School, college and other closings for Monday

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Director Francis Ford Coppola is perhaps best known for directing "The Godfather," which is widely praised as one of the greatest films ever made. Despite his notoriety Coppola makes very few public appearances, and so when he does "it is truly an offer the audience can't refuse."

Coppola made one of these rare appearances when he spoke November 15, 2016 at the Commonwealth Club of California's Good Lit series, sponsored by the Bernard Osher Foundation and moderated by Adam Savage. 

During his talk Coppola detailed his experience from the writing, to the casting and the filming of some of his greatest movies.

"I didn't have a script when I made "The Godfather," I had this big book. And I always loved that because not only did I have my notes and how I was planning to do it, but I had the original source material," Coppola said, describing how he would insert loose leaf pages into the his copy of "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo.

Coppola released copies of this annotated version of the book earlier this year with the title 

To listen to the full speech, click the audio player above.

Godfather actor Al Pacino is celebrated in 

MPR News presents offers speeches, documentaries and debates — airing weekdays from noon to 1 p.m

Arts and Culture

Shows

MPR News Presents

MPR News Staff

Author

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola speaks about his life and career in moviemaking, on the occasion of the release of his new book, "The Godfather Notebook."

Francis Ford Coppola talk is "an offer the audience can't refuse"

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox