The Godfather's James Caan Almost Lost Sonny Corleone To This Hollywood Legend
Released in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" was one of the seminal films of the New Hollywood, frequently topping the list of '70s best picture Oscar winners. One of the most rewatchable movies of that decade, if not all time, "The Godfather" had a rocky road on the way to the screen, and many variables could have prevented it from becoming a masterpiece.
That's especially true of the casting, as "The Godfather" made stars of Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, and James Caan. It was Caan, in fact, who nearly lost the role of a lifetime to another Hollywood legend: Robert De Niro. At a 2024 Q&A in New York City for his film "Megalopolis," Coppola revealed (via Indiewire) that the role of hot-headed eldest son Sonny Corleone almost went to De Niro: "He had an unforgettable audition for Sonny Corleone, that, uh, was so in advance of what I even could imagine because he really nailed that kind of a guy."
De Niro's audition (which Coppola posted on his YouTube channel) offers a fascinating glimpse into how the role of Sonny might have changed dramatically in his hands. The role went instead to Caan, who earned an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor (competing against Duvall and Pacino, all of whom lost to Joel Grey in "Cabaret").
Robert De Niro eventually found his way into The Godfather
Although James Caan won the star-making role of Sonny Corleone, Francis Ford Coppola was so impressed with Robert De Niro's audition that he wanted to find a place for him in "The Godfather." He offered the young actor the part of Paulie Gatto, personal chauffeur for Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), but De Niro turned it down for a supporting role in "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" (1971), a comedic mob movie that was universally panned by critics. No matter, because when it came time to cast young Vito in "The Godfather Part II" (1974), Coppola knew just the man for the job.
"I thought I would do the outrageous and have someone other than Marlon play the role," Coppola recalled at the "Megalopolis" Q&A. "Normally in a movie [at that time] they would have Marlon play it himself, but he wouldn't look young." Instead, Coppola added, "I thought that Bobby could play Vito Corleone as the young man. And he did beyond my wildest expectations."
In fact, he exceeded everyone's expectations, as "The Godfather Part II" turned out to be one of Robert De Niro's absolute best movies. His performances as young Vito, an Italian immigrant rising through the ranks to become the most powerful mob boss in all of New York, won him an Oscar as best supporting actor. So sometimes, these things really do work out for the best.