THE OFFER: A Review Of The New GODFATHER Documentary

Introduction

The Godfather was released 50 years ago in 1972. Since its release, it has gone down as one of the most celebrated films of all time. Almost as famous was the harrowing and frenzied production to bring Mario Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel to the big screen. The stories of Paramount Pictures studio head Robert Evan’s constant battling with the filmmakers. His insistent belief that the underdog film would be a success. All of this has become the stuff of legend. Now, Paramount+  is bringing these stories back to life in the ten-part made-for-TV series, The Offer.

The Offer is created by Michael Tolkin (The Rapture, Escape at Dannemora). Tolkin has stated that he knew little about the infamous backstory with regards to the making of The Godfather. However, he was aware of the legendary crooner and actor Frank Sinatra getting into a tussle with Puzo at Chasen’s restaurant in West Hollywood. Sinatra was none-too-pleased about the character ‘Johnny Fontaine’ who, rumor has it, Puzo based on Sinatra. Tolkin spoke to Vanity Fair in January 2022:

“All I knew about the making of The Godfather was that Mario Puzo got into a fight with Frank Sinatra at Chasen’s. So I had a five-minute scene and all I needed was nine hours and 55 minutes more”

Synopsis

In The Offer, director Francis Ford Coppola (Dan Fogler) is portrayed as a brilliant, yet green newcomer who needs the money. He also seeks credibility amongst his peers. He has a screenwriting credit for Patton (1970) under his belt, and will soon win his first Academy Award for it in 1971. However, as a director, Coppola has little clout or acclaim in the industry. What he does have is studio head, Robert Evans (Matthew Goode).

Peter Bart (Josh Zuckerman), Evan’s assistant, has recently optioned Mario Puzo’s (Patrick Gallo) smash-hit best-seller, The Godfather. Evans, who is running the struggling Paramount Pictures, needs a hit, and quick. Evans sees the failure of recent “gangster” films and realizes that if he is going to green-light The Godfather, it will need to be authentic. Authenticity means an Italian director. They want Sergio Leone, who is unavailable. It’s Bart who suggests the still relatively unknown Coppola.  

Al Ruddy (Miles Teller) is the centerpiece of The Offer and the producer of The Godfather. The brash and confident former Rand corporation employee finagles his way into producing the wildly successful Hogan’s Heroes for CBS. His combination of charming aggressiveness combined with an analytical mind is perfect for Hollywood and producing movies. Ruddy basically bullies his way onto the Paramount lot and into Evans’ orbit.

Warner Bros. offers Evans and Gulf & Western (the parent company of Paramount) a million dollars for the rights to The Godfather property. However, Evans, with his incredible charm and chutzpah, convinces the executives to turn the deal down. Soon, as per direction from Evans, Ruddy is on a flight to New York to convince Gulf & Western CEO Charles Bluhdorn (Burn Gorman) to green-light the project. Bluhdorn agrees when Ruddy tells him matter-of-factly:

“I’m going to make an ice-blue, terrifying film about people you love”

New York gangster Joe Colombo (Giovanni Ribisi) and other members of New York City’s Italian organized crime families are not happy with how Puzo’s book portrays them and are furious that said book is being adapted for the screen. Frank Sinatra (Frank John Hughes) is also fuming as he is convinced the ‘Johnny Fontaine’ character is based on him. Subsequently, he sends Columbo a funeral wreath of flowers, thereby sending a message about shutting the film down.

Ruddy has a slim budget, along with actual mobsters, to contend with. However, the producer uses his street smarts and ‘balls’ to eventually win over Columbo. He tells Columbo that The Godfather will be a cherished film about family and honor. With his assistant Bettye McCartt (Juno Temple) at his side every step of the way, Ruddy is able to navigate the choppy waters of organized crime, angry studio heads, and interfering executives.

Analysis

If you don’t take everything so seriously, The Offer is a fun show to watch. It’s well cast and well-written. It’s also a deep dive into the age-old question of ‘what does a producer actually do?’ The scenes of Puzzo and Coppola holed up in a house, writing and eating are undeniably enjoyable and Gallo and Fogler have great chemistry together. However, the series does take liberties with regard to what ‘really’ happened. Further, the first episode at times is a bit heavy with the exposition, making it the worst of the episodes to air, to date.

The title credits for The Offer indicate that the show is “Based on Albert Ruddy’s experience of making ‘The Godfather.’” This isn’t a credit you will see on-screen very often. Subsequently, the viewer is only seeing things that happen through the prism of Ruddy’s 92-year-old memory and recollections. As a result, there are numerous people who were part of the production who have an ax to grind with this series.

The Offer paints the production of The Godfather in very broad strokes. However, the one theme that the series consistently drives home to the viewer is the bond that the production created amongst the cast, crew, producers, and yes, gangsters. In the end, everybody saw through their differences and came together for the greater good. The reality, of course, is that this isn’t entirely true. For example, the anger and disdain between Evans and Coppola that lasted for decades is never really on full display in The Offer. 

If one digs hard enough, they will even find discrepancies in Ruddy’s own story, as depicted in The Offer. For example, the series takes liberties in portraying Ruddy as a computer programmer who basically stumbles his way into show business. The reality is he actually worked for Warner Bros. before becoming a programmer. Further, Marlon Brando’s father hired Ruddy to produce Wild Seed (1965) before Ruddy landed the Hogan’s Heroes producing job. 

Still, there is such a thing as artistic license, and it’s clearly on display in The Offer. If you can get past all of this, and just enjoy the series for what it is, you realize how difficult and remarkable it is that any movie ever gets made, especially one as complex as The Godfather. At its heart, The Offer is a classic underdog story and we are rooting for its success every step of the way. Further, the series, in its themes, actually mirrors that of The Godfather itself.

One thing that must be mentioned is that most of the mafia stuff portrayed in the series, apparently, never happened. Peter Bart worked with Evans on The Godfather and stated he does not recall any threats of violence by members of organized crime against the cast or crew. He’s also backed up by other members of the original team. Gary Frederickson, production deputy in charge of locations stated recently that “None of this was happening.” Perhaps Robert Evans stated it best in his fantastic documentary The Kid Stays In The Picture (2002):

“There are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each differently”

The Cast

Marlon Brando (Justin Chambers) and Al Pacino (Anthony Ippolito) are both portrayed in The Offer and the actors do an adequate job. Ippolito more so than Chambers. The hair and makeup are fantastic and Ippolito displays those sad and deep eyes that made Pacino such a star. His Pacino is spot on. Miles Teller is a dominating presence as Albert Ruddy. The role was actually intended for Armie Hammer before the actor was replaced due to accusations of misconduct.

Matthew Goode is the real revelation of The Offer for his portrayal of Robert Evans. This will most likely be reflected when the 74th annual Emmy Awards are announced on July 12. The real Robert Evans was one of the more unique and interesting characters in the history of Hollywood. The British-born Goode nails the vocal inflections and speechification. His Evans-like smoothness is on display at all times, even when he’s exploding like a volcano. Goode’s performance is even more astonishing in that he looks nothing like Evans. Plus, those glasses…

Frank John Hughes as Frank Sinatra is less convincing. He comes off as a one-dimensional ‘tough guy,’ when in reality, the real-life Sinatra was much more complicated and intense than that. While Ribisi’s Joseph Colombo is well-acted, with genuine chemistry and connection with the Ruddy character, the vocal mannerisms that Ribisi uses are oft-putting. Further, the real-life Columbo sounded nothing like what Ribisi is putting up on the screen.

Juno Temple is the other standout in The Offer as Ruddy’s brash, sassy, and incredibly knowledgeable assistant Bettye McCartt. She shines on-screen and the back and forth banter with Ruddy is entertaining. The same cannot be said about Ruddy’s love interest, Francoise Glazer. Portrayed by Nora Arnezeder, their scenes together are tedious and basically filler used to move the story along. There is, however, some nice backstory about the Chateau Marmont Hotel, which she owned and ran at the time The Godfather was in production.

Dan Fogler as Francis Ford Coppola and Patrick Gallo as Mario Puzo are clearly having fun in The Offer. Their scenes together are the best-written and acted in the series. One can imagine an entire spinoff series dedicated to spending time with these two, holed up in a house, eating, complaining, writing, and arguing about hygiene. Colin Hanks has little to do and looks bored as Barry Lapidus, the Gulf & Western bad guy executive trying to derail the production.

Rounding out the cast of The Offer is Burn Gorman, who does an admirable job playing Gulf & Western CEO Charles Bluhdorn. Bluhdorn championed Evans’s project when all those around him were saying no. Meredith Garretson as Evans’s wife, superstar actress Ali McGraw, has little to do and not much material to work with. Billy Magnussen pops up in an interesting cameo as Robert Redford, on the set of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969). Joseph Russo as mobster ‘Crazy’ Joe Gallo has some effective scenes and displays the proper menace.

Conclusion

The Offer was bound to be a polarizing series as its depicting the making of The Godfather, arguably one of the 5 greatest films of all time. Purists will take this series apart piece by piece and rip it to shreds, and that’s understandable. However, regardless of the broad strokes that Tolkin paints his picture with, he has created a thoroughly enjoyable, if at times silly, series. Matthew Goode alone makes The Offer worth watching. If you don’t take it all too seriously, you’ll find yourself having a fun time.

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