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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Saturday 13 February 2016
Make them an offer they can’t refuse: Puzo archive for sale
MARK PRATT “This is one of the neatest ately following it. In this July 25, 1996 file photo, author Mario Puzo talks during an
Associated Press things I have ever seen in “It seems that Puzo and interview in New York.
BOSTON (AP) — Make them my job,” said Tricia Eaton, Coppola together simpli-
an offer they can’t refuse RR’s director of specialty fied a lot of the dialogue Associated Press
and a massive collection catalogs. from the book for the
of “The Godfather” author The scripts include some screen,” Eaton said. “The to sell for at least $400,000 selling so it can be properly
Mario Puzo’s papers can of Puzo’s own scribbles way it came out in the at auction. cared for.
be yours. and thoughts on what the movie makes it a little more The archive is being of- “Dad loved to live the high
The 45-box archive, which American Film Institute like everyday gangster fered by Puzo’s five chil- life, even when he couldn’t
includes multiple drafts called the second most slang.” dren. Anthony Puzo, who afford it, and he was often
with handwritten revisions famous movie quote of Another fascinating piece was in his late teens when in debt.
to both the novel and the all-time, Marlon Brando, as of the collection is a let- his father was writing “The He always used to say he’d
screenplay, is being sold by Don Vito Corleone, saying: ter from Puzo to Brando Godfather,” says the col- be all right once he wrote
Boston-based RR Auction “I’m gonna make him an dated March 1970. Puzo lection is full of memories, his best-seller,” Anthony
on Feb. 18. offer he can’t refuse.” (The envisioned Brando playing but he and his siblings are Puzo said.q
The collection covering Pu- most famous movie quote Corleone in the 1972 mov-
zo’s entire career includes is, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t ie, but it almost never hap-
manuscripts of his early give a damn,” from “Gone pened. Apparently think-
books and late-career with the Wind.”) ing that Brando was out of
screenplays, and even his In one manuscript, Puzo the project, Puzo wrote the
old typewriter. But there’s makes a change to the letter expressing his disap-
no doubt that its thousands line: “He’s a businessman. pointment.
of pages of “Godfather” I’ll make him an offer he “I’m sorry I wasted your
documents are the high- can’t refuse,” scratching time,” Puzo wrote.
light. out the phrase “He’s a busi- “I still think it was a good
They shed light on the cre- nessman” and scrawling in: idea. And thanks for taking
ative process, including the “I’ll reason with him.” the trouble to call and talk
back and forth between In another, Puzo intensifies to me.”
Puzo and Francis Ford Cop- the famous line’s ominous RR executive vice presi-
pola as they collaborated finality by crossing out a dent Robert Livingston said
on the screenplay. line of dialogue immedi- the collection is expected
