Robert De Niro Auditioning for Sonny Corleone in The Godfather

The great Robert De Niro auditioning for the role of Sonny Corleone in 1971.
I was very impressed ... and in fact when the role was given to Jimmy Caan, he was supposed to play 'Paulie Gatto' but then was up for a bigger role in "THE GANG WHO COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT" and wanted to take the sure thing, and yet go for this part. So I told him "I'll hold the Paulie part for you so if you don't get the "gang" part, don't worry." But he got the Part.

[@AbdiqalisMohamud010]

Ultimately, James Caan made a great Sonny. De Niro as a young Vito worked great too

[@samuelzins5089]

James Caan was too good to think of anyone else

[@Fl0k5ser]

Failed to get the Sonny role, instead got the young Vito Corleone role for The Godfather 2 and earned him his first ever Academy Award win. Wow, what an iconic move! At the end of the day, it's a win win solution for Coppola, De Niro, and James Caan himself 🙌

[@francescaa8331]

Thanks for putting this up.

[@Cold417]

World-class actor right there!

[@emilymarino7795]

Your channel is such a treat!!!

[@hodah]

Now all we need is the video rehearsal footage of ‘The Conversation’

[@Andyvg99]

Glad it went to Caan.

[@FrankValchiria]

Francis on youtube, what a great treat

[@Reedanimzthestupe]

i want to see other actors auditioning tapes like michael v gazzo or john cazale

[@lonelyone]

Really disappointed by the beeps. Why not preserve history?

[@koldomuruacilveti]

Please mr. Coppola, upload rehearsal footage of mr. Brando in The Godfather

[@triple_thrice]

This moment has crossed oceans of time to find us.

[@marsstarlink3235]

Epic

[@masonmellinger5304]

Thank you, Francis! There's been like 10 seconds of this audition ever shown publicly. From documentaries and the like. Is there more or is it all that's been recovered?

[@jediyod978]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@thegrievancegordieshow9882]

fresh Mean Streets look

[@Jared_Wignall]

Mean Streets wasn’t made yet. Godfather came out the year before Mean Streets.

[@thegrievancegordieshow9882]

@@Jared_Wignall embarrassingly yep 👍

[@nms7872]

@@Jared_Wignallso this clearly influenced his role as Jonny boy then

[@DrClock-il8ij]

Wouldnt have worked. James Caan was much better and De Niro was perfect as Vito

[@noyd4172]

Thank you, maestro.

[@Isaac.Victor2006]

Brazil Here

[@Galacticpurveyor]

I’m guessing part of the reason why didn’t get the part is because he doesn’t look physically like Pacino’s older brother. It sure wasn’t talent based on the short clip.

[@justinfalzon6854]

The studio wanted Caan in the Godfather so bad. He just came off Brain's Song and was a hot commodity. They wanted Caan for Michael. Coppola had to push for Pacino, but he had to compromise and find a spot for Caan somewhere.

[@steveconn]

More life in a performance than he'd show the next twenty years.

[@Wapak95]

Highly debatable

[@emm_arr]

Looks like the Trumpers dislike de Niro.

[@steveoh9285]

Has-been De Niro still struggling to stay relevant today. Hey Bobby, your young wife left you and so is America because you are washed up. See ‘ya!

[@Wapak95]

Looks like you got triggered by De Niro still being relevant today. And in any case he probably doesn't care about relevance, just doing what he likes to do.

[@naim70s]

Love him, but 🤬his ignorance about world events

[@sierra565]

Irony.

[@galvestonbragg9718]

Great actor but not so much in real life it would seem. What a disgusting speech given at Mr. Trumps court appearance. Either compromised or mentally unstable, the former my guess.

[@GregorPQ]

Yes, he is working for the CIA.

[@quamb]

@@GregorPQ lol okay pal

[@harshmellow4474]

You see politics every where you go don't you? It runs your life doesnt it? You need to examine your life bro.

[@GregorPQ]

@@harshmellow4474 DeNiro should stay out of politics.

[@shirinf333]

Lol the irony

[@Sinceramente.m]

Io recito meglio

[@paoloarcipreti8459]

Sii, come no...

[@Sinceramente.m]

@@paoloarcipreti8459 ha recitato da vergogna

[@marioquaranta2317]