Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli
{{Short description|2021 book by Mark Seal}}
{{for|the quote from which the book's name is derived|Peter Clemenza}}
{{Infobox book |
| name = Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather
| image = File:Book_Cover_of_"Leave_the_Gun,_Take_the_Cannoli".jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = Mark Seal
| cover_artist =
| country =
| language = English
| series =
| genre =
| publisher = Gallery Books
| release_date = October 19, 2021
| media_type = Print
| pages = 448pp
| isbn = 9781982158590
}}
Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather is a non-fiction book written by Mark Seal detailing the making of the Academy Award-winning film, The Godfather.
Background
Mario Puzo's The Godfather remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 67 weeks and sold over nine million copies in two years.{{sfn|Lebo|2005|p=5–6}}{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=10}}{{cite web |title="The Godfather" Turns 40 |publisher=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-godfather-turns-40/3/ |date=March 15, 2012 |access-date=July 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717004801/http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-godfather-turns-40/3/ |archive-date=July 17, 2014 |url-status=live}} Published in 1969, it became the best-selling published work in history for several years.{{sfn|Lebo|2005|p=7}} Paramount Pictures offered Puzo a $12,500 option for the work, with an option for $80,000 if the finished work were made into a film.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=10}}{{sfn|Lebo|2005|p=6}} Despite Puzo's agent telling him to turn down the offer, Puzo was desperate for money and accepted the deal.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=10}}{{sfn|Lebo|2005|p=6}} Paramount's Robert Evans relates that, when they met in early 1968, he offered Puzo the $12,500 deal for the 60-page manuscript titled Mafia after the author confided in him that he urgently needed $10,000 to pay off gambling debts.{{sfn|Phillips|2004|p=88}}
Synopsis
Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli begins as Mario Puzo's novel is adapted into a screenplay for Paramount Pictures. Exploring the casting, filming, and location scouting, this book explores filmmaking. The Italian Mafia, trying to control their depiction in the film, put pressure on the filmmakers. Some members of the Mafia took offense at the way they were portrayed in the novel and wanted to change their character in the movie.
Reception
The book has received positive reviews. The Kirk Center calls the book fantastic.{{cite web| url = https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/the-odyssey-of-the-godfather/| title = The Odyssey of 'The Godfather'| last = Krause| first = Paul| date = 27 February 2022| website = Kirk Center| publisher = | access-date = 17 May 2022| quote = }} The Washington Post claims the book has "joyful energy, extensive research and breathless enthusiasm".{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/behind-the-godfather-misfits-showdowns-and-the-real-mob/2021/12/22/e9ba84d2-545d-11ec-8769-2f4ecdf7a2ad_story.html| title = Behind 'The Godfather,' misfits, showdowns and the real mob| last = Frankel| first = Glenn| date = 23 December 2021| newspaper = Washington Post| publisher = | access-date = 17 May 2022| quote = }} The Washington Times says that the book is nearly as dramatic as the film itself.{{cite web| url = https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/dec/30/book-review-leave-the-gun-take-the-cannoli-the-epi/| title = BOOK REVIEW: 'Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather'| last = Davis| first = Paul| date = 30 December 2021| website = Washington Times| publisher = | access-date = 17 May 2022| quote = }}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Jenny M. |title=The Annotated Godfather: The Complete Screenplay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=evrkAgAAQBAJ |access-date=July 15, 2014 |year=2007 |publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal |location=New York, New York |isbn=978-1-57912-739-8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025085017/https://books.google.com/books?id=evrkAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=October 25, 2015 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite book |last1=Lebo |first1=Harlan |title=The Godfather Legacy: The Untold Story of the Making of the Classic Godfather Trilogy Featuring Never-Before-Published Production Stills |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EA1SCEmDyBMC |access-date=July 15, 2014 |year=2005 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=London, England |isbn=978-0-7432-8777-7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109125603/https://books.google.com/books?id=EA1SCEmDyBMC&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=November 9, 2015 |url-status=live }}
- {{cite book |last1=Phillips |first1=Gene D. |title=Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6XBHAgAAQBAJ |access-date=July 15, 2014 |year=2004 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-4671-3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629231320/https://books.google.com/books?id=6XBHAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=June 29, 2020 |url-status=live }}
Category:2021 non-fiction books
Category:English-language non-fiction books
Category:Non-fiction books about Italian-American organized crime
Category:Non-fiction books about The Godfather
Category:American non-fiction books
Category:Italian-American culture
Category:Non-fiction books about film directors and producers
Category:Books about film directors
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