Al Pacino Avoided Watching The Godfather Until 50 Years After Its Release

Al Pacino reveals that he avoided watching The Godfather for fifty years. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the classic crime film was first released in 1972, and starred Pacino as Michael Corleone, the son of a mafia boss who gradually takes over the family business. The Godfather is considered one of the best movies of all time, and even earned Pacino an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In Pacino’s new memoir Sonny Boy (via EW), the actor talked about how he avoided watching The Godfather for a long time. In the book, Pacino wrote that he went to the movie’s premiere. However, he left the theater before the movie even began playing. Pacino’s comments about leaving the premiere can be found below:

I went to
The Godfather
premiere at the Loew’s State Theatre in Times Square wearing a bow tie the size of my head. I only remember standing on a platform with my costars, being asked questions by the press that I couldn’t answer. Then we got in our seats, but I didn’t watch the movie. I didn’t want to see the finished product. As soon as the lights went out, I went out.

The actor continued by elaborating about his feelings about not wanting to watch himself onscreen with an audience. He said, “I could never watch myself on-screen while other people were watching me. It was a bit disconcerting and it made me shy, almost embarrassed. As a younger actor, I guess I needed attention and didn’t want it at the same time.”

Pacino also wrote that even though he had seen a few parts of the movie on television, he tried to avoid watching The Godfather altogether. In the book, he explained that he didn’t think he would be able to enjoy watching the film since he was in it. He said:

I almost went my whole life without ever seeing
The Godfather
in its entirety. I don’t know why. Maybe I felt that because I was in it,
I wouldn’t be a good audience for it.
Over the years, of course, I’d catch a part of it here or there on TV, and once you’re watching it, it’s hard to turn off.

However, Pacino says that over the years, his feelings of watching himself onscreen have changed. He then said that he was able to watch The Godfather in theaters for its fiftieth anniversary, and it proved to be a great experience for the iconic actor. He wrote:

I recently watched
The Godfather
at a screening for its fiftieth anniversary at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a restored print was beautifully projected, with crisp, perfect sound.
The whole experience was uplifting.
There’s not a scene in the film where there aren’t two or three things going on. There’s not a dull moment in it, it’s constantly telling a story. There was so much I was struck by.

What Pacino Not Watching The Film Meant For The Godfather

At One Point, Pacino Wanted To Leave The Film

Pacino has recently talked about his experience working on The Godfather, which sheds some light on why he would have been self-conscious about watching himself in the film. In Sonny Boy, Pacino talked about how a week into filming, Coppola told him that he was unhappy with Pacino’s performance. Pacino also recently shared that he hoped an injury he received while filming would force him to leave the movie.

Since Pacino didn’t watch The Godfather, when it came time to return to the role for the two Godfather sequels, he wouldn’t have just tried to recreate his performance from the first film. Had he watched the movie upon its release, his performance would’ve been clear in his head, and it might’ve then impacted his future depiction of Michael Corleone. Instead, he continued to layer his performance to help move Michael’s story forward and show where he was at that point in his life.

Our Take On Pacino Avoiding The Godfather For 50 Years

Pacino’s Story About Finally Watching The Movie Is A Full-Circle Moment

Since The Godfather is considered one of the best movies ever made, it’s a shame that Pacino spent five decades feeling that he would not be able to enjoy it. However, his story about finally watching it shows how much the actor has changed in his view of watching himself onscreen. 50 years after walking out of its premiere, Pacino was finally able to enjoy watching The Godfather, with an audience that loved both the movie and his performance as Michael Corleone. It makes for a beautiful conclusion to his ever-evolving feelings toward the iconic movie.

Source: Sonny Boy (via EW)

Francis Ford Coppola directed this 1978 classic that would go on to become one of the most iconic crime films ever made. Starring Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Al Pacino, The Godfather gives a tense and introspective look into the Corleone crime family of New York City.

Release Date

March 24, 1972

Studio(s)

Paramount Pictures

Runtime

175 minutes

Franchise(s)

The Godfather

Budget

$6 million

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