NOVEMBER 2022:
This critique contains spoilers and detailed episode information, do not read further if you have not watched ‘The Offer’ in its entirety!!!
THE OFFER ALMOST REFUSED…
The Offer is a biographical drama limited series from Paramount+, created by Michael Tolkin and developed by Tolkin and Nikki Toscano for the streaming service. The limited series follows the development and production at Paramount Pictures of Francis Ford Coppola‘s landmark gangster genre film, The Godfather released in 1972 about the Corleone family. The Offer stars Miles Teller, Matthew Goode, Giovanni Ribisi, Colin Hanks, Dan Fogler, and Juno Temple, with Burn Gorman and Patrick Gallo. It premiered on Paramount+ on April 28, 2022, with 10 episodes that ran until June 16, 2022.
The Offer is November‘s Featured Blog of the month for my Television section to coincide with The Godfather being November‘s Featured Blog of the month for my Film section. While I discussed why the greatest gangster film ever made is considered an unlikely Holiday classic in the film section, I saved the television section to go into length about the production of the film, which was wrought with many missteps and Hollywood stories, many of which could have stopped one of the greatest movies ever made, from almost never being made.
I briefly discussed 10 things you might not have known happened while filming The Godfather in 1972, whereas, with The Offer, I will go into the 10 things further as well as many other things that allegedly happened while making the Francis Ford Coppola classic. This is mainly because this limited series is about just that, what exactly happened behind the scenes while Paramount Pictures tried to get the best-selling book with the same title of 1969 by Mario Puzo on screen for all to see when the studio was at death’s door and needed a sure-fire hit to make a profit. The Godfather couldn’t fail, and wouldn’t fail, but Albert S. Ruddy, the producer of the film, didn’t feel like that as it got made. And this series tries to tell that story in 10 episodes.
A FAMILY PRODUCTION…
The Offer was announced in September 2020 by Paramount Pictures and was scheduled to premiere on its new streaming service, Paramount+. It was also pitched that the limited series would be told from the perspective of producer Albert S. Ruddy. Armie Hammer was cast to play him in December 2020 but dropped out a month later for personal reasons and he was replaced by Miles Teller in May 2021. Dexter Fletcher was hired in April 2021 to direct several episodes. In June 2021, Matthew Goode, Giovanni Ribisi, Colin Hanks, Dan Fogler, and Juno Temple were cast for the production. The following month in July 2021, Burn Gorman joined the limited series as Charles Bluhdorn and Justin Chambers joined the production in a recurring role as Marlon Brando. In October 2021, Eric Balfour joined the limited series as production designer Dean Tavoularis, and Michael Gandolfini joined the cast in a guest-starring role as the Texas investor looking to buy Paramount Pictures.
Filming had begun on the limited series in July 2021 but was put on hold due to a positive COVID-19 test. The limited series had planned to film at the Chateau Marmont hotel from August 25 to 27 but the production was informed on August 23, 2021, of a labor dispute going on there and the location production was scrapped. The first three episodes of the limited series were available when it premiered on April 28, 2022, while the remaining eight episodes debuted on a weekly basis every Thursday with the last episode debuting on June 16, 2022.
THE OFFER FAMILY…
MAIN FAMILY:
Miles Teller as Albert S. Ruddy…
Matthew Goode as Robert Evans...
Dan Fogler as Francis Ford Coppola…
Burn Gorman as Charles Bluhdorn…
Colin Hanks as Barry Lapidus…
Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo…
Juno Temple as Bettye McCartt...
RECURRING FAMILY:
Nora Arnezeder as Francoise Glazer...
Patrick Gallo as Mario Puzo…
Frank John Hughes as Frank Sinatra…
Michael Rispoli as Tommy Lucchese...
Jake Cannavale as Caesar…
Lou Ferrigno as Lenny Montana…
Meredith Garretson as Ali MacGraw...
Anthony Skordi as Carlo Gambino...
Josh Zuckerman as Peter Bart…
Anthony Ippolito as Al Pacino…
James Madio as Carmine…
Paul McCrane as Jack Ballard…
Stephanie Koenig as Andrea Eastman…
Danny Nucci as Mario Biaggi…
Derrick Baskin as Nicky Barnes…
Joseph Russo as Joe Gallo…
Branden Williams as Gianni Russo…
Justin Chambers as Marlon Brando…
Carmine Giovinazzo as Sonny Grosso…
Geoffrey Arend as Aram Avakian…
Eric Balfour as Dean Tavoularis…
Maya Butler as Diane Keaton…
Damian Conrad-Davis as James Caan…
Derek Magyar as Robert Duvall…
Nick Pupo as John Cazale…
Zack Schor as Fred Gallo…
Cynthia Aileen Strahan as Talia Shire…
T. J. Thyne as Gordon Willis…
GUESTS OF THE FAMILY:
Lola Glaudini as Candida Donadio…
Kyle S. More as Bernard Fein…
Billy Magnussen as Robert Redford…
Kirk Acevedo as Special Agent Hale…
Michael Landes as Vic Damone…
Louis Mandylor as Mickey Cohen…
Ross McCall as Special Agent Moran…
Lisa Dobbyn as Morgana King…
Charlie Heydt as James T. Aubrey…
Dawn Joyal as Anna Hill Johnstone…
Michael Gandolfini as Andy Calhoun…
Ian Michaels as Robert Towne…
Allen Marsh as Alvin Sargent…
Jake Regal as Arthur Hiller…
Brandon Sklenar as Burt Reynolds…
David Shalansky as Henry Kissinger…
FAMILY MOMENTS:
EPISODE TITLE: “A Seat at the Table”
DIRECTOR: Dexter Fletcher
WRITTEN BY: Michael Tolkin
AIRDATE: April 28, 2022
It’s 1969 at the Chateau Marmont and Rand Corporation employee Albert S. Ruddy meets and forms a bond with the owner Francoise Glazer and also meets Sergeant Bilko actor Bernard Fein. The two get to talking that night and it becomes the pitch for the sitcom Hogan’s Heroes for CBS, Ruddy eventually walks away from producing the show. Ruddy then convinces Robert Evans, head of production at Paramount Pictures, to hire him as a film producer. Back in New York City struggling book author Mario Puzo becomes an overnight sensation when his 1969 crime novel, The Godfather becomes a best seller and is optioned by Paramount for a film. The Italian American community receives the book and forthcoming film negatively, most notably, Frank Sinatra, due to the belief that the Johnny Fontaine character is based on him. And Joe Colombo, one of the heads of the Five Families, starts a crusade to fight injustice toward Italian Americans, and in the process founds the Italian American Civil Rights League. Due to the enormous success of the book, Warner Bros. and other rival studios start sniffing around with calls to Paramount to try and convince them to sell the film rights to a bigger studio with more money to produce a larger-scale film. Evans isn’t convinced and talks Charles Bluhdorn into retaining the film rights. Evans asks Ruddy to produce the film, who then selects Puzo to adapt the script and Francis Ford Coppola to direct. Colombo has Ruddy’s car shot up to try and intimidate Paramount into dropping the project.
EPISODE TITLE: “Warning Shots”
DIRECTOR: Dexter Fletcher
WRITTEN BY: Teleplay by: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif and Michael Tolkin & Nikki Toscano & Kevin J. Hynes Story by: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif.
AIRDATE: April 28, 2022
Ruddy tries to juggle problems with The Godfather production from the start, including Puzo and Coppola taking a long time to write the script, Colombo continuing to intimidate the studio into backing off the project, studio executive Barry Lapidus keeps interfering in the production and insisting on changes to keep the budget of the film low and clashing with Coppola on his casting ideals, all in the name of Evans’ film failing so he can have his job. The studio and Coppola do however agree on Vic Damone for the role of Johnny Fontaine after they meet with him, and he expresses interest and agrees to be in the film until he later pulls out of the film after being publicly intimidated during one of his shows. Coppola is insisting on Al Pacino for the role of Michael Corleone and Ruddy promises to get him despite being told by casting executive Andrea Eastman that Evans will never approve Pacino. Evans goes back to New York City and instructs Lapidus to never interfere with him again. Ruddy has a meeting with Congressman Mario Biaggi to request permission to film on location in New York City only to be told this will not be allowed. When Evans is sent a dead rat in a copy of the novel by Colombo, he flees back to Los Angeles, where he learns he will be removed from his position at Paramount at the end of the month. And Ruddy is eventually approached by one of Colombo’s men, who take him to meet with Colombo.
EPISODE TITLE: “Fade In”
DIRECTOR: Adam Arkin
WRITTEN BY: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif and Russell Rothberg & Mona Mira & Michael Tolkin
AIRDATE: April 28, 2022
Colombo tells Ruddy himself that they will not allow the film to be made. Ruddy then promises him that the film is being made with respect and invites Colombo to read the script, despite not having it nor is it finished. He has his secretary Bettye McCartt steal what Puzo and Coppola have written and bring it to him in New York City. Ruddy promises to eliminate the word “mafia” from the script, and Colombo gives his blessing for the film to be made. Coppola arrives in New York City to retrieve the script and is brought on a location scout where he finds the home they will use as the Corleone home. Back in Los Angeles, Evans has locked himself in his office and ignores calls from Bluhdorn to concentrate on the slate Paramount currently has to produce. Bluhdorn finally gets hold of Evans and informs him that he will not be fired, with Evans understanding that should Love Story and The Godfather flop, he will accept full blame. Ruddy has married Francoise by this point and she shows interest in producing with Ruddy, taking one of the screenplays on his desk and accompanying him to the studio, where she decides to pitch that Sinatra should play Don Vito Corleone to Evans. Due to the stress that Evans is under from his pledge to Bluhdorn and the success or failure of the film, Evans unloads on Ruddy about Francoise as well as the length of the script and time it has taken to write it, and he furiously rejects considering Pacino for the film without even seeing him in a screen test. Despite the pressure of the production and the threat of cuts to the film, Puzo excitedly informs Coppola and Ruddy that Marlon Brando, whom Puzo wrote about playing the Don, had written him back and was interested in doing the film. Back in New York City, Colombo is contending with the release of Joe Gallo from prison.
EPISODE TITLE: “The Right Shade of Yellow”
DIRECTOR: Adam Arkin
WRITTEN BY: Teleplay by: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif and Michael Tolkin & Nikki Toscano
Story by: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif
AIRDATE: May 5, 2022
Ruddy and Francoise deal with tensions in their relationship due to his secrecy about mafia troubles with the film as well as his reluctance and uninterest in her producing with him. He confirms as much in a couples counseling session and explains he needs producing to just be his. Ruddy discusses Brando with Evans, whom Evans casts doubt on due to his reputation for being difficult and his box office status, and again refuses to consider Pacino in the role of Michael Corleone. Ruddy, Coppola, and Puzo meet with Brando and record a screen test with him. Coppola travels to New York City to show Bluhdorn the footage. He gives his conditional approval contingent on Brando’s work for scale and compliance with the studio. Evans is angry with Ruddy and tells him to never go behind his back again. The backlash from the Italian American community, as well as Sinatra and Biaggi, gives Bluhdorn and Lapidus reason to look at reigning Ruddy in to ensure the production doesn’t get out of hand. In New York City, Ruddy is able to officially get Brando to sign on for the film but late that day Francoise comes and tells him she is leaving him and moving back to France. The next day Ruddy receives more bad news when the production is told that the Corleone home location owner will no longer cooperate and allow the film to shoot there and Bluhdorn summons Ruddy to inform him he will be given a co-producer.
Ruddy refuses and with the support of Evans is able to convince Bluhdorn to let him remain as sole producer. The production team heads out to celebrate the Brando casting and subsequent greenlight of the film, but Coppola is still disappointed about Pacino and leaves early. Colombo’s men arrive and bring Ruddy to meet them. Having been present when Ruddy was told about the Staten Island home, Colombo has taken it upon himself to pick up the homeowner and intimidates him into allowing the film to still shoot there, which deeply unnerves Ruddy. Ruddy meets Bluhdorn to get him onboard to cast Pacino, again going behind Evans‘ back. Evans calls Ruddy to berate him for going behind his back again and tells him that for Pacino to be cast, the role of Sonny Corleone must be played by James Caan. When telling Pacino, he has been cast, Ruddy and Eastman are dismayed to learn he has signed onto a comedy film for MGM and can no longer participate.
EPISODE TITLE: “Kiss the Ring”
DIRECTOR: Colin Bucksey
WRITTEN BY: Teleplay by: Michael Tolkin
Story by: Michael Tolkin & Leslie Greif and Michael Tolkin
AIRDATE: May 12, 2022
In launching his crusade against Colombo, Gallo kills Colombo’s man Carmine and steals his truck. Ruddy asks Evans to renegotiate Pacino’s contract at MGM and get him out of his commitment. Convinced, Evans complies and makes the deal. In the process of the deal, Evans is tipped off about Gulf & Western potentially selling Paramount. Biaggi continues to be an issue for the production, having the filming permits pulled for all locations. Colombo meets with the congressman in regard to the FBI raiding him and gets the permits reinstated. The budget, despite the cast working for scale and leveraging incentives, is still over the $4 million price, so Ruddy and Coppola meet with Bluhdorn and get the budget increased to $6 million. To mark the beginning of production, the cast is assembled for a dinner where they stage a performance to showcase their characters. Lapidus confirms to Evans that Paramount is being considered for sale. Colombo summons Ruddy to an Italian American Civil Rights League event endorsing Biaggi for re-election and blindsides Ruddy by announcing the League and Gulf & Western reached a deal for the earnings from the film’s premiere donated to League hospitals.
EPISODE TITLE: “A Stand-Up Guy”
DIRECTOR: Colin Bucksey
WRITTEN BY: Nikki Toscano
AIRDATE: May 12, 2022
Bluhdorn and Evans are made aware of the news that Gulf & Western are working with Colombo, prompting Bluhdorn to find a way to fast-track Paramount off his books and fire Ruddy from the film. Despite Ruddy disrespecting McCartt, she goes to Colombo herself to tell him of Ruddy’s firing. He immediately causes trouble to the production in the name of getting Ruddy rehired for the production. Evans interrupts a voting meeting on selling Paramount at a discount to a Texan investor and gives a speech for them to reconsider the sale. Bluhdorn changes his mind, and they decide not to sell Paramount. When Coppola informs Bluhdorn of the mafia interference, Ruddy is rehired to the production. Ruddy arrives in time to witness the completion of the first day of production. And back in New York City, in response to Gallo, Colombo orders an attack against him and Nicky Barnes.
EPISODE TITLE: “Mr. Producer”
DIRECTOR: Gwyneth Horder-Payton
WRITTEN BY: Kevin J. Haynes
AIRDATE: May 26, 2022
Lapidus continues to be a problem for the production and works to have Pacino fired from the film and conspires with Paramount executive Jack Ballard and film editor Aram Avakian to deliver unfinished dallies to Bluhdorn to try and get Coppola fired too. Over on the set, Coppola has creative conflicts with cinematographer Gordon Willis over the lighting of the film, and the prop horse head looking too fake to use in the film, and Coppola also deals with the death of the initial actor hired to play Luca Brasi, and one of Colombo’s men, Lenny Montana is hired for the role. Ruddy sees the dallies are being produced to Bluhdorn without his knowledge and makes it so he and Coppola approve their screening. To convince Bluhdorn of Pacino’s acting ability, he is brought to set for filming the restaurant murder scene, which greatly impresses him. McCartt facilitates getting a real dead horse’s head for the production and Ruddy learns it was Ballard and Avakian leaking the dallies and has them fired from the film. Ruddy bonds more with Colombo and is present and shocked when he witnesses Colombo be shot at a League rally by one of Gallo’s men, who had been given the blessing for the hit from Carlo Gambino. Evans’ marriage to Ali MacGraw comes to an end over Steve McQueen.
EPISODE TITLE: “Crossing That Line”
DIRECTOR: Gwyneth Horder-Payton
WRITTEN BY: Russell Rothberg
AIRDATE: June 2, 2022
Gallo moves to dissolve the League and assume control over the film with Colombo in the hospital. An incident during filming where Gianni Russo actually hit Talia Shire prompts Ruddy to have Caan beat him up for real during the filming of a scene. Ruddy also makes several shifts to the budget to accommodate filming in Sicily, but when Gallo accosts Ruddy in his hotel room and strong-arms him for money, the filming is again put in jeopardy. Evans is distracted in his work and constantly absent from production and is confronted by Ruddy during the New York City filming wrap party, and Evans makes a drunken scene in front of Bluhdorn. Before Ruddy decides to give in to Gallo’s demands, he learns that Gallo was shot to death at his birthday dinner in retaliation for his attack on Colombo.
The film crew arrives in Italy to film and travels to the town of Corleone to film. However, Ruddy hurries them out once realizing he would have to work with the Italian mafia and relocates the crew to Forza d’Agró. Evans continues his downward spiral and Bluhdorn sends Lapidus to assume his duties at Paramount. Upon learning this, Ruddy goes to Bluhdorn and convinces him to let him talk to Evans. Ruddy makes several attempts to talk to Evans and eventually enters his home through a window and has a heart-to-heart with Evans, but does not convince him to return to Paramount. Lapidus makes numerous changes to the studio’s slate and instructs Coppola to cut 30 minutes from the film. Bluhdorn arrives in Los Angeles to officially remove Evans but during a marketing meeting, Evans finally returns. Bluhdorn still offers Lapidus the chance to take over, but Lapidus concedes Evans should remain, with Evans allowing the film to retain the cut 30 minutes of filming. McCartt reveals that she wants to become a talent agent while talking to Ruddy. Ruddy arranges a screening of the film for the members of Colombo’s crew and visits Colombo in the hospital.
EPISODE TITLE: “Brains and Balls”
DIRECTOR: Adam Arkin
WRITTEN BY: Nikki Toscano & Russell Rothberg & Michael Tolkin
AIRDATE: June 16, 2022
With the film set to debut in March 1972 after the success of Cabaret, Lapidus suggests they block book opening weekend. Evans meets with MacGraw hoping to rekindle their marriage only to be served divorce papers instead by MacGraw, but MacGraw does join Evans at the film’s premiere. Ruddy looking for his next project, writes a script for The Longest Yard and gets Burt Reynolds to sign on but can’t get Evans to hear his pitch for the film, because Evans wants him to concentrate on a sequel to The Godfather. The film is a critical and commercial success, accumulating multiple nominations at the Academy Awards. Evans brokers a deal with Bluhdorn to become Executive Vice President of Production to also produce films and Ruddy invests in McCartt’s talent agency. With the Best Picture win and development on The Godfather Part II, Ruddy informs Evans that he will not participate in Part II to get The Longest Yard made and Evans allows it.
MY FAMILY CRITIQUE…
The Offer gives a glimpse into the world of filmmaking and answers the question of “What exactly does a producer do when making a film?” through the limited series’ perspective of The Godfather producer Albert S. Ruddy. And to see the behind-the-scenes making of the film The Godfather and learn that the studio almost passed on the film altogether is kind of amazing when the film is atop of almost every list of Greatest Movies Ever Made and that this film may never have become the film history it is if Francis Ford Coppola didn’t stand by his vision of the film he wanted to make, and that included casting Al Pacino. Film viewers can’t see anyone but Pacino in the role of Michael Corleone and to think anyone else was considered is unconscionable. Watching The Offer is worth your time if you want a glimpse into the fantastical world of moviemaking and seeing the crew of the production that wasn’t studio executives getting the film made also brings home to the point of who matters on a film set and is vital to getting movies made in Hollywood, especially ones with a legacy like The Godfather. The biggest disappointment in the series is that Ruddy passes on being the producer of The Godfather Part II when film viewers know the history of the sequel and its accolades and critical acclaim. But if Ruddy didn’t choose to not participate we also would have never gotten The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. In the world of making films, it’s all about taking a chance on an idea, and Paramount took the biggest chance on Coppola and his idea, and the payoff will last for eternity in film history.
All 10 episodes of The Offer are available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ now or are available for purchase at your preferred retail store.