.
How are you gonna do two jobs? That's unheard of.
No.
No? What do you mean no?
I can't get him to shut up.
Now he's giving me one-word answers.
Again, what Bob is saying is it's not unprecedented.
Darryl Zanuck did it at 20th.
Oh, now he's Darryl Zanuck. You're Darryl Zanuck.
BARRY: There's a difference.
Darryl Zanuck didn't develop
the highest-grossing movie of all time.
What do you got to lose, Charlie?
I'll make you money in both roles.
I double down, you double down,
and what's the worst that could happen?
It doesn't work out?
You get the pleasure of killing me twice
instead of once. [chuckles]
You picked Oscar night on purpose.
Oh.
Why do you want to do this, Bob?
I want my name on the poster.
BETTYE: Whoa.
What's with all the secrecy?
You about to tell me you're part of the CIA?
[Ruddy chuckles]
No.
[chuckles]
This looks like a place where they bring you to kill you.
[laughs] Uh-huh.
[clears throat]
Okay, I give.
What are we doing here?
Is this your new office?
No, it's yours.
For your new agency.
You deserve to get your shot.
Ruddy, I can't afford to rent a place like this.
I know.
That's why I paid your rent for the next two years.
I can't take your money.
You're not.
It's an investment.
[soft tender music]
♪
BETTYE: Thank you.
♪
Do you think I'm crazy for doing this?
No.
It's what you want, right?
I mean, it's a lot, walking away from a paying job
and going out there on my own.
♪
I get it.
But at least this way, live or die,
it's on your terms.
You know what one of the hardest things
I ever had to do was?
What?
Telling you that I wanted to become an agent.
I really love working with you.
You're my family.
But still, I had to do this for me.
You understand?
I get it.
No hard feelings.[chuckles]
Okay, come on.
Let's go. We got to get you ready.
Oh, yeah, about tonight,
I need your help with one other thing.
Is it legal?
Stop asking me that.
♪
[footsteps approaching]
Wow.
Excuse me, miss. I'm looking for Bettye McCartt?
Al...
today is the one day I'll allow you to open my door.
You clean up nice.
Not so bad yourself.
[car door closes]I believe this is yours.
I didn't think secretaries went to events like this.
Oh, Bettye, you were never just a secretary.
[car door closes, engine turning over]
[cork pops]
[yelps][both laugh]
PERSON: Nominated here this year
for the best achievement in directing,
they are...
Bob Fosse for "Cabaret."
PERSON 2: John Boorman for "Deliverance."
PERSON: Jan Troell for "The Emigrants."
PERSON 2: Francis Ford Coppola for "The Godfather."
♪
PERSON: And the winner is...
Bob Fosse for "Cabaret."
[cheers and applause]
BOB: You'll get it next time, Francis.
Next time, my friend.
PERSON: For the best screenplay based on material
from another medium.
And the winner is...
Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola.
Come on! I told you.
[laughs]
I told you, didn't I?
[chuckles]
PERSON: Those nominated
for Best Performance by an Actor are...
PERSON 2: The winner is...
Marlon Brando from "The Godfather."
PERSON: Accepting the award for Marlon Brando
is Ms. Sacheen Littlefeather.
This should be interesting.
PERSON: To present the award for Best Picture,
Dirty Harry himself, Mr. Clint Eastwood.
CLINT: These are diverse and distinguished pictures.
Let's go.
Are you crazy? This is the last award.
It's "Cabaret's" night. Let's go.
No, I put on a real dress.
I'm not leaving.
CLINT: "The Godfather," an Albert S. Ruddy production,
Paramount.
And the winner is...
Albert S. Ruddy, "The Godfather."
[loud cheers and applause]
[bright triumphant music]
♪
Brando, Pacino,
Caan, Duvall, Keaton, Cazale.
Now, with an incredibly talented cast like that,
it's no wonder that we're here celebrating
Best Picture of the year, "The Godfather."
[cheers and applause]
Now, it takes an incredible team,
an incredible team to make a classic motion picture.
And I'd like to start by thanking the man,
who in addition to suggesting
the visionary Francis Ford Coppola...
Thank you.[cheers and applause]
Yes!
Also had the wherewithal to option
an unpublished 60-page treatment by Mario Puzo,
which turned into one of the biggest-selling novels
of all time.
People are looking at me right now, but I'm saying no!
Hell, no!
Please, and I mean this,
raise your glasses, the unsung hero,
Peter Bart![cheers and applause]
Without whom none of this would be possible.
I want another round of applause.
Peter Bart![cheers and applause]
Yeah. And last but by no means least,
the man I made an offer he couldn't refuse.
[quiet laughter]
Mr. Al Ruddy, stand up.
Mr. Producer, my friend,
Al Ruddy![loud cheers and applause]
You did an incredible job.
Incredible job.
And everybody else, save the date,
'cause I've got a funny feeling
we're gonna be right back here
celebrating the success of "The Godfather Part II,"
coming to a theater near you soon!
Yeah!
So, as my Italian friends like to say...
Cin fuckin' cin.
All right, have a great night. All right.
[indistinct chatter]
You are a mensch.
I love you, bubbe.Love you more.
You deserve the earth. I'm gonna make sure you get it.
You know, I think surprise of the night,
Brando's acceptance speech, or lack thereof.
I thought that took balls.
I was surprised that they booed her.
I was surprised Pacino lost.
I thought he would've been a shoo-in.
No. You have Duvall, Caan, Pacino
all nominated in Supporting Actor category.
What happens? They split the vote.
You know, if not for that, we would've ended up at the top.
We would've, but we didn't.
So you better pay up, baby.All right.
Maybe we should double it.
Next year--I don't pay you now,
but I'll pay you-- oh, excuse me, sorry.
[chuckles]
Bettye.
Thank you.
What happened to you?
What do you mean?
Someone turned you into a real girl.
[chuckles]
You're funny, Charlie.
♪
Cin fuckin' cin.[chuckles softly]
BOB: Francis.FRANCIS: There you are.
You were robbed of Best Director.
Get off.
Fosse was wonderful.
And "Cabaret" was "Cabaret."
Never seen it. Don't intend to. Not joking.
How's the script going with Puzo?
[both laugh]
Some things never change.Hey.
It might be better than the first one.
[both chuckle]That's my boy.
Oh.
Al, Al!
All right, come on.
Come on, hand it over.
Oh, you beautiful...
androgynous god.
I think he's sexy, even as a eunuch.
I didn't look. We're just friends.
Best Picture, bubbe.I know.
We did it.I know.
This is just the start.
We'll do it all over again with "Godfather Part II."
Yeah.
I need to talk to you about something.
Oh, come on, look at you.
You just won the Academy Award for Best Picture,
and you look like someone pissed in your corn flakes.
[laughs]Ah.
I'm not doing the sequel.
You're joking, right?
No, I'm not.
What the fuck are you talking about?
Huh?
You put your blood into this, and it paid off.
This is gold. Sure thing. Easy street.
Well, maybe easy street's overrated.
Oh, hang on. Is this about money?
You're gonna hold me hostage
for more money on Oscar night?No.
Come on.Come on, Bob.
This has nothing to do with money.
I want to make my movie.
What?
Oh, my God. The--the--the football movie?
It's a story that I have to tell.
Why? Tell it later, down the road.
No, I-I can't.
The opportunity to make that movie
is right now, and I'm taking it.
Look, the sequel's gonna be great.
The cast is in place.
They're working on a great story.
Al, you've got the rights to what's gonna be
the most anticipated sequel of all time.
And you're gonna-- you're gonna what?
You're gonna throw it all away?No.
No, I don't want to throw those rights away.
I want to trade them to you for a green light on my movie.
[soft dramatic music]
Look, Bob, I will never forget what you did for me.
And Francis and Mario.
I mean, you guys are my family.
My fucked-up, dysfunctional family
that I love dearly.
And you took a chance on me when no one else would,
and I will never forget that.
But this is something I got to do.
Right now, on my own.
I don't understand that. How can you just walk away?
Because I can, I guess.
I'm trusting my gut.
That's what got me here in the first place, right?
[sighs] Look, you do this,
but you fail...
it's all yours.
That's the only way I want it.
♪
All right.Thanks, bubbe.
You're a class act, Bob.Thank you.
Thank you for everything.
[sighs]
♪
Hell of a run.
♪
♪ [Free's "All Right Now"]
♪
♪ Oh, oh, whoa
♪ Ow!
♪
RUDDY: It was a hard choice to make,
but it's the only one I could live with.
Still think you made the right decision?
Time will tell, Burt.
EDDIE: Excuse me, gentlemen.
Sir, uh, we're about ready to roll.
♪ Maybe she's in need of a kiss ♪
♪ I said, hey
♪ What's your name, baby?
♪ Maybe we can see things the same ♪
♪ Now don't you wait or hesitate ♪
♪ Let's move before they raise the parking rate ♪
PERSON: "The Longest Yard," scene 52, take one.
Roll sound.
♪ Baby, it's all right now PERSON: Sound speed.
Camera!
♪ All right now, baby, it's all right now ♪
Action!
♪
♪ Let me tell you now
♪
♪ I took her home to my place ♪
♪ Watching every move on her face ♪
♪ She said, look, what's your game, baby? ♪
♪ Are you tryin' to put me in shame? ♪
♪ I said, slow, don't go so fast ♪
♪ Don't you think that love can last? ♪
♪ She said love, Lord above
♪ Now you're tryin' to trick me in love ♪
♪ All right now
♪ Baby, it's all right now
♪ All right now
♪ Baby, it's all right now
♪ Yeah, it's all right now
♪
♪ All right now
♪ Baby, baby, baby, it's all right ♪
♪ Oh, all right now
♪ Yeah, it's all right
♪ It's all right, it's all right, yeah ♪
♪ All right now
♪ Baby, it's all right now
♪ Yeah, we're so happy together, ow! ♪
♪ It's all right, it's all right, it's all right ♪
♪ Everything's all right
♪ Yeah! ♪ All right now
♪ Whoo
♪ Baby, it's all right now
♪
ANNOUNCER: And the winner is...
The finale was by far the most difficult episode to write
because everyone knows how it ends up.
We know that it went on to become
one of the most iconic films of all time.
This is gonna be huge, Ruddy.
I know it.
NIKKI: The onus of crafting Episode 10
was in our character stories,
the journeys that we had taken
with Al Ruddy and Robert Evans and Bettye McCartt.
We tried to use both the Academy Awards
and the premiere to exploit
what the characters were experiencing
in the final leg of their journey in The Offer.
To The Godfather.
How do you recreate the Oscars?
Eleven fucking nominations.
ADAM: We were not gonna be filling up
the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with 1,500 extras
and yet, the Oscars had to be
a very important chapter in that story.
Oscar changes everything.
This is your moment.
ADAM: Finding, you know, cinematic ways
of honoring the importance of that
and what that represented to all of the characters
felt very important.
There was some really interesting
and sort of abstract film choices
made to do that, that I think the audience
will have fun with.
I told you once,
some people have brains,
some people have balls.
But you have both.
I think Al remains true to himself
and it never was about chasing any sort of accolade.
It's our movie, Bob.
It's your name on the poster, pal.
MILES: You know, he had put so much into The Godfather
and that went beyond his, I think, wildest dreams
of how well it all turned out.
But he was also a writer.
BETTYE: A treatment?
MILES: You know, with The Longest Yard.
By Albert S. Ruddy?
ADAM: It was important to me
that we leave feeling that Al
was making the right choice for him.
AL: It was a hard choice to make
but it's the only one I could live with.
ADAM: It was challenging in that
you have this kind of celebratory final destination
for the company and it becomes clear
that for whatever his personal reasons,
that Al feels that his destiny is somewhere else.
AL: You took a chance on me when no one else would
and I will never forget that.
But this is something I gotta do.
ANTHONY: Other than the obvious of, you know,
being able to see behind the scenes and how cool that is.
I think really what the story is about largely,
is a person who was devoted to telling a story
that they really cared about
and the lengths that they went to, to make it happen.
I told you we got it.
We got it.
It took so much scrappiness.
It took so much dedication, ingenuity,
to make The Godfather.
ROBERT: Let's enjoy this moment
because the world will never forget it.
MEREDITH: It's one of the most pivotal moments in cinema history.
And I'm so honored to be a very small, but passionate part
of the storytelling.
ANTHONY: I think now is such a great time
to share that kind of a story of a man
who was so inspired and went to such great lengths
to make something that almost seemed impossible happen.
Hopefully that inspires other people and other filmmakers
to do the same type of thing.
ANNOUNCER: And the winner is...
Albert S. Ruddy, The Godfather.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
MILES: The guy, he just doesn't stop.
He's really relentless, and I think
the fact that he was able to walk away
of the rainbow at the end...
ROBERT: We did it.AL: I know.
This is just the start.
We'll do it all over again with Godfather Part Two.
MILES: Just being comfortable enough with himself in his career
to be able to walk away from what he knew
would be a huge smash.
That says a lot about the man.
ALBERT: I'm really proud to be in this business.
I really am.
It means a lot to me.
When I got my Academy Award on The Godfather,
I said, "Everyone sitting out there,
who dreams this kinda thing can happen,
it can."
That's what I said, 'cause I believe it.
If you care, it can.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]