'The Godfather' Turns 50-- Part 2: It Was a Family Affair and That Darn Cat, What? No Brando?

**  IT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR

Director Francis Ford Coppola didn't just cast his sister, Talia Shire, in the movie.  Their father, Carmine Coppola composed the music for the soundtrack.  

And, the baby boy that was in the baptism scene was the director's daughter who grew up to appear in the sequels (in other roles) and has become a renowned writer and director herself.

Her brothers, Roman and Gian-Carlo, also had small background roles.

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**  THAT CAT

It was a stray that Coppola told Brando to improvise with.

**  NO MARLON BRANDO?

Paramount actually preferred to have Burt Lancaster, Laurence Olivier  or Anthony Quinn to play crime boss Don Vito Corleone.

--CootCat