Daily Dialogue — October 2, 2015

“I believe in America. America has made my fortune.”

— The Godfather (1972), screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, novel by Mario Puzo

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Opening Lines. Today’s suggestion by Rob Peterson.

Trivia: According to Mario Puzo, the character of Johnny Fontane was NOT based on Frank Sinatra. However, everyone assumed that it was, and Sinatra was furious; when he met Puzo at a restaurant he screamed vulgar terms and threats at Puzo. Sinatra was also vehemently opposed to the film. Due to this backlash, Fontane’s role in the film was scaled down to a couple of scenes.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Rob: “We don’t see Bonasera deliver the first line as Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis keep the mortician in darkness. It was a strong line to deliver in the era of the Vietnam war and Nixon’s re-election bid. The sentiment seems to be shadowed by nostalgia. And when we see him, delivering the line, “America made my fortune,” we see why the English was accented: he’s an immigrant and he’s found his way here. But, as we’re to find out, he’s still an outsider, like the man who’s asking for help. A man who has become a man of influence through organized crime. This is only a story that could be made and mythologized in the U.S.A.