50 years ago, Francis Ford Coppola brought one of the greatest classics in film history to the cinemas with “The Godfather”. Now the star director also has a permanent place on Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame”.
50 years after the cinema debut of “The Godfather”, US director Francis Ford Coppola (82) has been immortalized with a star plaque in Hollywood.
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On the “Walk of Fame”, the Oscar winner unveiled the plaque with his name in front of cheering fans. The famous theme music from the mafia epic by Nino Rota was also played. He wanted to be brief in his acceptance speech, said Coppola in front of the camera flash. He is very grateful for the award. Who wouldn’t be happy to see their own name immortalized next to such “wonderful people”. The director referred to the many filmmakers who have received a star on the tourist mile in recent decades.
Coppola was awarded the 2715th star on the famous sidewalk. The director of global hits like ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather’ trilogy brought several family members to the ceremony. He thanked his wife and colleague Eleanor Coppola (85, “Paris can wait”), with whom he had been married for almost 60 years, the filmmaker emphasized.
“Greatest director of all time”
Actresses Elle Fanning (23) and Talia Shire (75), Coppola’s younger sister, were invited as guest speakers. The director gave Shire the role of his daughter Connie Corleone in his mafia trilogy about the powerful New York boss Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). Shire recalled her childhood with two older brothers, Francis and August. Francis contracted polio as a boy and spent a lot of time in bed playing puppets and telling stories. She was his first enthusiastic listener, Shire said.
Fanning spoke of her first encounter with “the greatest director of all time” when she was 11, while filming “Somewhere,” directed by Coppola’s daughter Sofia. In 2011, Francis Coppola brought the young star in front of the camera for the thriller “Twixt – Virginia’s Secret”. In 2021 it was announced that Fanning would be shooting the film “Francis And The Godfather” together with Jake Gyllenhaal, Oscar Isaac and Elisabeth Moss. Director Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”) wants to follow the turbulent development of “The Godfather”. (dpa)
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