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What if James Caan was cast as Michael Corleone?

posted 2 months ago by VHSGuy123 (14)
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One Thing that I couldn't believe is that Paramount wanted James Caan for Michael Corleone or that Francis called James and that the studio wanted him to screen test as Michael. From Caan, One night,” Caan later recalled, “I got a call from Francis…and I could tell in his voice that this was not his idea: ‘Jimmy, want you to come in and test…they want you to play Michael.'”

James Caan did the screentest and must of impressed Paramount Executives because he was cast as Michael, but Coppola was insistent of casting Al Pacino and and manage to get his way and cast Al as Michael and James as Sonny.

Watching the screentest, I must admit that James Caan was actually good in the role, but he was also fantastic as Sonny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqZKpkXBhzk

[–] strntz (11061) 2 months ago

I am not a fan of Pacino. At all.

But he was the right choice in this role. He hadn't yet turned into the hilarious caricature of himself (fortunately) until later.

[–] DoctorThirteen (10860) 2 months ago

I think it worked out for the best. Caan perfectly portrayed Sonny's simmering, seething violence below the surface just waiting to explode. He's actually my favourite character in the movie, and that's down to Caan.