Few films wield as much of an iconic cast as The Godfather, to the point where it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone other than Al Pacino playing Michael, James Caan as Sonny, Marlon Brando inhabiting Vito Corleone, etc. Of course, these things don’t happen by accident or through a quick, simple process; if you want to get it right, these things have to be a little taxing.

In this excerpt from special features of the Godfather trilogy set, one can have a firsthand look at the process by which Francis Ford Coppola not only narrowed down his selection of actors, but how he was forced to circumnavigate studio meddling to get the desired result.

Have a look below:

Is it eye-opening to see different spins on such classic roles?

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