The classic American movie that Frank Sinatra hated the most: “Einstein pulling a knife on Al Capone”
It is no secret that Frank Sinatra was extensively linked to organised crime throughout his life. In fact, on one occasion, Sinatra himself admitted that he would have become a mobster if his passion for music hadn’t led him to unprecedented fame and success. While there were likely a few competitors in the crooning world who would rue Sinatra’s connections, affording him the odd opportunity here and there for the casual onlooker, it actually added to his appeal.
‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’, as he was affectionately known, made a career out of appealing to both women intrinsically in love with his charm and men who wanted to imitate his candour and charisma, part of which came from the confidence one usually has when backed by an organised crime family. It would become part of the singer’s lore both during his life and in his death.
Sinatra was forever connected, and that gave his music and movie roles an edge that others just didn’t have. The singer was also happy to partake in the perception. However, these mob associations also made Sinatra hate a classic American film because he believed it was about him.
Although Sinatra often officially distanced himself from public reports about his organised crime links, the FBI maintained extensive records of Sinatra’s political involvements and criminal activities. According to the FBI, the iconic singer’s friendship with President Kennedy even contributed to his partial falling out with the mob.
Due to all these reasons and more, Sinatra was convinced that Mario Puzo’s The Godfather featured a character based on him and was furious that the movie was ever made. Reports that have surfaced since then claim that Sinatra was infuriated by Puzo’s characterisation of Johnny Fontaine, a singer whose work was closely dependent on extensive mob links.
It is easy to see some similarities. Both shared smooth voices and noted mob connections, with more than a few cinematic whispers suggesting Sinatra may have leaned on some unsavoury figures to bolster his Hollywood career. This seems to have been the crux of their apparent relation to one another. Johnny’s plea for help with a coveted film role in the movie appears to eerily mirror the rumours surrounding Sinatra’s path to starring in the 1953 epic From Here to Eternity. While the parallels are undeniable, the creators have always denied direct ties to the singer.
Famously, Sinatra ran into Puzo at Chasen’s, which resulted in a fiery showdown between the two. Those who witnessed the event recounted that Sinatra lost his cool, verbally abusing the author and calling him a “pimp” before threatening to inflict lethal damage on him because of the allusions in The Godfather.
Michael Tolkin, the creator of The Offer (where this incident was recreated), said: “The only story I knew about making The Godfather was that Mario Puzo got into a fight with Frank Sinatra at Chasen’s. So I had five minutes in the show written, and I just needed nine hours and 55 minutes more to fill it in.”
Sinatra didn’t just hate the novel but Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic adaptation too, especially because it immortalised Puzo’s work in unimaginable ways. The singer tried to interfere with the film’s production multiple times, demanding to see the manuscript and hinting at launching legal action.
His hatred for The Godfather was amplified by Marlon Brando’s involvement, who had a longstanding feud with the singer. “What hurt was, here he was, a Northern Italian, threatening me, a Southern Italian, with physical violence,” Puzo later wrote, “Roughly equivalent to Einstein pulling a knife on Al Capone.”
