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The Godfather Notebook
THE PUBLISHING SENSATION OF THE YEAR FOR EVERY FILM FAN
The never-before-published edition of Francis Ford Coppola’s notes and annotations on The Godfather novel by Mario Puzo reveals the story behind one of the world’s most iconic films.
The most important unpublished work on one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather , written before filming, by the man who wrote and directed it—Francis Ford Coppola, then only thirty-two years old—reveals the intense creative process that went into making this seminal film. With his meticulous notes and impressions of Mario Puzo’s novel, the notebook was referred to by Coppola daily on set while he directed the movie. The Godfather Notebook pulls back the curtain on the legendary filmmaker and the film that launched his illustrious career. Complete with an introduction by Francis Ford Coppola and exclusive photographs from on and off the set, this is a unique, beautiful, and faithful reproduction of Coppola’s original notebook.
This publication will change the way the world views the iconic film—and the process of filmmaking at large. A must-have book of the season. Nothing like it has ever been published before.
The never-before-published edition of Francis Ford Coppola’s notes and annotations on The Godfather novel by Mario Puzo reveals the story behind one of the world’s most iconic films.
The most important unpublished work on one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather , written before filming, by the man who wrote and directed it—Francis Ford Coppola, then only thirty-two years old—reveals the intense creative process that went into making this seminal film. With his meticulous notes and impressions of Mario Puzo’s novel, the notebook was referred to by Coppola daily on set while he directed the movie. The Godfather Notebook pulls back the curtain on the legendary filmmaker and the film that launched his illustrious career. Complete with an introduction by Francis Ford Coppola and exclusive photographs from on and off the set, this is a unique, beautiful, and faithful reproduction of Coppola’s original notebook.
This publication will change the way the world views the iconic film—and the process of filmmaking at large. A must-have book of the season. Nothing like it has ever been published before.
784 pages, Hardcover
First published December 20, 2016
37 people are currently reading
784 people want to read
About the author
Francis Ford Coppola
69 books74 followersFrancis Ford Coppola is a five-time Academy Award-winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Coppola is also a vintner, magazine publisher, and hotelier. He is a graduate of Hofstra University where he studied theatre. He earned an M.F.A. in film directing from the UCLA Film School. He is most renowned for directing the highly-regarded Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, and the Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 27, 2016
Coppola's methods and stories are fascinating.
Also enjoyed the many excerpts from Puzo's book, and the side-stories which weren't in the film.
Notes:
A prompt-book, a tradition of stage managers.
24-26, the cutting, pasting, and binding process ... like stalling, or being involved with a long, tedious process ... But you're really ruminating over what it is you're going to do.
29 40s a peculiar time, half of people in bus stations were soldiers
33 Imagery and tone .... Kazan: every scene has a "core" idea
34 Much of Puzo's dialogue came from his mother, a practical woman given to pithy remarks
Book 1-25 Luca's story (later, in Sicily, infanticide)
56 Never get angry. Never make a threat. Reason with people.
Ignore all insults, all threats; turn the other cheek.
68 Movie producer and horse head ... "The Don would go all the way!! Maybe he won't kill me. He has something much more clever and painful in reserve."
73 Solozzo meeting: "Young people have no manners. They interrupt their elders, they meddle. But I have a sentimental weakness for my children, I spoil them."
113 Freddie not ruthless enough, too retiring.
147 Don't let anybody kid you. It's ALL personal, every bit of business.
246 Sonny went around the house in his shorts. He was proud of his V-shaped body, the golden skin.
284 Five Families of NY Dons were in the tradition of "men with a belly"... Stout, corpulent, massive leonine heads. They were not too well-tailored or barbered; they had the look of non-nonsense busy men without vanity.
287 Men who refused the dominion of other men
292 We have to be cunning like the business people. There's more money in it.
404 Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.
408 Don's last words: "Life is so beautiful"
Literary references, from Wikipedia:
Honoré de Balzac's “Le Père Goriot” (1834) has been the inspiration for notable lines that have gained wide popularity in cinema history. Puzo opened his 1969 novel with an epigraph popularly attributed to Balzac: "Behind every great fortune there is a crime." The saying is most likely evolved over time from Balzac's original text: "The secret of a great success for which you are at a loss to account is a crime that has never been found out, because it was properly executed."
"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" was included in both the original Puzo novel, The Godfather (1969), and used in the film adaptation (1972). Its origin very well may be from the same work to which Balzac is credited with the opening epigraph. Balzac wrote of Vautrin telling Eugene: "In that case I will make you an offer that no one would decline.
Also enjoyed the many excerpts from Puzo's book, and the side-stories which weren't in the film.
Notes:
A prompt-book, a tradition of stage managers.
24-26, the cutting, pasting, and binding process ... like stalling, or being involved with a long, tedious process ... But you're really ruminating over what it is you're going to do.
29 40s a peculiar time, half of people in bus stations were soldiers
33 Imagery and tone .... Kazan: every scene has a "core" idea
34 Much of Puzo's dialogue came from his mother, a practical woman given to pithy remarks
Book 1-25 Luca's story (later, in Sicily, infanticide)
56 Never get angry. Never make a threat. Reason with people.
Ignore all insults, all threats; turn the other cheek.
68 Movie producer and horse head ... "The Don would go all the way!! Maybe he won't kill me. He has something much more clever and painful in reserve."
73 Solozzo meeting: "Young people have no manners. They interrupt their elders, they meddle. But I have a sentimental weakness for my children, I spoil them."
113 Freddie not ruthless enough, too retiring.
147 Don't let anybody kid you. It's ALL personal, every bit of business.
246 Sonny went around the house in his shorts. He was proud of his V-shaped body, the golden skin.
284 Five Families of NY Dons were in the tradition of "men with a belly"... Stout, corpulent, massive leonine heads. They were not too well-tailored or barbered; they had the look of non-nonsense busy men without vanity.
287 Men who refused the dominion of other men
292 We have to be cunning like the business people. There's more money in it.
404 Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.
408 Don's last words: "Life is so beautiful"
Literary references, from Wikipedia:
Honoré de Balzac's “Le Père Goriot” (1834) has been the inspiration for notable lines that have gained wide popularity in cinema history. Puzo opened his 1969 novel with an epigraph popularly attributed to Balzac: "Behind every great fortune there is a crime." The saying is most likely evolved over time from Balzac's original text: "The secret of a great success for which you are at a loss to account is a crime that has never been found out, because it was properly executed."
"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" was included in both the original Puzo novel, The Godfather (1969), and used in the film adaptation (1972). Its origin very well may be from the same work to which Balzac is credited with the opening epigraph. Balzac wrote of Vautrin telling Eugene: "In that case I will make you an offer that no one would decline.
February 22, 2017
Wow! The book of all books! It took me two separate library check-outs but I finished it.. What an awesome gift Coppola has shared: his screenplay and director notes exactly as they were. Why a character wore a certain color, posed a certain way, laughed, cried, looked away--the detail is an amazing insight to such an incredible work of art. After reading the book, I then watched the movie and followed it with the book..
A must for all Godfather fans but also for those interested in writing screenplays. Truly a classic American masterpiece.
A must for all Godfather fans but also for those interested in writing screenplays. Truly a classic American masterpiece.
February 3, 2017
For anyone who thinks The Godfather is a masterpiece, this is the book for you. It's Coppola's notebook, where he broke down every page of the book, and figured out what to keep and what to get rid of as he wrote the screenplay. It's a great look inside a creative mind, and the creative process.
Every scene had a synopsis, the "core" of what he was trying to portray, imagery and tone he wanted to include, and what the pitfalls might be, all of which he was holding in his mind before actually writing the scene itself. In addition, his handwritten notes are all over the place.
Some of it is unintentionally hilarious -- in the "pitfalls" section of the scenes he says stuff like, "This is boring." "This is too long." "There's nothing exciting." "This is too slow." "There's nothing at stake." "What is at stake???" "This is too confusing."
Then he'd handwrite things like -- pace. Pace. PACE!!! almost like he was yelling at himself, as he thought, "I have to fix this damn pace!" It's a very funny and touching look at how a classic movie came to fruition, though, at the time, Coppola was seemingly simply trying to survive each choice he made.
Every scene had a synopsis, the "core" of what he was trying to portray, imagery and tone he wanted to include, and what the pitfalls might be, all of which he was holding in his mind before actually writing the scene itself. In addition, his handwritten notes are all over the place.
Some of it is unintentionally hilarious -- in the "pitfalls" section of the scenes he says stuff like, "This is boring." "This is too long." "There's nothing exciting." "This is too slow." "There's nothing at stake." "What is at stake???" "This is too confusing."
Then he'd handwrite things like -- pace. Pace. PACE!!! almost like he was yelling at himself, as he thought, "I have to fix this damn pace!" It's a very funny and touching look at how a classic movie came to fruition, though, at the time, Coppola was seemingly simply trying to survive each choice he made.
February 13, 2017
The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are by far my favorite films; I think that together they comprise the great American cinematic achievement. The opportunity to read through this notebook, and to see the ways in which Coppola went about collecting the scenes and background for such a towering work of art made for fascinating reading. The Godfather Notebook should be required reading for any director seeking to adapt and glean meaning from a literary text. Brilliant work.
December 19, 2022
This audio book didn’t give me anything new. It wasn’t the unabridged Godfather Notebook, and I was glad about that. I have no interest in reading that entire 700+ page book, but this gave me a glimpse of what the Notebook was like and how Francis Ford Coppola turned the novel into a cinematic masterpiece.
August 14, 2017
I love the movies. I love everything about them. I'm always interested in how artists go about making their art, especially how a director pulls together all the myriad threads of their vision, how they join in collaboration with hundreds of other artists to make a film.
The Godfather is considered one of the greatest films of all time so to be given the opportunity to see how Francis Ford Coppola began the work of adapting Mario Puzo's novel for the screen is, for me, a supreme gift. This is not a book to be downloaded onto an ereader. Attention must be paid. The film and its place in history have real weight and it is only right, I believe, to hold this gorgeous book in one's hands when reading it.
Coppola explains how, when he realized he was going to actually make a film of this novel he went through the book, page by page, his "pencil poised." He breaks each scene down into 5 sections: The Synopsis, The Times, Imagery and Tone, The Core (something he learned from Elia Kazan, and probably the most important part of each scene), and Pitfalls. As he reads the novel, underlining, making notes in the margins, cutting parts of the book that are not necessary to the main thrust of the film we can see the finished film in our heads. It is a fascinating, exciting, wonderful book for any fan of this fantastic film, and exhilarating to read the novel while reading all of Coppola's notes. At times he will make a note: "Think how Hitchcock would stage this scene," or "a gift of gold - tennesee williams." It's interesting to see his influences throughout the work and how they help him shape the book into a film.
Coppola sometimes brings out his red pencil to underline really important points in the book. At one point, on page 365 of the novel he writes in red: "WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT." In black he writes, "THE ENTIRE CREDO OF THE BOOK," and underlines it in red. He has found his meta theme. He is talking to Kay after he returns from Italy and Appolonia has been killed. Here is that passage: "You've got the wrong idea of my father and the Corleone Family. I'll make a final explanation and this one will be really final. My father is a businessman trying to provide for his wife and children and those friends he might need someday in a time of trouble. He doesn't accept the rules of society we live in because those rules would have condemned him to a life not suitable to a man life himself, a man of extraordinary force and character. What you have to understand is that he considers himself the equal of all those great men like Presidents and Prime Ministers and Supreme Court Justices and Governors of the States. He refuses to accept their will over his own. He refuses to live by rules set up by others, rules which condemn him to a defeated life. But his ultimate aim is to enter that society with a certain power since society doesn't really protect it member who do not have their own individual power. In the meantime he operates on a code of ethics he considers far superior to the legal structures of society."
Society IS rotten. It is corrupt. Those in power will bribe, steal and kill to keep their power. Politicians, judges, policeman are criminals. The Corleone family is just another part of that corruption. In this world, the manner in which they gain and hold onto power, live their lives, and provide for their families is the same as every other powerful person. Probably one of the most significant reasons it's such a successful story is that we feel it is true as well.
There's a great scene in the mediocre film "You've Got Mail" in which Tom Hanks advises Meg Ryan on how she needs to "go to the mattresses" to save her business. He explains why men are so obsessed with this film. There are many articles written on all the lessons taught in The Godfather. If you want to read an intricate notebook on how this iconic film began its road into the marrow of our culture, pick up this book now. It's an offer you can't refuse.
The Godfather is considered one of the greatest films of all time so to be given the opportunity to see how Francis Ford Coppola began the work of adapting Mario Puzo's novel for the screen is, for me, a supreme gift. This is not a book to be downloaded onto an ereader. Attention must be paid. The film and its place in history have real weight and it is only right, I believe, to hold this gorgeous book in one's hands when reading it.
Coppola explains how, when he realized he was going to actually make a film of this novel he went through the book, page by page, his "pencil poised." He breaks each scene down into 5 sections: The Synopsis, The Times, Imagery and Tone, The Core (something he learned from Elia Kazan, and probably the most important part of each scene), and Pitfalls. As he reads the novel, underlining, making notes in the margins, cutting parts of the book that are not necessary to the main thrust of the film we can see the finished film in our heads. It is a fascinating, exciting, wonderful book for any fan of this fantastic film, and exhilarating to read the novel while reading all of Coppola's notes. At times he will make a note: "Think how Hitchcock would stage this scene," or "a gift of gold - tennesee williams." It's interesting to see his influences throughout the work and how they help him shape the book into a film.
Coppola sometimes brings out his red pencil to underline really important points in the book. At one point, on page 365 of the novel he writes in red: "WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT." In black he writes, "THE ENTIRE CREDO OF THE BOOK," and underlines it in red. He has found his meta theme. He is talking to Kay after he returns from Italy and Appolonia has been killed. Here is that passage: "You've got the wrong idea of my father and the Corleone Family. I'll make a final explanation and this one will be really final. My father is a businessman trying to provide for his wife and children and those friends he might need someday in a time of trouble. He doesn't accept the rules of society we live in because those rules would have condemned him to a life not suitable to a man life himself, a man of extraordinary force and character. What you have to understand is that he considers himself the equal of all those great men like Presidents and Prime Ministers and Supreme Court Justices and Governors of the States. He refuses to accept their will over his own. He refuses to live by rules set up by others, rules which condemn him to a defeated life. But his ultimate aim is to enter that society with a certain power since society doesn't really protect it member who do not have their own individual power. In the meantime he operates on a code of ethics he considers far superior to the legal structures of society."
Society IS rotten. It is corrupt. Those in power will bribe, steal and kill to keep their power. Politicians, judges, policeman are criminals. The Corleone family is just another part of that corruption. In this world, the manner in which they gain and hold onto power, live their lives, and provide for their families is the same as every other powerful person. Probably one of the most significant reasons it's such a successful story is that we feel it is true as well.
There's a great scene in the mediocre film "You've Got Mail" in which Tom Hanks advises Meg Ryan on how she needs to "go to the mattresses" to save her business. He explains why men are so obsessed with this film. There are many articles written on all the lessons taught in The Godfather. If you want to read an intricate notebook on how this iconic film began its road into the marrow of our culture, pick up this book now. It's an offer you can't refuse.
February 6, 2017
If you think the Godfather is one of the greatest movies ever made, this is a really cool outline that Coppola put together before he made the film. It will enhance your subsequent viewings and make you appreciate his direction of the movie.
June 4, 2021
A fabulous window into Francis Ford Coppola's script and film world, and the 'process' of filmmaking. A must for script writers who will find this work educational, enlightening, exciting, and much more. Loaded with photos from the making of the Godfather film. Coppola’s theater days style "Prompt Book" being published is a vital piece of literature for any who are into director's notes, amendments, comments, etc., and screenplays adapted and reworked from novels. If that person is you, then Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather Notebook' is for you. Coppola's intro is a snapshot of his process dealing with this novel to make an historic feeling NY story set in an earlier time than the novel, a time where we typically romance the lives of those destined for unending grief. It is full of notations and movie screenshots and only 784 pages. 8-1/2 x 11
It is a heavy read... not the reading part, but the lifting and holding up the c. 4.5 lbs. book is after a spell.
Coppola’s 'Prompt Book' consists of five Acts:
1. Synopsis
2. The Times
3. Tone and Imagery
4. The Core
5. Pitfalls
-From the page notes of Mario Puzo’s novel, Francis Ford Coppola writes: "What This Book is About" - "The Entire Credo of the Book."
- And... the paragraph to which Coppola refers:
“The trouble is all that damn trash in the movies and the newspapers,” Michael said. “You’ve got the wrong idea of my father and the Corleone Family. I’ll make a final explanation and this one will be really final. My father is a businessman trying to provide for his wife and children and those friends he might need someday in a time of trouble. He doesn’t accept the rules of the society we live in because those rules would have condemned him to a life not suitable to a man like himself, a man of extraordinary force and character. What you have to understand is that he considers himself the equal of all those great men like Presidents and Prime Ministers and Supreme Court Justices and Governors of the States. He refuses to live by rules set up by others, rules which condemn him to a defeated life. But his ultimate aim is to enter that society with a certain power since society doesn’t really protect its members who do not have their own individual power. In the meantime he operates on a code of ethics he considers far superior to the legal structures of society.”
*** The process ***
"When Francis Ford Coppola was preparing to shoot The Godfather, he took a razor blade to Mario Puzo's 1969 book, cut out every page, and pasted them into a notebook. Then he scribbled in the margins and underlined important passages, while slashing others. For each section he planned to film, he included notes on synopsis, texture, tone, the core focus, and pitfalls to avoid."
-Coppola stated: "Upon that second reading, much of the book fell away in my mind, revealing a story that was a metaphor for American capitalism in the tale of a great king with three sons...."
It is a heavy read... not the reading part, but the lifting and holding up the c. 4.5 lbs. book is after a spell.
Coppola’s 'Prompt Book' consists of five Acts:
1. Synopsis
2. The Times
3. Tone and Imagery
4. The Core
5. Pitfalls
-From the page notes of Mario Puzo’s novel, Francis Ford Coppola writes: "What This Book is About" - "The Entire Credo of the Book."
- And... the paragraph to which Coppola refers:
“The trouble is all that damn trash in the movies and the newspapers,” Michael said. “You’ve got the wrong idea of my father and the Corleone Family. I’ll make a final explanation and this one will be really final. My father is a businessman trying to provide for his wife and children and those friends he might need someday in a time of trouble. He doesn’t accept the rules of the society we live in because those rules would have condemned him to a life not suitable to a man like himself, a man of extraordinary force and character. What you have to understand is that he considers himself the equal of all those great men like Presidents and Prime Ministers and Supreme Court Justices and Governors of the States. He refuses to live by rules set up by others, rules which condemn him to a defeated life. But his ultimate aim is to enter that society with a certain power since society doesn’t really protect its members who do not have their own individual power. In the meantime he operates on a code of ethics he considers far superior to the legal structures of society.”
*** The process ***
"When Francis Ford Coppola was preparing to shoot The Godfather, he took a razor blade to Mario Puzo's 1969 book, cut out every page, and pasted them into a notebook. Then he scribbled in the margins and underlined important passages, while slashing others. For each section he planned to film, he included notes on synopsis, texture, tone, the core focus, and pitfalls to avoid."
-Coppola stated: "Upon that second reading, much of the book fell away in my mind, revealing a story that was a metaphor for American capitalism in the tale of a great king with three sons...."
July 3, 2017
This amazing book is simultaneously several things: (1) This is an incredible and important document, like a facsimile of Fitzgerald’s handwritten Gatsby manuscript.
(2) It’s one of the best books written about a single film for the way in which it enhanced my enjoyment and understanding of that film. (Geoff Dyer's Zona: A Book About a Film About a Journey to a Room is only another one I can can think of that improved my experience of the film as much as this does.)
(3) It’s like reading the Puzo novel with a Coppola Commentary Track pointing out what he chose to stress and why. Thus we get great margin notes like this when the Don is shot: “The Shooting: GREAT DETAIL. The rolling fruit. The Don is the main character of this movie, so as in “Psycho’” we are totally thrown when his is shot.”
(4) It’s a case study in how to adapt a novel for the screen. How to hone in on the core of scenes, what pitfalls to avoid, what to leave out, what to stress, linking certain scenes and images to others in the film. For example, he explains what you should do (“Every scene should have a core that is at the root of that scene…If you nailed the clarity of that core in each scene, the audience would get that, and that would form the spin of the experience for them.”) Then he proceeds scene by scene to show you how he did this for The Godfather.
(5) Most surprisingly, it’s also a masterclass in book editing. Coppola saw in Puzo’s potboiler mafia saga the germ of a Shakespearean drama: the succession story of an aging king with three sons and surrounded by enemies. Coppola refines Puzo’s novel — to use the metaphor of precious metals — by removing impurities: unnecessary characters, plot lines, and sensational elements. The end result is more concentrated and stronger than The Godfather as published, which I’ve tried and failed to finsh a couple of times on a couple of beaches. From now on I’ll be recommending all friends to read this “The Godfather Director’s Cut” instead.
(2) It’s one of the best books written about a single film for the way in which it enhanced my enjoyment and understanding of that film. (Geoff Dyer's Zona: A Book About a Film About a Journey to a Room is only another one I can can think of that improved my experience of the film as much as this does.)
(3) It’s like reading the Puzo novel with a Coppola Commentary Track pointing out what he chose to stress and why. Thus we get great margin notes like this when the Don is shot: “The Shooting: GREAT DETAIL. The rolling fruit. The Don is the main character of this movie, so as in “Psycho’” we are totally thrown when his is shot.”
(4) It’s a case study in how to adapt a novel for the screen. How to hone in on the core of scenes, what pitfalls to avoid, what to leave out, what to stress, linking certain scenes and images to others in the film. For example, he explains what you should do (“Every scene should have a core that is at the root of that scene…If you nailed the clarity of that core in each scene, the audience would get that, and that would form the spin of the experience for them.”) Then he proceeds scene by scene to show you how he did this for The Godfather.
(5) Most surprisingly, it’s also a masterclass in book editing. Coppola saw in Puzo’s potboiler mafia saga the germ of a Shakespearean drama: the succession story of an aging king with three sons and surrounded by enemies. Coppola refines Puzo’s novel — to use the metaphor of precious metals — by removing impurities: unnecessary characters, plot lines, and sensational elements. The end result is more concentrated and stronger than The Godfather as published, which I’ve tried and failed to finsh a couple of times on a couple of beaches. From now on I’ll be recommending all friends to read this “The Godfather Director’s Cut” instead.
December 10, 2025
Ever since I first watched The Godfather on cable TV at age 19, I was hooked, and I remain under its thrall over 30 years later. Hooked in fact from Bonasera's opening monologue, all the way through to the final shot of Diane Keaton. I've since read all there is to read about the movie, from Puzo's novel, to making-of and tell-all books (I've reviewed the screenplay book elsewhere on Goodreads). This book of Coppola's I've been desiring ever since he first mentioned it on the DVD audio commentary, but I didn't manage to buy it on its publication in 2016 so am reading it for the first time in 2025.
In short, this book does not disappoint. It's the indispensable making-of story of The Godfather -- Coppola's notes on the novel (what to keep, what to discard), his breakdown of the movie into 50 scenes/sequences, and draft script pages for book scenes that were filmed but discarded.
Since that first TV viewing I've learned a lot about screenplays, including that there is no such thing as a wholly original movie. Directors, even the great one, quote heavily from their favorite works. Coppola in the margins of the Notebook writes down allusions to Hitchcock, and moves like Five Easy Pieces, Viva Zapata!, and Mafioso. Although the movie takes about 90% of its dialogue from Puzo's novel, much of the visual look quotes Coppola's favorite filmmakers.
We see what ideas Coppola really wanted to feature, and actually filmed, which didn't wind up in the theatrical release -- Genco's death, and the notion of Sonny as the main character for the middle hour (setting up a Hitchcockian twist). I'd never realized that Michael's big plan to win the Five Families War was originally Sonny's plan. And, if nothing else, it's great to have Coppola's surprisingly legible handwritten notes in the margin, as you see what book pages excite him, delight him, and just plain bore him. Most of his notes are in black ink but when the red pen comes out, you're back in 1971 behind the camera and you know that Coppola's about to plan some amazing shot.
This book is a gem and I'll never see the movie the same way again.
In short, this book does not disappoint. It's the indispensable making-of story of The Godfather -- Coppola's notes on the novel (what to keep, what to discard), his breakdown of the movie into 50 scenes/sequences, and draft script pages for book scenes that were filmed but discarded.
Since that first TV viewing I've learned a lot about screenplays, including that there is no such thing as a wholly original movie. Directors, even the great one, quote heavily from their favorite works. Coppola in the margins of the Notebook writes down allusions to Hitchcock, and moves like Five Easy Pieces, Viva Zapata!, and Mafioso. Although the movie takes about 90% of its dialogue from Puzo's novel, much of the visual look quotes Coppola's favorite filmmakers.
We see what ideas Coppola really wanted to feature, and actually filmed, which didn't wind up in the theatrical release -- Genco's death, and the notion of Sonny as the main character for the middle hour (setting up a Hitchcockian twist). I'd never realized that Michael's big plan to win the Five Families War was originally Sonny's plan. And, if nothing else, it's great to have Coppola's surprisingly legible handwritten notes in the margin, as you see what book pages excite him, delight him, and just plain bore him. Most of his notes are in black ink but when the red pen comes out, you're back in 1971 behind the camera and you know that Coppola's about to plan some amazing shot.
This book is a gem and I'll never see the movie the same way again.
August 2, 2025
Le doy 5 estrellas por el valor sentimental que tiene dado que es un regalo de mis amigos y por lo que representa el libro. ¿Es intrigante? ¿Te invita a seguir leyendo? Pues no. Este es un libro de una categoría muy distinta a lo que estoy acostumbrado. En resumen, es el cuaderno de notas de Coppola sobre el libro del Padrino de Mario Puzio con el que se basó para dirigir El Padrino. Su alto valor radica en seguir el proceso mental e introducirse en las decisiones que toma Coppola sobre cómo contar la historia.
Encuentro realmente fascinante ciertas apreciaciones que hace, en el sentido de que Mario decide contar la historia de una forma en el libro, y él piensa que sería mejor de otra forma —la que usa en la peli—, pero sin dar ninguna explicación. No sé, me parece muy interesante el proceso artístico y la toma de decisiones asociadas. Realmente, no creo que se pueda explicar como tal el porqué de cada decisión, sino que lo sienten así. Pero muy interesante. Yo diría que es el resumen perfecto de este libro: muy interesante. Ahora bien, hay que ser un frikazo o de la peli, o del cine en general para tanquearse las 800 páginas que tiene eh, advertidos estáis.
Pequeña reseña del libro de El Padrino, ya que me he leído gran parte de él ya que actuaba como soporte a las notas de Coppola.
Tiene un estilo muy distinto al de la película, más sombrío, serio y frío. Aparte de que te conduce más lentamente por la psique de los personajes que conforman la trama. Esto último a veces no se hace tan patente en la película, porque no hay un narrador. Y también tiene mucho trasfondo a la historia que no sé yo realmente hasta qué punto aporta. En vista del libro, considero que Coppola hizo una adaptación muy buena al cine (no que uno sea mejor que otro porque para ello debería leerme el libro entero) dado que mantiene la esencia del libro y cuenta la historia muy bien, habida cuenta de las limitaciones del cine frente a la novela escrita.
Encuentro realmente fascinante ciertas apreciaciones que hace, en el sentido de que Mario decide contar la historia de una forma en el libro, y él piensa que sería mejor de otra forma —la que usa en la peli—, pero sin dar ninguna explicación. No sé, me parece muy interesante el proceso artístico y la toma de decisiones asociadas. Realmente, no creo que se pueda explicar como tal el porqué de cada decisión, sino que lo sienten así. Pero muy interesante. Yo diría que es el resumen perfecto de este libro: muy interesante. Ahora bien, hay que ser un frikazo o de la peli, o del cine en general para tanquearse las 800 páginas que tiene eh, advertidos estáis.
Pequeña reseña del libro de El Padrino, ya que me he leído gran parte de él ya que actuaba como soporte a las notas de Coppola.
Tiene un estilo muy distinto al de la película, más sombrío, serio y frío. Aparte de que te conduce más lentamente por la psique de los personajes que conforman la trama. Esto último a veces no se hace tan patente en la película, porque no hay un narrador. Y también tiene mucho trasfondo a la historia que no sé yo realmente hasta qué punto aporta. En vista del libro, considero que Coppola hizo una adaptación muy buena al cine (no que uno sea mejor que otro porque para ello debería leerme el libro entero) dado que mantiene la esencia del libro y cuenta la historia muy bien, habida cuenta de las limitaciones del cine frente a la novela escrita.
December 6, 2022
In this book is Coppola's decision-making process with all his notes on how he would direct the film classic "The Godfather."
His system of examining Puzo's text and adding notes of not only flavoring but of setting, vibe, and potential pitfalls make for an interesting study of all the layers he created to show us this world and its characters.
This is a great writing craft book. Coppola took two copies of Puzo's novel, cut out the parts he wanted to film, glued them on a sheet of paper, made references to the text in notes in the white space, and then typed his own notes to add.
I first learned of this book while I was watching the behind-the-scenes extras for the streaming series "The Offer." If you want to read The Godfather Notebook, know that it is expensive to buy. It's huge but, wow, is it an excellent resource! I wouldn't be surprised if some film schools use it as a textbook, but if you're a Godfather fan, this amounts to the world's most fascinating textbook.
The copy I read I found via the inter-library loan system. There's also a free copy to view online on The Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/the-godfa...
His system of examining Puzo's text and adding notes of not only flavoring but of setting, vibe, and potential pitfalls make for an interesting study of all the layers he created to show us this world and its characters.
This is a great writing craft book. Coppola took two copies of Puzo's novel, cut out the parts he wanted to film, glued them on a sheet of paper, made references to the text in notes in the white space, and then typed his own notes to add.
I first learned of this book while I was watching the behind-the-scenes extras for the streaming series "The Offer." If you want to read The Godfather Notebook, know that it is expensive to buy. It's huge but, wow, is it an excellent resource! I wouldn't be surprised if some film schools use it as a textbook, but if you're a Godfather fan, this amounts to the world's most fascinating textbook.
The copy I read I found via the inter-library loan system. There's also a free copy to view online on The Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/the-godfa...
July 7, 2017
The Godfather Notebook from The Godfather trilogy director Francis Ford Coppola is an offer you can't refuse!
(Okay, now that I have gotten that out of the way.)
The Godfather Notebook is a must-read for any fan of The Godfather as Coppola gives fans an inside look into the creative process behind the making of the fan for the first time ever. Coppola treats his creation of the movie script in the same way a stage manager would approach the creation of a play, and even dissects the Mario Puzo book of the same name in the process.
The first two films of The Godfather trilogy are my two favorite films of all time (although I am slightly more partial to Part II) so this was a real treat for me. Even as someone who has seen both films countless times and read up about them, I was able to take new information away. Definitely pick this up if you can.
(Okay, now that I have gotten that out of the way.)
The Godfather Notebook is a must-read for any fan of The Godfather as Coppola gives fans an inside look into the creative process behind the making of the fan for the first time ever. Coppola treats his creation of the movie script in the same way a stage manager would approach the creation of a play, and even dissects the Mario Puzo book of the same name in the process.
The first two films of The Godfather trilogy are my two favorite films of all time (although I am slightly more partial to Part II) so this was a real treat for me. Even as someone who has seen both films countless times and read up about them, I was able to take new information away. Definitely pick this up if you can.
April 23, 2018
Have you read Mario Puzo's "The Godfather"? If not, you should have; it is one of the great American novels of the 20th century. That novel served as the template Francis Ford Coppola used to film "The Godfather", which is on every film critic's short list of the greatest American films ever made.
But how did the book become the movie? How did Coppola decide what parts of the book to use and what to avoid? What was Coppola's thought process as he converted a book into a movie?
Luckily for us, he kept a notebook, which has now been reproduced and published so we can see this process. Coppola explains his process for creating the notebook and how he used it during filming. For fans of the movie, this is an amazing artifact, and one that you need to get your hands on and read.
For fans of the novel, you can reread the novel here and see exactly what Coppola used in the movie.
This is truly a special volume and Godfather fans need to get their hands on it.
But how did the book become the movie? How did Coppola decide what parts of the book to use and what to avoid? What was Coppola's thought process as he converted a book into a movie?
Luckily for us, he kept a notebook, which has now been reproduced and published so we can see this process. Coppola explains his process for creating the notebook and how he used it during filming. For fans of the movie, this is an amazing artifact, and one that you need to get your hands on and read.
For fans of the novel, you can reread the novel here and see exactly what Coppola used in the movie.
This is truly a special volume and Godfather fans need to get their hands on it.
March 3, 2018
This book had been on my To Read list since it was released over a year ago. It gives you all the details behind one of the best Hollywood films ever produced. The book flows according to how the movie unfolds. It includes a lot of actual text from The Godfather book, by Mario Puzo, marked up with Coppola's production notes. You will also see what did not make it into the film's final cut. You will also learn why so much of the book wasn't great material for the film medium. Puzo improved upon his book by helping write the film script.
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo collaborated to create a cinema classic. Treat yourself to this fine accounting of how The Godfather film was made. Highest recommendation.
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo collaborated to create a cinema classic. Treat yourself to this fine accounting of how The Godfather film was made. Highest recommendation.
October 16, 2022
so much fun reading, to have both additional context on Coppola's thought processes and framework, and also more of Puzo's story. the backstory of some characters are interesting and useful, but the film seems as tight as it should be. I read a few months after seeing the godfather for the first time in ~20 years at a screening where Coppola have a talk, and being an adult made me appreciate the complexities and adultness more. in the middle of reading I watched it again, and it all comes together nicely. maybe one day I'll read Puzo's entire novel, but here on out excited to watch Godfather 2 again (and the new part 3, which I've never seen).
November 17, 2016
For a committed Godfather aficionado, it doesn't get much better than this. I couldn't believe it when I learned about the Godfather Notebook coming out about six months ago.
The book contains Ford's detailed notes that he used to direct The Godfather. He took the Mario Puzo book and taped each page into his notebook binder and wrote his own notes on each page. You also get to see Ford's handwritten notes on all the actors considered for each role.
I immediately ordered it (as a Christmas gift to myself) and it came yesterday. Christmas came early for me this year! This is history!
The book contains Ford's detailed notes that he used to direct The Godfather. He took the Mario Puzo book and taped each page into his notebook binder and wrote his own notes on each page. You also get to see Ford's handwritten notes on all the actors considered for each role.
I immediately ordered it (as a Christmas gift to myself) and it came yesterday. Christmas came early for me this year! This is history!
October 11, 2017
Would have given five stars except The Godfather is really not all that great a book. Of course I did not read this so i could read that novel, I read because of all of the gems and sheer brilliance revealed in Coppola's notes and the insights revealed relating to his filmmaking process. Upon completion I wanted to re-watch the film immediately and then go start working on another film.
bravo Mr Coppola - we miss you.
bravo Mr Coppola - we miss you.
June 7, 2017
Not just for filmmakers, artists, writers, or people interested in the creative process. This work is for anyone who complains that their latest output was not well received. Coppola did the work, stressed out while doing, did even more work, and ultimately succeed in producing one of the finest pieces of cinema ever. A great look inside the mind of the artist.
July 5, 2020
This is a beautiful facsimile of Coppola’s working notes he prepared in making the film. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. The cover is a little flimsy, but I am grateful the pages were re-produced in color. This and Coppola’s DVD commentary are a master class in filmmaking. A treasure.
September 23, 2022
Borrowed from the library and thoroughly enjoyed all the information within. Can say this is well worth the money for Godfather fans! I will be buying a copy of it as it held so much information to read in one borrow period. Also it drags you into what Coppola was thinking while filming the Godfather. Highly interesting and can't wait to read again to catch things I might of missed!
September 4, 2021
Excellent information, showing how Francis Ford Coppola went around the initial plans for the movie. It would have been good if posterior changes were included, such as planned scenes that were cut, etc., but it's very interesting in any case.
February 25, 2023
Accompanied by a viewing of the movie, of course. Fascinating to see the process of adaptation be mostly a matter of chopping off parts of the book, accompanied by trying to bring inner monologues and backstories to life in the most economical manner possible.
May 6, 2017
must read for fans of the Godfather, or of the process of adapting a work to a screenplay to a film
August 4, 2017
For those who love "The Godfather" in heavy syrup. LOTS of background and behind the scenes details in the prep for making the film. By Francis Ford Coppola himself.
December 14, 2017
Everything I was hoping it would be.
October 22, 2020
Coppola puts you into his head as he mapped out "The Godfather". It's amazing, boring, and terrific.
January 25, 2021
Expensive but worth every cent. Not 5 stars. 10+.
June 24, 2021
Excellent from start to finish. Gave me new insight into the much loved story. Made me want to go back and reread the book for the third time.
November 28, 2021
Fascinating and insightful!
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