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Paramount executives were originally dead set against casting Brando, considering him "box office poison". To win them over, Coppola filmed a secret screen test at Brando’s home. Brando used shoe polish to darken his hair and to give the Don a drooping "bulldog" look. This physical transformation, combined with his quiet, raspy voice, so impressed the studio that they finally agreed to cast him. The Real-Life Mob "Ban"

One of the film's most famous lines—"Leave the gun, take the cannoli"—was partially improvised by actor Richard Castellano. Only the first half was in the script. the-godfather-1

The production of The Godfather was almost as dramatic as the film itself. From Marlon Brando’s unconventional audition to real-life mob interference, the journey to the big screen was filled with legendary "offers" and lucky accidents. This physical transformation, combined with his quiet, raspy