HBO is producing "Francis & the Godfather", a behind the scenes recounting of the making of the 1972 crime classic. As most retro movie lovers know, although "The Godfather" is now considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, it had a rocky production history. Paramount just wanted a quickie crime flick for fast playoff and balked at director Francis Ford Coppola's insistence on costly production values. The studio also wanted to fire Al Pacino and forbade Coppola from hiring Marlon Brando for the title role on the basis that Brando's decade-long string of failures made him boxoffice poison. Coppola, through shrewd instincts and an occasional bit of good luck, sidestepped these potential minefields and delivered a masterpiece that spawned two sequels and became part of international pop culture. No casting or director has been announced. For more click here.