The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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thirty-five-year-old boy or the Don would not be so fond of him. He said, “Forget it, 
Johnny.” He was embarrassed at the depth of Johnny’s feeling and embarrassed by the 
suspicion that it might have been inspired by fear, fear that he might turn the Don 
against him. And of course the Don could never be turned by anyone for any reason. 
His affection was mutable only by himself. 
“Things aren’t so bad,” he told Johnny. “The Don says he can cancel out everything 
Woltz does against you. That you will almost certainly win the Award. But he feels that 
won’t solve your problem. He wants to know if you have the brains and balls to become 
a producer on your own, make your own movies from top to bottom.” 
“How the hell is he going to get me the Award?” Johnny asked incredulously. 
Hagen said sharply, “How do you find it so easy to believe that Woltz can finagle it and 
your Godfather can’t? Now since it’s necessary to get your faith for the other part of our 
deal I must tell you this. Just keep it to yourself. Your Godfather is a much more 
powerful man than Jack Woltz. And he is much more powerful in areas far more critical. 
How can he swing the Award? He controls, or controls the people who control, all the 
labor unions in the industry, all the people or nearly all the people who vote. Of course 
you have to be good, you have to be in contention on your own merits. And your 
Godfather has more brains than Jack Woltz. He doesn’t go up to these people and put a 
gun to their heads and say, ‘Vote for Johnny Fontane or you are out of a job.’ He doesn’t 
strong-arm where strong-arm doesn’t work or leaves too many hard feelings. He’ll make 
those people vote for you because they want to. But they won’t want to unless he takes 
an interest. Now just take my word for it that he can get you the Award. And that if he 
doesn’t do it, you won’t get it.” 
“OK,” Johnny said. “I believe you. And I have the balls and brains to be a producer but I 
don’t have the money. No bank would finance me. It takes millions to support a movie.” 
Hagen said dryly, “When you get the Award, start making plans to produce three of your 
own movies. Hire the best people in the business, the best technicians, the best stars, 
whoever you need. Plan on three to five movies.” 
“You’re crazy,” Johnny said. “That many movies could mean twenty million bucks.” 
“When you need the money,” Hagen said, “get in touch with me. I’ll give you the name of 
the bank out here in California to ask for financing. Don’t worry, they finance movies all 
the time. Just ask them for the money in the ordinary way, with the proper justifications, 
like a regular business deal. They will approve. But first you have to see me and tell me 

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