BY AMANDA MOSES
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli,” “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” and “You don’t even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you ask me to do murder for money,” are some of the most unforgettable cinematic quotes all stemming from what is perhaps considered the greatest movie of all time—The Godfather.
The Tribeca Film Festival commemorated the 50th anniversary of The Godfather on June 17th with a fully restored screening at the United Palace
Tribeca Celebrates The Godfather’s 50th Anniversary Theater, rounding off the festival’s comeback to full-scale and in-person. In honor of the Academy Award-winning masterpiece is the first of a trilogy following the Corleone mafia family. This patriarchy is helmed by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), who must pass along the torch of his crime syndicate to his son, Michael (Al Pacino).
In December 2021, the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights was revamped. First built in the 1930s, the United Palace was the place to see live music and entertainment but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was forced to shutter its doors. Last year, the site reopened in all of its extravagance, showcasing historic architecture very much similar to some of the lavish locations in the film The Godfather.
Hundreds upon hundreds of attendees lined the streets to enter the near sold-out event, which also featured a conversation with Al Pacino prior to the screening with moderator Michael Hainey (an author and Deputy Editor of GQ).
Al Pacino is an iconic New Yorker, born in East Harlem and raised in the South Bronx; he is one of history’s most prolific actors known for his roles in The Irishman, Devil’s Advocate, Carlito’s Way, Serpico, Heat, Scarface and more. But before he became a superstar, Pacino was a struggling actor working as superintendent in a building. During his conversation at Tribeca, he shared that he once used Band-Aids to stick his actor’s headshot on his apartment door to help advertise his work.
Pacino says that at first, those responsible for creating The Godfather did not want him nor Francis Ford Coppola in the film—but as fate would have it both men ended up becoming involved in the film.
Pacino recalled a conversation with Coppola, in which the famed director asked him, “You know the book? Well I want you to play Michael,” Pacino said. “The first thing I thought was I wanted to play Sonny, but I said okay.”
In addition to earning the role of a lifetime, Pacino said that when he told his grandmother that he would be in adaptation of the famed book, The Godfather, she shared that his grandfather was born in Corleone Italy, just like Don Vito.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary, it was also announced on July 7th The Godfather star James Caan died at age 82. Caan played Don Vito Corleone’s hotheaded son, Sonny in the film.
Photos by Amanda Moses
