Al Pacino claims he launched Harrison Ford's career by saying 'No' to major movie role
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Al Pacino of 'The Godfather' fame stated that Hollywood history might have been very different if he had simply said yes to a major movie. Al Pacino decided against visiting a galaxy far, far away. During an interview with David Rubenstein on Wednesday, April 19, at the 92NY in New York as a part of their 'People Who Inspire Us' series, the veteran actor was asked if there were any movie roles he had regretted declining in his career.
Al Pacino also makes it apparent that he doesn't harbor any ill will toward his 'The Godfather' co-star Marlon Brando, who won the Best Actor Oscar despite having less screen time than him in the 1972 movie. The 82-year-old 'House of Gucci' icon sat down with Rubenstein for a rare interview during which he reflected on his illustrious career.
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'I don’t understand it'
The Hollywood Reporter claims that Pacino stated, "I turned down 'Star Wars'," when he was first introduced to the industry and was given any and every role. "So I was there and all of a sudden they gave me a script that was called ‘Star Wars'," he added. "I said, ‘I got the script, they offered me so much money, but I don’t understand it'." That was the main reason, said Pacino, who further quipped, "I gave Harrison Ford a career, which he has never thanked me for!"
While Pacino declined the part that would launch Ford to international fame, he instead starred in the 1977 romance film 'Bobby Deerfield', although reviewers did not well accept his alternate choice. Pacino went on to star in other classics including 'Scarface' (1983), 'Carlito's Way' (1993), 'Donnie Brasco' (1997), and recently 'The Irishman' (2019).
Ford secured his iconic role as the brave archaeologist Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981), just before taking the lead in the concluding installment of the 'Star Wars' trilogy. After appearing in three further Indiana Jones movies, actor Harrison Ford, now 80, will return to the legendary role in the upcoming 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,' which will have its world premiere in theaters on June 30, reports Independent.
'Let’s clear the air'
Pacino also took the opportunity to dispel some persistent rumors regarding his most well-known performance in the 'Godfather' movies. The original movie received 11 Oscar nominations and won three of them, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Marlon Brando. Given that his character Michael Corleone had more dialogue than Brando's Don Vito Corleone in the film, Pacino was questioned if he had ever felt disappointed by his nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 1973 awards ceremony.
"How does a story like that get out? I wasn’t upset, are you kidding me?" Pacino remarked. "Let’s clear the air on that one. I’d been hearing about that up the grapevine," the actor, who performed the part of Michael, the gangster Vito Corleone's (Brando) son, remarked.
'The Godfather' is better than 'The Godfather Part II'
The 'Serpico' legend went on to discuss Francis Ford Coppola's legendary mob movie, arguing against the hordes of devotees who believe that the 1974 sequel, 'The Godfather Part II,' is superior to the original. Film historians believe the second film in the mafia family trilogy — which stars Robert De Niro as the younger version of the patriarch Corleone—to be superior to the first.
Pacino was questioned by Rubenstein whether he thought 'The Godfather Part II' was better than 'The Godfather'. The actor said, "No, I don't." Pacino also stated emphatically that 'The Godfather's epic storytelling makes it superior to 'The Godfather Part II'. Pacino added, "‘Godfather I’, I saw it recently, it’s always got two or three things going on in a scene. You’re always in the story, you’re going. You don’t know what’s going to happen next, it’s storytelling, and it’s really storytelling at its best. 'Godfather II' sort of linearizes, and [it’s] kind of different, somber, moves slowly. But it’s a great movie, I have to say."
Pacino revealed that he has four more films scheduled after making nearly 50 films and that he intends to adapt 'King Lear' the following year. The actor responded, "I'm always retired," in reply to Rubenstein's question regarding retirement. "I was retired when I was 25. I mean, who cares? Please don’t call it retired, I just don’t want to work anymore."