1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. This is the 2 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: story about one of the greatest actors of all time, 3 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: al Pacino. It's also a story about one of the 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: greatest movies of all time, The Godfather. But this is 5 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: also a story about the death of a neighborhood friend, 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: about a violent robbery that almost went completely wrong. That 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: about the role of a lifetime a role al Pacino 8 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: starred in as a young man, a role that wasn't 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: on stage or screen, but that played out in front 10 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: of a couple detectives and a district attorney. This is 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: a story about good and evil, about the road not taken, 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: The road not Taken, a theme the Beach Boys lifted 13 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: from poet Robert Frost for their song all This Is 14 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: That for their most excellent nineteen seventy two album, Carl 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: and the Passions So Tough, great music, Unlike that music 16 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 1: I played for you at the top of the show. 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: That wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: my melotron called on Heaven's Beach MK. 19 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: One. 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 21 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: rights to Are You Lonesome Tonight? By Elvis Presley and 22 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: why would I play you that specific slice of Shall 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: I Come Back Again? 24 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 2: Cheese? Could I afford it? 25 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: Because that was the number one song in America on 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: January seventh, nineteen sixty one, And that was the day 27 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: that a young al Pacino was arrested in a small 28 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: city in Rhode Island, an arrest that would later be 29 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: used to inform one of the most incredible performances in 30 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: Hollywood history. On this episode dead Friends, stick Ups Gone Wrong, 31 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: the performance of a lifetime in al Pacino, I'm Jake Brennan. 32 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: And this this disgrace lamb. 33 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy one, Francis Ford Coppola began production on 34 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: his mafia epic The Godfather, in my humble opinion, the 35 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: first truly great movie ever made. Yes, I know that's 36 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,839 Speaker 1: a bold statement, one that sounds like some bullshit hot take, 37 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: but I think it's the kind of take that an 38 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: artist and visionary like Francis Ford Coppola would reci The 39 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: director himself was all about hot takes. Coppola's generation, the 40 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: film School generation quote unquote New Hollywood, Scorsese, Spielberg, de Palma. 41 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: Their entire objective was to subvert the norm, to upend 42 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: the way things have been done for decades, how movies 43 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: were shot, how stories were told, Coppola telling the head 44 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: of Paramount Pictures, Robert Evans, the five foot seven al Pacino, 45 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: a virtual unknown, should play in Michael Corleone and The 46 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: Godfather over more conventional, bankable stars like Ryan O'Neill or 47 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: Robert Redford. Now that was a hot take. Robert Evans 48 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: was old school, high collared dress shirts, cashmere sweaters, a 49 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: cigar by the pool with a phone receiver up to 50 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: each ear. So, of course, Robert Evans did not respond 51 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: warmly to Francis Ford Coppola's bold new Hollywood choice. Absolutely not, 52 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: he said, Michael Corey. 53 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 2: Leon will not be played by al Pacino. 54 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: The story about Coppola fighting to cast al Pacino against 55 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: all odds, about Coppola's pigheadedness about his balls, the kind 56 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: of unwavering faith that he had, and the thirty one 57 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: year old actor, the kind of faith that al Pacino 58 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: didn't even have it himself at the time. It's a 59 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: well told tale that I'm not going to get into here. 60 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: Suffice to say that after auditioning forty different Michael Corleones, 61 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: after seeing early footage of Pacino in the film The 62 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 1: Panic and Needle Park, and after enduring Coppola's tireless insistence, 63 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: Robert Evans, much to his alpha male dismay, changed his 64 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: mind and the kid stayed in the picture. As it were, 65 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: for al Pacino, it was a real chance. If the 66 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: film was a hit, that would mean no more borrowing 67 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: cab fair to get around New York, no more CouchSurfing 68 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: in his friend's apartments. He'd recently won a Tony Award, 69 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: but the Godfather the. 70 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 2: Movies paramount, this was way. 71 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: Bigger than Broadway Right now, However, al Pacino wasn't thinking 72 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: about his career so much as he was thinking about. 73 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: How much pain he was in it. 74 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: And I'm not talking about his face, even though the 75 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: entire left side of his jaw appeared to be completely swollen. 76 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 2: The pain was in his ankle. 77 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: He'd rolled it on set shooting scene in which he 78 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: ran a little too fast and a little too hard, 79 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: and a mishap meant that he was now walking around 80 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: with a cane. His face, meanwhile, only looked like a 81 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: hurt because the makeup guy was really good at his job, 82 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: and his job been wired shut and a prosthetic lump 83 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: was stuck to his cheek in order to make it 84 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: look like he'd been punched by a dirty cop and 85 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: the Godfather. His character, Michael Corleone gets clocked by an 86 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: NYPD captain named McCluskey, who's played was entitled Prick Gusto 87 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: by Sterling Hayden, and this happens after Michael accuses McCluskey 88 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 1: of being on the take from Virgil Salazzo aka the 89 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: Turk and Narco man, who just put Michael's father, mafia 90 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: don Vito Corleon played by Marlon Brando, in the hospital 91 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: Al Pacino. As Michael Corleon was sitting in a big 92 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,559 Speaker 1: leather chair inside the Corleone compound and the real pain 93 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: throbbing in his ankle. It helped him portray the fake 94 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: pain that was so clearly visible on his face in 95 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: the scene. The film crew was ready, Coppola called action 96 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: and the camera rolled and this was it. The scene, 97 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: the best scene in the whole movie. There's Michael sitting quietly, 98 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 1: calm reserved, taking it all in better to remain silent 99 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: and be thought a fool, or speak and remove all 100 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: doubt or. 101 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 2: Something like that. Also quiet. 102 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:52,119 Speaker 1: Artessio and Clemenza, two Corleone family capos, one tall, one short, 103 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: both capable men with ways and means. Meanwhile, James Kahn, 104 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: playing Michael's big brother Sonny, is the whole opposite of Michael. 105 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: He's volcanic, antsy, talking with his hands about a being 106 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: bout a boo, and he's arguing with Robert Duval as 107 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: Tom Haigen, the Corleone family's Concieri fixer, an attorney, Tom 108 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: trying to talk some sense into the eldest Corleone that yes, 109 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: we understand your need for revenge, that you want to 110 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: go out there and bam put a bullet in Salatto's 111 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: head because that piece of shit put a hit out 112 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: on your pops. But listen, it's not personal, Sonny. It's 113 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: just business. A tough pill to swallow, I know, but 114 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: it's the truth. And never mind killing a cop, he'd 115 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: be starting a war, one which the Corleones would lose 116 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: very quickly. As the argument continued, al Paccino, the actor 117 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: remained stoic. His character was a private man, a marine 118 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: just back from the war, distance from the family, both 119 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: in emotion and in business. He didn't put his feelings 120 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: out there like his big brother Sonny or his other 121 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: big brother Fredo. But the wheels were turning inside the 122 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: head of the young is Corleone. And in this scene, 123 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: in this incredible scene, somehow you can see those wheels turning. 124 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: Al Pacino, the actor Michael Corleone, the character. 125 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 3: He didn't let anyone know. 126 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: What was going on in his mind, but you knew 127 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: something was going on. And Michael Corleone, al Pacino saw 128 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: a mirror image of himself, a shy, introverted kid drawn 129 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: into a world of violence, crime and despair, a man 130 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: forced to choose between the paths of good and evil, 131 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: a decision that al Pacino knew. 132 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: All too well. 133 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: I said, what are you looking at, he scrowny little punk. 134 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: The question was followed by a blow to the head, 135 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: an open handed slap that knocked him to the ground 136 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: and left his ear drums ringing. He could taste blood 137 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: mixed with tears in the back of his mouth, and 138 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 1: he just lay there, curled into a ball, with his. 139 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: Hands over his face. His assailant was laughing. 140 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: Now that's right, you little mama's boy. Either in the 141 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: dirt or with that. The nine year old girl turned 142 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: on her heels and walked away, leaving six year old 143 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:46,719 Speaker 1: al Pacino bleeding. 144 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 2: On the ground. 145 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 1: Nineteen forty six. The South Bronx was rough even thirty 146 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: years before its urban decay was portrayed so vividly by 147 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 1: hip hop pioneers like Cool Herk and Graham Master Flash. 148 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 2: It was made even rougher by World War Two. 149 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 3: Kids lost their fathers. 150 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: Others were killed on the battlefield, and some, like young 151 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: Alfred Puccino's dad, returned from service. 152 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: No longer fit for family. 153 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: Life, Alfredo and his mother moved into his grandparents cramped 154 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: tenement apartment, a three room unit they also shared with 155 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: the odd aunt or uncle, whoever was able to pay the. 156 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 2: Rent that month. 157 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: His mother made ends meet working at a local movie theater. 158 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: He loved visiting her at work, staring at a bright 159 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: screen in a darkened room, transported out of New York 160 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: City and into a completely new world. He'd give anything 161 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: to be there right now. Instead, he was wiping the 162 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: blood from his nose and struggling to rise from the 163 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 1: asphalt to one knee. It was bad enough that he 164 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: just had the ship beat out of him by a girl, 165 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: but a group of boys watched it happen, A group 166 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: that now had him surrounded. At first no one said 167 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: a word, and then one boy stepped forward and offered 168 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: a hand. And that boy was Cliff, age seven, one 169 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: year older than the rest of them, tougher too, more 170 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,479 Speaker 1: likely to dish out a beating rather than receive one. 171 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: Al took the outstretched hand and pulled himself up. 172 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 2: Hey, Cliff said, why do. 173 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,679 Speaker 1: You let her smack you around like that? Little Alfreda 174 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: looked around at all those eyes staring at him, waiting 175 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: for an answer. He had to say something, anything, so 176 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: he did what came naturally. He acted. He told him 177 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: his dad was a mobster. He said his old man 178 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: didn't like when he fought at school. 179 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: It drew too much attention. 180 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: That his dad had these two huge German shepherds locked 181 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: behind a gate. If Al said one word to him 182 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: about what had happened today, his dad would feed that 183 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: girl with those mutts. And two seconds flat, the story 184 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 1: hung in the air. The boys kept staring. Al wondered 185 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: if they bought it. Cliff began to chuckle, and then 186 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: the whole group was laughing. Eight years later, the group 187 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: was still laughing, only now they were teenagers and the 188 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: laughs were courtesy is some low grade weed, crumbled up 189 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: and mixed with a pinch tobacco. Cliff was still a 190 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: year older, still tougher, rocking full on rebel regalia. Black 191 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: leather jacket, black motorcycle boots, didn't matter. They had never 192 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: been on a motorcycle in his life. He had gotten 193 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: laid though, a fact which made Cliff the group's undisputed 194 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: leader and thus made his word gospel. Al Pacino or 195 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: Sonny as he was known to his friends. But I 196 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: don't want to call him Sonny because it's just going 197 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,599 Speaker 1: to get confusing, since Sonny Corleone is a character and 198 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 1: the Godfather and all that we were just discussing. The 199 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: fourteen year old al Pacino stood next to his best 200 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: friend Cliff, eagerly awaiting a hit. Smoking a joint was 201 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: their standard. 202 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 2: After school ritual. 203 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: That and a couple of bottles of Schlitz that they 204 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: could convince one of the neighborhood's older guys to buy 205 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: it for them. Today was one of those days. Fifteen minutes, 206 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: the beer and the bud had taken effect, and they 207 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: left the empty bottles behind the dumpster and then left 208 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: the alley. Al cracked him up with his over the 209 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: top impersonations of his snooty drama school teachers. They all 210 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: had to stick up their ass about the process, and 211 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: it sucked all the joy out of acting. Then suddenly 212 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: it hit him, shit, today was Wednesday. He was supposed 213 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: to be at work. The job wasn't much, sorting fruits 214 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: and vegetables, and the pay wasn't much either, but it 215 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,719 Speaker 1: put a little cash in his pocket, and part of 216 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 1: him just enjoyed the work. He liked the feeling of 217 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: completion when he sorted a palette of tomatoes until nothing 218 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 1: was left but the. 219 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 2: Bear wood underneath. 220 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: So he managed to keep it up for three months 221 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: without being late for a single shift until today. I 222 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: got to get to work, he told the group, and 223 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: turned to walk in the other direction. Cliff jumped in 224 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: front of him before he could leave. Why did Al 225 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: bother with that penny? 226 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: Any job? Come on? Cliff? Al told him, I'm saving up. 227 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 2: I need new shoes. 228 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: As he said this, he pointed at the window shoe 229 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: display in the shop that they were walking past. Cliff 230 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: thought the job was bullshit, and he said so. In 231 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: this neighborhood, people didn't get ahead by working at a 232 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: fruit stand. They got ahead by taking what they wanted, 233 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: working a square job that was for suckers. Cliff turned 234 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: towards the shoe display. You want some shoes, you want 235 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: some fucking shoes. I'll get you some shoes. Cliff stepped 236 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: up to the display window, raised his black motorcycle boot, 237 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: and without hesitation, smashed it directly through the glass. He 238 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: grabbed a pair of shoes and turned to walk back 239 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: to Al and the others, and right then an NYPD 240 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: patrolman round at the corner, and the cop took one 241 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: look at the busted window and another look at Cliff 242 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: with the shoes in his hands, and he ordered all 243 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: the boys up against the wall. Cliff tried to take 244 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: the blame, he said, the other guys had nothing to 245 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: do with it. The cop wasn't buying it. The crowd 246 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: began again, like the crowd that had gathered when Alec 247 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: and his face rearranged by a girl some eight years prior. 248 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: When Al's mother arrived on the scene, she placated the 249 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: store on her while Cliff promised to pay for the damages, 250 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: and only then did the cop let them go. Al 251 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: Pacino's mom forced him to head to work and explained 252 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: to his boss what had happened and why he was late? 253 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: And he walked into the vegetable market, his eyes red 254 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: and bleary, the effects of the weed long gone, and 255 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: the market's owner, a man Al's mother had convinced to 256 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: give him this job, looked back at this juvenile, the 257 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: linquid employee with disappointment. He let out into the back 258 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: room among pallets of tomatoes, onions, and peppers. But Aut 259 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: didn't start sorting vegetables as usual. Instead, his boss rolled 260 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: out a blackboard they used to keep track of the 261 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: shipments and wiped it clean. He spoke about the farm 262 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: where these crops grew. He drew out trees, vines, and 263 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: rolling hills, and through the farm he sketched out two paths. 264 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: He explained that in life, there are only two paths, 265 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: and you, my friend, are on the wrong one. Weeks later, 266 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: those words were still bouncing around Al's head as he 267 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: was walking home. It was Sunday evening. He couldn't believe 268 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: the performance he just witnessed. A traveling theater troupe performed 269 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: chech Us the Seagull for an audience of probably twenty people. 270 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: But he was only there as a school requirement. But 271 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: what he saw transformed him. The way these actors brought 272 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: the Russian melodrama to life so vividly blew his mind 273 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: was nothing like the joyless acting exercises at school. Here 274 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: was something real, something meaningful, a level of acting ability 275 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: that he had never experienced before, and he wanted that 276 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: ability for himself. Cliff, meanwhile, just wanted to keep taking 277 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, which, as the years 278 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: went on, meant more bags of white powder than those 279 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: baggies gave Al an uneasy feeling actually seeing Cliff's eyes 280 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: when he was on it, all wild and unfocused. Al 281 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: steered clear of Cliff's temptations. He eventually dropped out of 282 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: high school. What he kept putting in work as a janitor, 283 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: a busboy, a messenger. He also put in the work 284 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: at a local acting studio. One night, he cut through 285 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: an alley after rehearsal. Usually the alley was empty, but 286 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: on this evening, a small group of people stood in 287 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: a semicircle, just like Al and his friends used to 288 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 1: do when they'd pass. 289 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 2: Around a joint. But there was no joint. 290 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: There was just a body lying stiff on the ground, 291 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: arms covered in bruises and track marks. Cliff was dead 292 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: from an overdose at just nineteen years old. Soon more 293 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: friends from the neighborhood succumbed to addiction to crime. More 294 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: than ever, Al was determined to escape that fate. He 295 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,959 Speaker 1: stopped using drugs and he rarely drank. Acting kept him 296 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 1: busy and kept him out of trey trouble, and by 297 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: the time he turned nineteen, he left that old neighborhood, 298 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 1: the old friends, and that old sonny nickname. On stage, 299 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: he was Al Pacino. But to the rest of the world, 300 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: and more importantly to the police, he was still that 301 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: same scrawny Italian hoodlum from the South Bronx, and it 302 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: was about to take the performance of a lifetime to 303 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: convince them otherwise. 304 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 3: We'll be right back after this. 305 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 2: We're We're, We're. 306 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: January nineteen sixty one, the New York City streets were 307 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 1: uncharacteristically quiet for a Saturday on account of the temperature. 308 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: It was cold, real cold, and people were inside, but 309 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: there was a lone figure standing on the corner, short, wiry, 310 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: a shock of black hair and deep set soul eyes. 311 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: A car pulled up near where the figure was standing 312 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: in a window rolled down, and from inside the vehicle 313 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: a voice called out you Al, twenty year old al 314 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: Pacino just nodded his head and slid into the car's backseat. 315 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 2: Up front, the owner of the. 316 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: Voice looked back at him, same shock of black hair 317 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: as Al. Another Italian kid from the Bronx. He introduced 318 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: himself as Vincent. That's Bruce, Vincent said, nodding toward the driver. Anyway, 319 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:30,719 Speaker 1: thanks for doing this. 320 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 3: We really need three. 321 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: Guys on this job. 322 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: Al knew Vincent from the neighborhood. They went to the 323 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: same junior high, they went with the same girls, and 324 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: they must have crossed paths one hundred times, but somehow 325 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: they never officially met before today. They had one more 326 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,919 Speaker 1: thing in common too. They're both trying to break into acting. 327 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: At least that's what Vincent told Al on the phone 328 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: a few days ago. 329 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 2: Up north in Boston, a. 330 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 1: Theater was putting on a new gangster play and they 331 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: had parts for three young actors, preferably Italian. A mutual 332 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 1: friend connected them, and when Vincent explained the part, al 333 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: had to agree that. 334 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 2: They were perfect for it. Bruce. 335 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: The driver stepped on the gas and they departed the city, 336 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: heading north. 337 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 2: Once they made it to the freeway. Traffic was light. 338 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 2: They made conversation. 339 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: Al and Vincent laughed about the scams they pulled as teenagers, 340 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: the trouble they caused him school Like Al, Vincent was 341 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: at one time a troublemaker, that is until a short 342 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: stint in Juvie for B and E convinced him to 343 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: turn his life around. 344 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 2: Or so we said. 345 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: The miles took by, and soon they were in Rhode Island, 346 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: only an hour away from their destination, and the car 347 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: approached a split in the highway, but instead of continuing 348 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: north as Al expected, Bruce. 349 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 2: The driver took another pass. 350 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: He turned the wheel and the car veered left, following 351 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: a sign for wind socket. Sorry man, Bruce said, taking 352 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: the exit. Gotta take the piss. As the car continued 353 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: into town, Vincent began talking about the plan for their audition. 354 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: He gave Al a mischievous grin. They want a Guido 355 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: gangster for this part, he said, and I'm gonna give. 356 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 2: Them the real deal. 357 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: From a bag in the front seat, Vincent pulled out 358 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: three black ski masks, and he slid one over his 359 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: head and laughed. Check it out, he said, reaching in 360 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: to the back, I even brought a heater. Al felt 361 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: his body tense up as Vincent pulled a handgun out 362 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: of a brown paper bag, and Vincent told him to relax. 363 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 2: It was just a prop. 364 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: The gun wasn't even loaded. Vincent and Bruce both laughed. 365 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:42,360 Speaker 1: Al smiled, but inside his heart was pounding. Vincent calmly 366 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: explained that he and Bruce liked to stop in this 367 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: town on their way to Boston. They knew a great 368 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: spot to grab a few burgers and maybe a couple 369 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: of beers for the road before they pulled into Beantown. 370 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: As they drove through Won Socket, Bruce pulled the car 371 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: off the main dragon into a seatier part of town. 372 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: Vincent still had the black ski mask over his head. 373 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: He toyed with the gun in his hand and in 374 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: the back seat. Al didn't know if he should play 375 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: a cool or throw open the door and run. 376 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 2: The car slowed. 377 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 1: Vincent pointed out the spot, a rundown bar on the 378 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 1: corner out front. The parking spaces were full, so they 379 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: circled around the block. 380 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 2: And came back. 381 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: Bruce and Vincent had both grown quiet now. Al sat 382 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: in the back seat, waiting to see what would unfold. 383 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: They came up on the bar a second time, and 384 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: this time they found a spot to park. Bruce backed 385 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: the car in and then looked back at Al. We'll 386 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: grab the food and be right back, he said mine, 387 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: watching the car for a few minutes. In the front, 388 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: Vincent and Bruce reached for their door handles. Al's heart 389 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: felt like it was about the pound right out of 390 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,199 Speaker 1: his chest. The ski masks, the gun. Vincent said they 391 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: were props, but Al was beginning to think otherwise. He 392 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: was frozen with terror, no idea what was about to 393 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 1: go down, or exactly what he'd signed up for. And then, 394 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: just before Vincent and Bruce made their exit, just up 395 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: ahead of them a burst of blue and red lights. 396 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: That Irish cop, his hair as red as Al's nose 397 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: and the cold air, stepped out of a squad car 398 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: and walked toward them. He was fixated on their black 399 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,120 Speaker 1: hair in New York plates, and the cop got closer. 400 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: Vincent looked back at Al, we're on away to an 401 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: audition right now, nodded yes. The cop looked in the 402 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: car and saw the ski masks and the gun. He 403 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,439 Speaker 1: told them all to get out of the car, and 404 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: the Bronx addresses on their ideas confirmed the officer's suspicions. 405 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: Three Guido punks coming to cause trouble in his quiet town. 406 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: I'm not on his watch. He's going to lock them 407 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 1: up and throw away the key. And that's exactly what happened. 408 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: Al Pacino and his traveling companions were arrested for attempted 409 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: robbery in a legal possession of a firearm, charges that 410 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: could land them a decade in jail. They spent the 411 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: weekend behind bars. Al woke up on Monday morning to 412 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 1: the sound of a cell door sliding open. A cop 413 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: called him out into the hallway, and as he stepped forward, 414 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: Vincent and Bruce both shot him a look that said, 415 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: stick to the story. Al knew he needed to do 416 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: more than stick to his story to. 417 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 2: Get him out of this mess. 418 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: He needed to harness every ounce of his acting chops 419 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: to convince these Irish cops that, even though they looked 420 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: like Italian hoodlums from the city, there were actually good 421 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: kids want to be artists with maybe a little bit 422 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 1: more enthusiasm than common sense. And the audience for this 423 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: performance was small, just two cops in the da and 424 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: the scenery was bare. A table a couple of chairs 425 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: in a single spotlight shining down from the ceiling. Al 426 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: closed his eyes and centered his mind on the character 427 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: he wanted to play, a mama's boy, a fruit stand worker, 428 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: a square. They stepped into the room and it was showtime. 429 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: Over the next ninety minutes, al Pacino gave a powerhouse 430 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 1: per performance. He swore the masts and the gun were 431 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: just props for their audition. The gun wasn't loaded after all, right, 432 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: at least, he prayed to God it wasn't loaded. 433 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: Fortunately, the DA. 434 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 1: Nodded his head in agreement, and Al's confidence grew. 435 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 2: He pulled out all the stops. 436 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: He cried tears while telling them how ashamed his mother 437 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: would be if she knew he was arrested. He begged 438 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: them to call the theater in Boston, which he hoped 439 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: really was holding auditions, like Vincent said. By the end 440 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,479 Speaker 1: of the interrogation, both the DA and the cops were 441 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: shaking Al's hand, and by the end of the day, Al, 442 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: Vincent and Bruce were released. Al's performance, plus a phone 443 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: call to the playhouse to confirm the auditions, convinced the 444 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 1: cops to drop all charges, but the trio didn't head 445 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: on to Boston. Instead, they turned around and went back 446 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: to New York. Al never knew exactly what happened in 447 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: Rhode Island. Did he almost unwittingly take part in a robbery? 448 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: There were three want to be actors goofing around and 449 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: getting into character. But whatever the case, once they arrived 450 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: back in the city, they went their separate ways and 451 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: now never heard from Vincent or Bruce again. The world, 452 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: on the other hand, was about to hear from al. 453 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 4: Pacino stroller. 454 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: Slower nineteen seventy one, ten years after his brush with 455 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,159 Speaker 1: the law on Windsocket, Rhode Island, and al Pacino was 456 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: once again performing for. 457 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: A small crowd. 458 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: This time, however, the performance wasn't happening in a police 459 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 1: and irrigation room. He was on the set of The 460 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: Godfather in the Corleone compound, sitting quietly in that big 461 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: leather chair. His jaw and cheek were made up to 462 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,880 Speaker 1: look like he'd gotten smacked, when in fact the real 463 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: pain was, as I mentioned before, throbbing in his sprained ankle. 464 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: Francis FOURD. Coppola's camera rolled in. The director called action. 465 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: James Kahn as Michael's brother Sonny and Robert duval as 466 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: the Corleone family attorney Tom Hagen. 467 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 3: Again, we're arguing over the pros. 468 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: And cons of killing not only Salazzo. 469 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 2: The narcotics man who put the godfather. 470 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: Himself, Don Corleone, in the hospital, but of also killing McCluskey, 471 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: the crooked cop protecting Salazzo. Sonny Corleone was a loud 472 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: mouth and a hothead. He was also the eldest of 473 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: Don Corleone's children, and thus it was taken for granted 474 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: that he would be in control of the family in 475 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: his father's absence. Michael Corleone, on the other hand, was 476 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: the dark horse, the silent type, the guy you never 477 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: saw coming. In Michael Corleone, al Pacino saw a mirror 478 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: image of himself, that shy, introverted kid that was drawn 479 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: into a world of violence, a world of crime and 480 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: of despair, that man who was forced to choose between 481 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: the paths of good and evil. 482 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 2: Michael Corleone didn't do evil, at least that was what 483 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 2: you were made to believe. He was a good. 484 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: Man, a fair man, a veteran of World War Two 485 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,959 Speaker 1: who had no interest in the family business. But al 486 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: Pacino knew something that many didn't he knew something. No 487 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: One watching the film for the first time when it 488 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: was initially released in March of nineteen seventy two would 489 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: ever suspect al Pacino knew that Michael Corleone was evil, 490 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: That evil laid dormant inside of him, just waiting for 491 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: a reason to come out. 492 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 3: That Michael Corleone now. 493 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: Had his reason, the attempted assassination of his father and 494 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: the resulting struggle for control. 495 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 3: Michael would fill. 496 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: That power vacuum, and then doing so would set the 497 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: chorus for one of the greatest villain character arcs in 498 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: movie history. It was al Pacino's job to portray this transition, 499 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: this turn in Michael's character, to play it so well 500 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: that every audience in every theater around the country would 501 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: buy it, just like the cops in wond Socket bought 502 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: his performance some ten years prior. But Michael Corleone was 503 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: not al Pacino. Michael Corleone chose a different path. Francis 504 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 1: Ford Coppola's director of photography, Gordon Willis, didn't want to 505 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: move the camera around for the scene. 506 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 3: He wanted all the shots. 507 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: And the Godfather to be still, to look like paintings. 508 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: But Coppola was bringing that new Hollywood energy again. He 509 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:52,280 Speaker 1: defied Gordon Willis's very capable instincts, just like he defied 510 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: producer Robert Evans's casting choices Coppola had. Gordon Willis slowly 511 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: tracked the camera closer to alp Puccino as his character 512 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: Michael began to speak in this scene, and there were 513 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: no cuts, just a long slow shot that moves in 514 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: on Michael as he finally reveals his plan to a 515 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: room of family members and associates stunned into silence. 516 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 2: They wanted to have a. 517 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: Meeting with him, Right with Michael, Okay, they'd have the meeting. 518 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: It would be him, McClusky, and Salazzo. The Corleone's informants 519 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: would find out where the meeting would be held, right 520 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: or make it a public place, a bar, a restaurant, 521 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: somewhere with people, somewhere Michael could feel safe. He'd probably 522 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: be searched when he came in, so he wouldn't be 523 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: carrying a weapon. But if they could figure out a 524 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: way to have a weapon planted there for then he 525 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: killed him both and by doing so, by playing the 526 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: role of Michael Corleone, al Pacino took the path he 527 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: could never take on his own, the path of disgrace. 528 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan in this this Disgraceland. Disgraceland was created 529 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 1: by Yours Truly and is produced in partnership. 530 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 3: With Double Elvis. 531 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 1: Credits for this episode can be found on the show 532 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:41,239 Speaker 1: notes page at disgracelamdpod dot com. If you're listening as 533 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: a Disgraceland All Access member, thank you for supporting the show. 534 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 3: We really appreciate it. 535 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: And if not, you can become a member right now 536 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:52,959 Speaker 1: by going to disgracelampod dot com Slash Membership. Members can 537 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: listen to every episode of Disgraceland ad free, Plus you'll 538 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: get one brand new exclusive episode every month, weekly unscripted 539 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access to merchandise 540 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 1: and events. Visit disgraceslampod dot com slash membership for details, 541 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: rate and review the show, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, 542 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 1: Twitter and Facebook at disgraceslampod and on YouTube at YouTube 543 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: dot com slash at disgracelampod. 544 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 2: Rock a Rolla 545 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 4: He the bed Down Man