The resentment that Frank Sinatra felt towards Johnny Fontane, the character from The Godfather, led him to almost hit Mario Puzo
Frank Sinatra went crazy!
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It's not a secret, The Godfather is one of the most recognized films in the world of cinema, with iconic scenes and has served as inspiration for some of the best mobster series on HBO Max. However, one of the icons of the entertainment industry had the same opinion. Given the notable popularity achieved by the novel, Frank Sinatra developed a kind of contempt for the story, which was justified by the incredible resemblance between the artist and the character Johnny Fontane.
Although many knew of the star's dislike, his displeasure was evident when he was involved in a heated argument with the author and screenwriter of The Godfather when the development of the film adaptation of the novel was just beginning.
Who is Johnny Fontane in The Godfather?
The character who got the film director into trouble
Although he may seem like a secondary character in the criminal world in which the story of the Corleone family immerses us, Fontane is the one who gives its name to Mario Puzo's epic work, since he is the godson of Don Vito Corleone. In this way, part of the central plot revolves around the events that are triggered by the favor that Johnny asks of his godfather.
Played by Al Martino, Fontane is a famous singer. The character appears for the first time at Constanzia Corleone-Rizzi's wedding, although his presence is not strange to the family; the visit goes beyond sharing with the happy couple. After pleasing the crowd and becoming the life of the party, his intentions are revealed. The artist is going through the decline of his career and needs Don Vito to regain fame. In this way, they agree to the pact that is equivalent to an agreement with the devil, the godfather will not hesitate to do whatever it takes to keep his word.
Johnny Fontane's resemblance to Frank Sinatra
It is impossible to deny the resemblance between Frank Sinatra and Johnny Fontane
According to the plot of The Godfather, Fontane is an Italian singer who achieved success, and in the middle of his career he had to face a resounding collapse. Therefore, you don't have to think too much to establish a relationship between the character and Sinatra's story. Although he is among the most famous musicians in the industry, the American singer and actor had a decline in the middle of the road.
In this sense, as in the film, Sinatra experienced fame at the beginning of his artistic life, but lost his way halfway through, a stage full of challenges and many speculations.
Not only were his days as a heartthrob artist behind him, he was also involved in a series of controversial situations that linked him to the Italian mafia, which is why the artist remained under FBI surveillance. The accusations against him ranged from probable participation in organized crime to outright conspiracy.
In this way, once Mario Puzo officially presented his masterpiece, new hypotheses were established around Sinatra's alleged links with the mafia, something that evidently aroused the star's annoyance.
The confrontation between Frank Sinatra and Mario Puzo
Publicly and unquestionably, the author and screenwriter of The Godfather denied that Johnny Fontane was based on the life of Sinatra, since he was a completely original character. However, attempts to stop the comparisons were in vain.
It didn't take long before Sinatra had a chance to let out his anger. The meeting took place through a friend of Puzo, when he approached the singer after he declined the idea of speaking with him. Although they did not come to a physical confrontation, the artist provoked a series of insults towards the author, which caused a media stir.
In short, the story and inspiration behind the character Johnny Fontane continues to be questioned, in fact it is considered a topic of debate among film studies today. Although the similarities are striking, we cannot deny the author's categorical refusal, which we can consider to be Sinatra's biggest source of annoyance.
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