Books: "Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli"

I recently finished reading Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather by Mark Seal.

It’s an entertaining read that runs from author Mario Puzo’s writing of The Godfather through the casting, filming, and release of the Oscar-winning film. Seal delves into all aspects of the efforts to bring the novel to the screen, including…

• Puzo’s writing of the bestselling novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s creation of a screenplay that he felt remained true to the novel

• Coppola’s endless battles with studio execs, including the eccentric and flamboyant Robert Evans

• The debates over casting, including the “washed up” Marlon Brando as Don Corleone and the unknown Al Pacino as his youngest son, Michael

• The mobsters who first opposed the making of the movie, then supported it (and even lobbied for roles in it)

Goodreads currently gives it an average rating of 4.36. There are plenty of plot spoilers, so don’t read it yet if you haven’t seen the film but plan to. But if you liked the movie and enjoy getting a look behind the scenes of Hollywood productions, I think you’ll like this book.