The Godfather
After John Cazale made his film acting debut inThe Godfather , it kicked off an unbelievable hot streak in which he starred in five of the greatest movies of all time . Cazale started out as a theater actor in New York , treading the boards in everything from regional theater to off - Broadway productions before appear in Broadway shows alongside the likes of Al Pacino and Meryl Streep . Cazale was a selfless performer who be the tenet that “ playing is reacting , ” playing off his carbon monoxide - stars and highlighting the specialty of their performance , which is likely why he never landed an Oscar nomination .
In 1962 , Cazale made his on - screen debut with the part of a beat in Marvin Starkman ’s short filmThe American Way , and in 1968 , he toy his only television role as a Edgar Guest star inN.Y.P.D.season 2 , sequence 8 , “ The Peep Freak . ” Cazale made his moving-picture show unveiling when Francis Ford Coppolacast him inThe Godfather , and he promptly became one of Hollywood ’s favorite character actors . He followed upThe Godfatherwith four more ‘ 70 classics , garner a flawless cartroad recordand arguably the most telling , spotless filmography in movie theater history , before his career was tragically slue forgetful .
John Cazale’s Role In The Godfather Explained
Cazale played the dim-witted Fredo Corleone in The Godfather and its first sequel
Coppola assembled one of the greatest ensemble casts in celluloid history forhis adaption of Mario Puzo’sThe Godfather . He be sick screen legend Marlon Brando to play Vito , the powerful paterfamilias of the Corleone offence family , and rounded out the rest of the cast with up - and - coming actors who would soon be screen fable in their own right . He cast rising star Al Pacino as Vito ’s youngest boy , Michael , who gets dredge into the household commercial enterprise ; James Caan as Vito ’s hot - channelize eldest son , Sonny ; Diane Keaton as Michael ’s girlfriend , Kay ; and Robert Duvall as Vito ’s lawyer , Tom Hagen .
For the role of Fredo , Vito ’s mediate son , who have in mind well but is too dim - witted and cowardly to execute the business , Coppola stray Cazalein his moving-picture show entry . make the leap from the level to the projection screen is n’t always an easygoing transition for an player – field and photographic film require two totally unlike kinds of acting – but Cazale was a raw . He adapted to the camera rapidly and guard his own in scenes opposite an act as giant like Brando . Fredo is the laughingstock of the Corleone kinsfolk , butCazale meet him with enough earnestness and authenticity to gain the audience ’s sympathy .
John Cazale’s 1970s Acting Streak From The Godfather To The Deer Hunter Was Amazing
Cazale appeared in five of the greatest movies ever made back-to-back
Cazale ’s role inThe Godfatherstarted an impeccable stripe that saw him asterisk in five of the greatest movies ever made back - to - back : The Godfather , The Conversation , The Godfather Part II , Dog Day Afternoon , andThe Deer Hunter , which was released posthumously . This was an absurdly great run;all five of Cazale ’s picture show were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture . No other actor can boast a filmography in which they ’ve only appeared in Best Picture - nominate movies . And not only that , Cazale give a fantastic functioning in every undivided one of those films , leaving a live on opinion .
After appearing inThe Godfather , Coppola spue Cazale in his next film , the paranoid post - Watergate thrillerThe Conversation , in 1974 . Cazale take on Stan Ross , an associate of Gene Hackman ’s surveillance expert Harry Caul , who hears something he was n’t suppose to and begin to surmise he ’s the prey of a government confederacy . After that , Cazale reunited with Coppola again to reprize his function as Fredo inThe Godfather Part II.Fredo gets a bigger role in the sequel , deceive his brother Michael , and Cazale ’s palpable kinship with Pacino , which shined through on - screen , made this treachery all the more heartbreaking .
In 1975 , Cazale and Pacino asterisk in Sidney Lumet ’s tense crime dramedyDog Day Afternoon , based on the dead on target story of a first - clip bend who held up a bank with his acquaintance to compensate for his buff ’s gender check surgery . The movie is a stewing pot of tension , and Cazale and Pacino ’s performances keep their eccentric benevolent as the police close in and the surety situation drags out . Their unique on - cover chemistry give out a long agency towards betray the characters ’ drive - or - die friendship , too .
In 1978 , Cazale made his final film appearance as a draught corn dodger in Michael Cimino ’s Vietnam War epicThe Deer Hunter . While Robert De Niro ’s Mike , Christopher Walken ’s Nick , and John Savage ’s Steven all leave alone their quaint townsfolk to fight on the deadly field of Vietnam , Cazale ’s Stosh quell behind to be with his wife and small fry , much to his friends ’ chagrin . When Mike take back from Vietnam , he ’s disgusted by Stosh ’s high-handed attitude towards gun violence , because he would n’t be so cavalier if he ’d gone to war and beenforced to play Russian line roulette .
The Deer Hunter has been wide praised as one of the greatest Vietnam War pic ever made , but it also has its fair part of controversies .
What Happened To John Cazale: His Death & Acting Legacy
Cazale passed away from lung cancer on March 13, 1978
In 1977 , Cazale was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer , but make up one’s mind to finish filming his part inThe Deer Hunter . According to John Parker ’s bookRobert De Niro : portrayal of a Legend , the studio apartment wanted to raise Cazale due to his illness , but Streep , with whom he was in a kinship , and Cimino both jeopardise to walk if Cazale was send away . Since Cazale was uninsurable , De Niro went into his own pocket to pay for Cazale ’s insurance , because he want him in the movie . Cazale decease away shortly after filming wrapped and he never see the fill out movie .
Cazale died on March 13 , 1978 , but his legacy has last on ever since . In 2009,Cazale was the subject of an HBO documentary calledI know It Was You : Rediscovering John Cazale . The doc was directed by Richard Shepard and premiere at the Sundance Film Festival . Streep , Pacino , De Niro , Hackman , Coppola , and Lumet all give audience for the documentary , which highlight what a unique talent Cazale was .
Despite his deep respect for Cazale , Cimino refused to be a part of the documentary .
What’s John Cazale’s Best Movie Role?
Fredo is arguably his most iconic role
Cazale ’s movie roles were all memorable , but which one was the proficient ? InThe ConversationandThe Deer Hunter , Cazale play supporting roles that complement the lead performances of Hackman and De Niro , severally . Cazale gives a great tour inDog Day Afternoon , but he ’s somewhat overshadow by a manic , irregular Pacino . Arguably Cazale ’s most iconic role is Fredo fromThe Godfathersaga . Fredo is his most repeatable character , his most lovable type , and his most well - known theatrical role in the dad refinement landscape painting .
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The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.
