1 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Welcome fans of movie history and true crime to Hollywoodland, 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: where we are once again rewinding the tape in our 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: archive of stories to bring you this episode on al Pacino. 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: Al Pacino is one of our greatest crime actors. Of course, 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: he's at the center of two of the greatest films 6 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: of all time, The Godfather one and two. But from 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: Serproco and Scarface to Donnie Brasco, Carlito's Way and The Irishman, 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: few actors can compete with Paccino's authentic depiction of the 9 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: criminal world. It's a world he nearly fell into for real, 10 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: back when he was just a young guy trying to 11 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: make it on stage, and in fact, it was the 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: promise of an audition that led him down a dark path, 13 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: a path that ended with a police interrogation that turned 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: into an unexpected and impromptu different kind of audition. Once again, 15 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: we find ourselves at the intersection of life and art 16 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: in this episode on Al Pacino. I hope you dig 17 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: it and I hope you come back on Wednesday this 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: week when I get to respond to your calls, texts 19 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: and emails in the Rap Party, and then again on Friday. 20 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: Here in the screening room when I do a deep 21 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: dive into the nineteen seventy five crime film Dog Day Afternoon. 22 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: Hollywood Land is a production of Double Elvis. This is 23 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 2: the story about one of the greatest actors of all time, 24 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 2: al Pacina. It's also a story about one of the 25 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: greatest movies of all time, The Godfather. But this is 26 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: also a story about the death of a neighborhood friend, 27 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 2: about a violent robbery that almost went completely wrong. That 28 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 2: about the role of a lifetime a role al Pacino 29 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: starred in as a young man, a role that wasn't 30 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: on stage screen, but they played out in front of 31 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 2: a couple detectives and a district attorney. This is a 32 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: story about good and evil, about the road not taken, 33 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: the road not taken, a theme the Beach Boys lifted 34 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: from poet Robert Frost for their song all This is 35 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 2: that from their most excellent nineteen seventy two album Carl 36 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: and the Passions, So Tough great music. Unlike that music. 37 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: I played few at the top of the show that 38 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: wasn't great music. That was a fair use. Sample from 39 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: the Library of Congress of Alice J. Shaw performing in 40 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 2: Venice in nineteen oh seven. I played you that clip 41 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: because I can't afford the rights to a clip from 42 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 2: Swiss Family Robinson by Ken Anakin, And why would I 43 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 2: play you that specific slice of Disney Castaway Cheese? Could 44 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: I afford it? Because that was the number one movie 45 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 2: in America on January seventh, nineteen sixty one, And that 46 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 2: was the day that a young al Pacino was arrested 47 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: in a small city in Rhode Island, and arrests that 48 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: would later be used to inform one of the most 49 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: incredible performances in Hollywood history. On this episode, dead Friends, 50 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 2: stick Ups Gone Wrong, the performance of a lifetime and 51 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 2: al Pacino, I'm Jake Brennan and this is Hollywood lamb. 52 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy one, Francis Ford Coppola began production on 53 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: his mafia epic The Godfather, in my humble opinion, the 54 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 2: first truly great movie ever made. Yes, I know that's 55 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 2: a bold statement, one that sounds like some bullshit hot take, 56 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 2: but I think it's the kind of take that an 57 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 2: artist and visionary like Francis Ford Coppola would respect. The 58 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: director himself was all about hot takes. Coppola's generation, the 59 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 2: film School generation quote unquote New Hollywood, Scorsese, Spielberg, De Palma. 60 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: Their entire objective was to subvert the norm, to upend 61 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: the way things have been done for decades, how movies 62 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: were shot, how stories were told. Coppola telling the head 63 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 2: of Paramount Pictures, Robert Evans, the five foot seven al Pacino, 64 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: the virtual unknown, should play in Michael Corleone and The 65 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 2: Godfather over more conventional, bankable stars like Ryan O'Neill or 66 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: Robert Redford. Now that was a hot take. Robert Evans 67 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 2: was old school, high collar dress shirts, cashmere sweaters, a 68 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 2: cigar by the pool with a phone receiver up to 69 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 2: each ear. So, of course, Robert Evans did not respond 70 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 2: warmly to Francis Ford Coppola's bold new Hollywood choice. Absolutely not, 71 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 2: he said, Michael Corleone will not be played by al Pacino. 72 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 2: The story about Coppola fighting to cast al Pacino against 73 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 2: all odds, about Coppola's pigheadedness about his balls, the kind 74 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 2: of unwavering faith that he had in the thirty one 75 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: year old actor's, the kind of faith that al Pacino 76 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 2: didn't even have it himself at the time. It's a 77 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: well told tale that I'm not going to get into here. 78 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: Suffice to say that after auditioning forty different Michael Corleones, 79 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 2: after seeing early footage of Pacino in the film The 80 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: Panic and Needle Park, and after enduring Coppola's tireless insistence, 81 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: Robert Evans, much to his alpha male dismay, changed his 82 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 2: mind and the kid stayed in the picture. As it were. 83 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: For al Pacino, it was a real chance. If the 84 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 2: film was a hit, that would mean no more borrowing 85 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 2: cab fair to get around New York, no more CouchSurfing 86 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: in his friend's apartments. He'd recently won a Tony Award, 87 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 2: but the Godfather the Movies paramount, this was way bigger 88 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: than Broadway right now. However, al Pacino wasn't thinking about 89 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: his career so much as he was thinking about how 90 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 2: much pain he was in it. And I'm not talking 91 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 2: about his face. Even though the entire left side of 92 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 2: his jaw appeared to be completely swollen. The pain was 93 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 2: in his ankle. He rolled it on set shooting scene 94 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: in which he ran a little too fast and a 95 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 2: little too hard, and a mishap meant that he was 96 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: now walking around with a cane. His face, meanwhile, only 97 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: looked like it hurt because the makeup guy was really 98 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 2: good at his job, and his job been wired shut 99 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: and a prosthetic lump was stuck to his cheek in 100 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 2: order to make it look like been punched by a 101 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 2: dirtie cop and the Godfather. His character, Michael Corleon gets 102 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: clocked by an NYPD captain named McCluskey, who's played was 103 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 2: entitled Prick Gusto by Sterling Hayden, and this happens after 104 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: Michael accuses McCluskey of being on the take from Virgil 105 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: Salazzo aka the Turk, a narcotics man who just put 106 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 2: Michael's father, mafia don Vito Corleon played by Marlon Brando, 107 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 2: in the hospital Al Pacino. As Michael Corleon was sitting 108 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 2: in a big leather chair inside the Corleone compound and 109 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 2: the real pain throbbing in his ankle. It helped him 110 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 2: portray the fake pain that was so clearly visible on 111 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 2: his face in the scene. The film crew was ready, 112 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: Copola called action and the camera rolled and this was it. 113 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 2: The scene, the best scene in the whole movie. There's 114 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: Michael sitting quietly, calm reserved, taking it all in better 115 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 2: to mains silent and be thought a fool, or speak 116 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 2: and remove all doubt or something like that. Also quiet 117 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 2: Artessio and Clemenza two Corleone family capos, one tall, one short, 118 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: both capable men with ways and means. Meanwhile, James Kahn, 119 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 2: playing Michael's big brother Sonny, is the polar opposite of Michael. 120 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: He's volcanic, antsy, talking with his hands about a bing 121 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 2: bout a boo, and he's arguing with Robert Duval as 122 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 2: Tom Hanken, the Corleone family's Concieri fixer, an attorney, Tom 123 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 2: trying to talk some sense into the eldest Corleone that yes, 124 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 2: we understand your need for revenge, that you want to 125 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 2: go out there and bam, put a bullet in Salatto's 126 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: head because that piece of shit put a head out 127 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: on your pops. But listen, it's not personal, Sonny. It's 128 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 2: just business. A tough pill to swallow, I know, but 129 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 2: it's the truth. And never mind killing a cop, you'd 130 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: be starting a war, one which the Corleones would lose 131 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 2: very quickly. As the argument can continued, al Pacino, the 132 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 2: actor remained stoic. His character was a private man, a 133 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 2: marine just back from the war distance from the family, 134 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: both in emotion and in business. He didn't put his 135 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 2: feelings out there like his big brother Sonny or his 136 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 2: other big brother Fredo. But the wheels were turning inside 137 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 2: the head of the youngest Corleone. And in this scene, 138 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: in this incredible scene, somehow you can see those wheels turning. 139 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: Al Pacino, the actor, Michael Corleone, the character. He didn't 140 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 2: let anyone know what was going on in his mind, 141 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 2: but you knew something was going on. And Michael Corleone, 142 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: al Pacino saw a mirror image of himself, a shy, 143 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: introverted kid drawn into a world of violence, crime, and despair, 144 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 2: a man forced to choose between the paths of good 145 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 2: and evil, a decision that al Pacino knew all too well. 146 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: I said, what are. 147 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 3: You looking at this, scrownny little punk. 148 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 2: The question was followed by a blow to the head, 149 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: an open handed slap that knocked him to the ground 150 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 2: and left his ear drums ringing. He could taste blood 151 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 2: mixed with tears in the back of his mouth, and 152 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: he just lay there, curled into a ball, with his 153 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 2: hands over his face. His assailant was laughing. Now that's 154 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 2: all right, you little mama's boy liither in the dirt. 155 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: But with that, the nine year old girl turned on 156 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 2: her heels and walked away, leaving six year old al 157 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: Pacino bleeding on the ground. Nineteen forty six, The South 158 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 2: Bronx was rough even thirty years before its urban decay 159 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 2: was portrayed so vividly by hip hop pioneers like Cool 160 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 2: Herk and Grandmaster Flash. It was made even rougher by 161 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 2: World War II. Kids lost their fathers, others were killed 162 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: on the battlefield, and some, like young Alfred Picccino's dad, 163 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 2: returned from service. No longer fit for family life, Alfredo 164 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 2: and his mother moved into his grandparents' cramp tenement apartment, 165 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 2: a three room unit they also shared with the odd 166 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 2: aunt or uncle, whoever was able to pay the rent 167 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 2: that month. His mother made ends meet working at a 168 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: local movie theater. He loved visiting her at work, staring 169 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: at a bright screen in a darkened room, Transported out 170 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 2: of New York City and into a completely new world. 171 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 2: He'd give anything to be there right now. Instead, he 172 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 2: was wiping the blood from his nose and struggling to 173 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 2: rise from the asphalt to one knee. It was bad 174 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: enough that he just had the ship beat out of 175 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: him by a girl, but a group of boys watched 176 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 2: it happen, a group that now had him surrounded. At first, 177 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 2: no one said a word, and then one boy stepped 178 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 2: forward and offered a hand. That boy was Cliff, age seven, 179 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 2: one year older than the rest of them, tougher too, 180 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 2: more likely to dish out a beating rather than receive one. 181 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 2: Al took the outstretched hand and pulled himself up. Hey, 182 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: Cliff said, why do you let her smack you around 183 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 2: like that? Little ALFREDA looked around at all those eyes 184 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: staring at him, waiting for an answer. He had to 185 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 2: say something, anything, so he did what came naturally. He acted. 186 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 2: He told him his dad was a mobster. He said 187 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 2: his old man didn't like when he fought at school. 188 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 2: It drew too much attention. That his dad had these 189 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 2: two huge German shepherds locked behind a gate. If Al 190 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 2: said word to him about what had happened today, his 191 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: dad would feed that girl of those mutts. And two 192 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: seconds flat, the story hung in the air. The boys 193 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 2: kept staring. Al wondered if they bought it. Cliff began 194 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 2: to chuckle, and then the whole group was laughing. Eight 195 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 2: years later, the group was still laughing, only now they 196 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 2: were teenagers and the laughs were courtesy is some low 197 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: grade weed crumbled up and mixed with a pinched tobacco. 198 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 2: Cliff was still a year older, still tougher, rocking full 199 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 2: on rebel regalia. Black leather jacket, black motorcycle boots didn't matter. 200 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: They he had never been on a motorcycle in his life. 201 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 2: He had gotten laid, though, a fact which made Cliff 202 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 2: the group's undisputed leader and thus made his word gospel. 203 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 2: Al Pacino or Sonny, as he was known to his friends. 204 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 2: But I don't want to call him Sonny because it's 205 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 2: just going to get confusing, since Sonny Corleone is a 206 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 2: character and the Godfather and all that we were just discussing. 207 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 2: Ten year old al Pacino stood next to his best 208 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 2: Frank Cliff, eagerly awaiting a hit. Smoking a joint was 209 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 2: their standard after school ritual. That and a couple of 210 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,199 Speaker 2: bottles of Schlitz that they could convince one of the 211 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 2: neighborhood's older guys to buy. 212 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 3: It for them. 213 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 2: Today was one of those days. After fifteen minutes, the 214 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 2: beer and the bud had taken effect. And they left 215 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 2: the empty bottles behind the dumpster and then left the alley. 216 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 2: Al cracked him up with his over the top impersonations 217 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 2: of his snooty drama school teachers. They all had to 218 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: stick up their ass about the process, and it sucked 219 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: all the joy out of acting. Then suddenly it hit him, shit, 220 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 2: today was Wednesday. He was supposed to be at work. 221 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 2: The job wasn't much, sorting fruits and vegetables, and the 222 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 2: pay wasn't much either, but it put a little cash 223 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 2: in his pocket, and part of him just enjoyed the work. 224 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: He liked the feeling of completion when he sorted a 225 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: palette of tomatoes until nothing was left but the bear 226 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 2: wood underneath. So he managed to keep it up for 227 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: three months without being late for a single shift until today. 228 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 2: I got to get to work, he told the group 229 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 2: and turned to walk in the other direction. Cliff jumped 230 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: in front of him before he could leave. Why did 231 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 2: Al bother with that penny? 232 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 3: Any job? Come on? 233 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 2: Cliff? Al told him, I'm saving up. I need new shoes. 234 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 2: As he said this, he pointed at the window shoe 235 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: display in the shop that they were walking past. Cliff 236 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 2: thought the job was bullshit, and he said so in 237 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: this neighborhood, people didn't get ahead by working at a 238 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 2: fruit stand. They got ahead by taking what they wanted, 239 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 2: working a square job that was for suckers. Cliff turned 240 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: towards the shoe display. You want some shoes, you want 241 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 2: some fucking shoes. I'll get you some shoes. Cliff stepped 242 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 2: up to the display window, raised his black motorcycle boot, 243 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 2: and without hesitation, smashed it directly through the glass. He 244 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 2: grabbed a pair of shoes and turned to walk back 245 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: to Al and the others, And right then an NYPD 246 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 2: patrolman round at the corner, and the cop took one 247 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: look at the busted window and another look at Cliff 248 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 2: with the shoes in his hands, and he ordered all 249 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 2: the boys up against the wall. Cliff tried to take 250 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 2: the blame, he said, the other guys had nothing to 251 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 2: do with it. The cop wasn't buying it. The crowd 252 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: began to gather, like the crowd that had gathered when 253 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 2: Ali and his face rearranged by a girl some eight 254 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: years prior. When Al's mother arrived on the scene, she 255 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 2: placated the store on her while Cliff promised to pay 256 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 2: for the damages, and only then did the cop let 257 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 2: them go. Al Pacino's mom forced him to head to 258 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: work and explained to his boss what had happened and 259 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 2: why he was late. And he walked into the vegetable market, 260 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 2: his eyes red and bleary, the effects of the weed 261 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: long gone, and the market's owner, a man Al's mother 262 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 2: had convinced to give him this job, looked back at 263 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 2: this juvenile, de linquid employee with disappointment. He led out 264 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 2: into the back room among pallettes of tomatoes, onions, and peppers. 265 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 2: But Al didn't start sorting vegetables as usual. Instead rolled 266 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 2: out a blackboard they used to keep track of the 267 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 2: shipments and wiped it clean. He spoke about the farm 268 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 2: where these crops grew. He drew out trees, vines, and 269 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 2: rolling hills, and through the farm he sketched out two paths. 270 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,719 Speaker 2: He explained that in life, there are only two paths, 271 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: and you, my friend, are on the wrong. One weeks later, 272 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 2: those words were still bouncing around Al's head as he 273 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 2: was walking home. It was Sunday evening. He couldn't believe 274 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 2: the performance he just witnessed. A traveling theater troupe performed 275 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 2: Chechos The Seagull for an audience of probably twenty people. 276 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 2: But he was only there as a school requirement. But 277 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 2: what he saw transformed him. The way these actors brought 278 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 2: the Russian melodrama to life so vividly blew his mind. 279 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 2: It was nothing like the joyless acting exercises at school. 280 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 2: Here was something real, something meaningful, a level of acting 281 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 2: ability that he had never experienced before. On that ability 282 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 2: for himself. Cliff, meanwhile, just wanted to keep taking whatever 283 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 2: he wanted whenever he wanted, which, as the years went on, 284 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 2: meant more bags of white powder, and those baggies gave 285 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 2: all an uneasy feeling, especially seeing Cliff's eyes when he 286 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 2: was on it, all wild and unfocused. Hal steered clear 287 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 2: of Cliff's temptations. He eventually dropped out of high school, 288 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: but he kept putting in work as a janitor, a busboy, 289 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 2: a messenger. He also put in the work at a 290 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 2: local acting studio. One night, he cut through an alley 291 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 2: after rehearsal. Usually the alley was empty, but on this evening, 292 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 2: a small group of people stood in a semicircle, just 293 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 2: like Alan his friends used to do when they'd pass 294 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 2: around a joint, but there was no joint. There was 295 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 2: just a body lying stiff on the ground, arms covered 296 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 2: in bruises and track marks. Cliff was dead from an 297 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 2: overdose at just nineteen years old. Soon more friends from 298 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 2: the neighborhood succumb to addiction to crime. More than ever, 299 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 2: Al was determined to escape that fate. He stopped using 300 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 2: drugs and he rarely drank. Acting kept him busy and 301 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 2: kept him out of trouble, and by the time he 302 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 2: turned nineteen, he'd left that old neighborhood, the old friends, 303 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 2: and that old sonny nickname. On stage, he was Al Pacino. 304 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: But to the rest of the world, and more importantly 305 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 2: to the police, he was still that same scrawny Italian 306 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: hoodlum from the South Bronx, and it was about to 307 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 2: take the performance of a lifetime to convince them otherwise. 308 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 3: We'll be right back after this. 309 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: We're We're, We're. January nineteen sixty one, the New York 310 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 2: City streets were unc characteristically quiet for a Saturday on 311 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 2: account of the temperature. It was cold, real cold, and 312 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,199 Speaker 2: people were inside. But there was a lone figure standing 313 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 2: on the corner, short, wiry, a shock of black hair 314 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 2: and deep set soulful eyes. A car pulled up near 315 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 2: where the figure was standing in. A window rolled down, 316 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 2: and from inside the vehicle a voice called out you Al, 317 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 2: twenty year old al Pacino just nodded his head and 318 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 2: slid into the car's back seat. Up front, the owner 319 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 2: of the voice looked back at him, same shock of 320 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 2: black hair as Al. Another Italian kid from the Bronx. 321 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 2: He introduced himself as Vincent. That's Bruce, Vincent said, nodding 322 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 2: toward the driver. Anyway, thanks for doing this. We really 323 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 2: need three guys on this job. Al knew Vincent from 324 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 2: the neighborhood. They went to the same junior high. They 325 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: went with the same girls, and they must have crossed 326 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 2: paths one hundred times, but somehow they never officially met 327 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 2: before today. They had one more thing in common too. 328 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 2: They're both trying to break into acting. At least that's 329 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 2: what Vincent told Al on the phone a few days ago. 330 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 2: Up north in Boston, a theater was putting on a 331 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 2: new gangster play and they had parts for three young actors, 332 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 2: preferably Italian. A mutual friend connected them, and when Vincent 333 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 2: explained the part, Al had to agree that they were 334 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: perfect for it. Bruce the driver stepped on the gas 335 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 2: and they departed the city, heading north. Once they made 336 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 2: it to the freeway, traffic was light. They made conversation. 337 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: Al and Vincent laughed about the scams they pulled as teenagers, 338 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 2: the trouble they caused in school. Like Al, Vincent was 339 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 2: at one time a troublemaker, that is until a short 340 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 2: stint in Juvie for B and E convinced him to 341 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 2: turn his life around, or so we said. The miles 342 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 2: ticked by, and soon they were in Rhode Island, only 343 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 2: an hour away from their destination, and the car approached 344 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: a split in the highway, but instead of continuing north 345 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: as Al expected, Bruce the driver took another pass. He 346 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 2: turned the wheel and the car veered left, following a 347 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 2: sign for wound socket. Sorry man, Bruce said, taking the exit, 348 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 2: gotta take a piss. As the car continued into town, 349 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 2: Vincent began talking about the plan for their audition. He 350 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 2: gave Al a mischievous grint. They want a Guido gangster 351 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 2: for this part, he said, and I'm gonna give them 352 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 2: the real deal. From a bag in the front seat, 353 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 2: Vincent pulled out three black ski masks and He slid 354 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 2: one over his head and laughed. Check it out, he said, 355 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 2: reaching into the back. I even brought a heater. Al 356 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 2: felt his body tense up as Vincent pulled a handgun 357 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,959 Speaker 2: out of a brown paper bag, and Vincent told him 358 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: to relax. 359 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 3: It was just a prop. 360 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 2: The gun wasn't even loaded. Vincent and Bruce both laughed. 361 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:58,640 Speaker 2: Al smiled, but inside his heart was pounding. Vincent calmly 362 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 2: explained that he and Bruce like to stop in this 363 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 2: town on their way to Boston. They knew a great 364 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,400 Speaker 2: spot to grab a few burgers and maybe a couple 365 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 2: of beers for the road before they pulled into Beantown. 366 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 2: As they drove through Woon Socket, Bruce pulled the car 367 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: off the main dragon into a seatier part of town. 368 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: Vincent still had the black ski mask over his head. 369 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 2: He toyed with the gun in his hand and in 370 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 2: the back seat. Al didn't know if he should play 371 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 2: a cool or throw open the door and run. The 372 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 2: car slowed. Vincent pointed out the spot, a rundown bar 373 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 2: on the corner out front. The parking spaces were full, 374 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 2: so they circled around the block and came back. Bruce 375 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 2: and Vincent had both grown quiet. Now Al sat in 376 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 2: the back seat, waiting to see what would unfold. They 377 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 2: came up on the bar a second time, and this 378 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 2: time they found a spot to park. Bruce backed the 379 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 2: car in and then looked back at Al. We'll grab 380 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 2: the food and be right back, he said, mind watching 381 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: the car for a few minutes. In the front, Vincent 382 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,120 Speaker 2: and Bruce reached for their door handles. Bel's heart felt 383 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 2: like it was about the pound right out of his chest. 384 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 2: The ski masks, the gun, Vincent said, they were props, 385 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 2: but I was beginning to think otherwise. He was frozen 386 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 2: with terror, no idea what was about to go down, 387 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 2: or exactly what he'd signed up for. And then, just 388 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 2: before Vincent and Bruce made their exit, just up ahead 389 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 2: of them a burst of blue and red lights. That 390 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 2: Irish cop, his hair as red as Al's nose and 391 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 2: the cold air, stepped out of a squad car and 392 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 2: walked toward them. He was fixated on their black hair 393 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 2: and New York plates, and the cop got closer. Vincent 394 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 2: looked back at Al. We're on away to an audition, right. 395 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 2: Al nodded yes. The cop looked in the car and 396 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 2: saw the ski masks and the gun. He told them 397 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 2: all to get out of the car, and the Bronx 398 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 2: addresses on their ideas confirmed the officer's suspicions. Three Guido 399 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 2: punks coming to cause trouble in his quiet town. I'm 400 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,239 Speaker 2: not on his watch. He's going to lock them up 401 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 2: and throw away the key. And that's exactly what happened. 402 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 2: Al Pacino and his traveling companions were arrested for attempted 403 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 2: robbery in a legal possession of a firearm, charges that 404 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 2: could land them a decade in jail. They spent the 405 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 2: weekend behind bars. Al woke up on Monday morning to 406 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: the sound of a cell door sliding open. A cop 407 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 2: called him out into the hallway, and as he stepped forward, 408 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 2: Vincent and Bruce both shot him a look that said, 409 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 2: stick to the story. Al knew he needed to do 410 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 2: more than stick to his story to get him out 411 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 2: of this mess. He needed to harness every ounce of 412 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 2: his acting chops to convince these Irish cops that even 413 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 2: though they looked like Italian hoodlands from the city, there 414 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 2: were actually good kids want to be artists with maybe 415 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: a little bit more enthusiasm than common sense, and the 416 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 2: audience for This performance was small, just two cops in 417 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 2: the DA, and the scenery was bare, a table, a 418 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 2: couple of chairs, in a single spotlight shining down from 419 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 2: the ceiling. Al closed his eyes and centered his mind 420 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 2: on the character he wanted to play, a mama's boy, 421 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 2: a fruit stand worker, a square. They stepped into the 422 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 2: room and it was showtime. Over the next ninety minutes, 423 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 2: al Pacino gave a powerhouse performance. He swore the masts 424 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 2: and the gun were just props for their audition. The 425 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 2: gun wasn't loaded after all, right, at least, he prayed 426 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 2: to God it wasn't loaded. Fortunately, the DA nodded his 427 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 2: head in agreement, and Al's confidence grew. He pulled out 428 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 2: all the stops. He cried tears while telling them how 429 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 2: ashamed his mother would be if she knew he was arrested. 430 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 2: He begged them to call the theater in Boston, which 431 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 2: he hoped really was holding auditions. Like Vincent said, by 432 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,199 Speaker 2: the end of the interrogation, both the DA and the 433 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 2: cops were shaking Al's hand, and by the end of 434 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:56,719 Speaker 2: the day, Al, Vincent and Bruce were released. Al's performance, 435 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 2: plus a phone call to the playhouse to confirm the 436 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 2: auditions convinced the cops to drop all charges, but the 437 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 2: trio didn't head on to Boston. Instead, they turned around 438 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 2: and went back to New York. Al never knew exactly 439 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 2: what happened in Rhode Island. Did he almost unwittingly take 440 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 2: part in a robbery or worth three want to be actors, 441 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: goofing around and getting into character, or whatever the case. 442 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: Once they arrived back in the city, they went their 443 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 2: separate ways and Al never heard from Vincent or Bruce again. 444 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 2: The world, on the other hand, was about to hear. 445 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:47,720 Speaker 3: From Al Pacino. 446 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 2: Nineteen seventy one, ten years after his brush with the 447 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 2: law on Wonsocket, Rhode Island, and al Pacino was once 448 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: again performing for a small crowd. This time, however, the 449 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: performance wasn't happening in a police interrogation room. He was 450 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 2: on the set of The Godfather in the Corleone compound, 451 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 2: sitting quietly in that big leather chair. His jaw and 452 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 2: cheek were made up to look like he'd gotten smacked, 453 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 2: when in fact, the real pain was, as I mentioned before, 454 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 2: throbbing in his spring. Dankle Francis FOURD. Coppola's camera rolled 455 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 2: and the director called action. James Kahn as Michael's brother 456 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 2: Sonny and Robert Dubal as the Corleone family attorney Tom 457 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 2: Hagen again were arguing over the pros and cons of 458 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 2: killing not only Salazzo, the narcotics man who put the 459 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 2: godfather himself, Don Corleone in the hospital, but of also 460 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 2: killing McCluskey, the crooked cop protecting Salazzo. Sonny Corleone was 461 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 2: a loud mouth and a hothead. He was also the 462 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 2: eldest of Don Corleone's children, and thus it was taken 463 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 2: for granted that he would be in control of the 464 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 2: family in his father's absence. Michael Corleone, on the other hand, 465 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 2: was the dark horse, the silent type, the guy you 466 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 2: never saw coming. In. Michael Corleone, al Pacino saw a 467 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 2: mirror image of himself, that shy, introverted kid that was 468 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 2: drawn into a world of violence, a world of crime 469 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 2: and of despair, that man who was forced to choose 470 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 2: between the paths of good and evil. Michael Corleone didn't 471 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 2: do evil, at least that was what you were made 472 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 2: to believe. He was a good man, a fair man, 473 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 2: a veteran of World War Two who had no interest 474 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 2: in the family business. But al Pacino knew something that 475 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 2: many didn't. He knew something no one watching the film 476 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 2: for the first time when it was initially released in 477 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 2: March of nineteen seventy two would ever, suspect al Pacino 478 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 2: knew that Michael Corleone was evil, That evil laid dormant 479 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 2: inside of him, just waiting for a reason to come out. 480 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 2: That Michael Corleon now had his reason, the attempted assassination 481 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 2: of his father and the resulting struggle for control. Michael 482 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 2: would fill that power vacuum, and then doing so would 483 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 2: set the chorus for one of the greatest villain character 484 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 2: arcs in movie history. It was al Pacino's job to 485 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 2: portray this transition, this turn in Michael's character, to play 486 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 2: it so well that every audience in every theater around 487 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 2: the country would buy it, just like the cops in 488 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 2: wond Socket bought his performance some ten years prior. But 489 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 2: Michael Corleon was not al Pacino. Michael Corleone chose a 490 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 2: different path. Francis Ford Coppolo's director of photography, Gordon Willis, 491 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: didn't want to move the camera around for this scene. 492 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 2: He wanted all the shots and the Godfather to be still, 493 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 2: to look like paintings. But Coppola was bringing that new 494 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 2: Hollywood energy again. He defied Gordon Willis's very capable instincts, 495 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 2: just like he defied producer Robert Evans's casting choices Coppola had. 496 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 2: Gordon Willis slowly tracked the camera closer to al Pacino 497 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 2: as his character Michael began to speak in this scene, 498 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 2: and there were no cuts, just a long slow shot 499 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 2: that moves in on Michael as he finally reveals his 500 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 2: plan to a room of family members and associates, stunned 501 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 2: into silence. They wanted to have a meeting with him, 502 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 2: Right with Michael, Okay, they'd have the meeting. It would 503 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 2: be him, McClusky, and Salazzo. The Corleone's informants would find 504 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 2: out where the meeting would be held, right or make 505 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 2: it a public place, a bar, a restaurant, somewhere with people, 506 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 2: somewhere Michael could feel safe. He'd probably be searched when 507 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 2: he came in, so he wouldn't be carrying a weapon, 508 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,719 Speaker 2: But if they could figure out a way to have 509 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 2: a weapon planted there for him, then he'd killed them both, 510 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 2: and by doing so, by playing the role of Michael 511 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 2: Cooleon al Pacino took the path he could never take 512 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 2: on his own, the path of disgrace. I'm Jake Brennan 513 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: and this is Hollywoodland. Hollywood Land was created by Years 514 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: Truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Follow like, rate, 515 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 2: and review hollywood Land wherever you get your podcasts, and 516 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 2: get in touch with us on social media at double Elvis. 517 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: If you like hollywood Land, check out my other show, 518 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 2: the award winning Disgraceland, which looks at the world of 519 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 2: music through the lens of true crime. Just search for 520 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 2: Disgraceland or wherever you get your podcasts. Good He's a 521 00:32:59,400 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 2: last