Andy Garcia On Working With Al Pacino In THE GODFATHER, PART THREE

Summary

The speaker pays tribute to Andy Garcia, highlighting his depth of artistry and generosity. He shares personal experiences working with Garcia on 'The Godfather, Part Three,' describing him as a great poet and clown, yet someone who should be 'institutionalized' for his dedication to acting. The speaker recounts their close relationship, with Garcia treating him like family and inspiring him greatly. He also humorously notes Garcia's perfectionism, comparing him to Modigliani and Van Gogh, and concludes by expressing his love and congratulations to 'Uncle Michael'.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The speaker praises Andy Garcia's depth of artistry and generosity of spirit.
• 🌟 Andy Garcia is likened to both Modigliani and Van Gogh, highlighting his artistic talent.
• 🤝 Andy Garcia treated the speaker like family, fostering a deep bond and mutual respect.
• 🎥 The speaker reflects on the privilege of working with Garcia on 'The Godfather Part III'.
• 🍽️ The two had a close relationship, often dining together with their families.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Small gestures off-camera, like a tap on the shoulder, symbolized their nurturing relationship.
• 🎬 The speaker shares insights into Garcia's meticulous preparation for scenes, even without dialogue.
• 🎨 The comparison to tearing up canvases by Modigliani and Van Gogh illustrates Garcia's dedication to his craft.
• 💔 The speaker acknowledges the sacrifices Garcia may have made for his career.
• ❤️ The speaker expresses a deep personal affection for Garcia, calling him 'Uncle Michael' and congratulating him.

Q & A

Who is being honored in this speech?

The speech is in honor of Andy Garcia for his depth of artistry and generosity of spirit.

What is the relationship between the speaker and Andy Garcia?

The speaker describes a close relationship, with Garcia taking him in like a son and treating him as an equal as an actor.

What is the significance of the speaker mentioning Van Gogh and Modigliani?

The speaker compares Andy Garcia to Van Gogh and Modigliani to emphasize his artistic talent and the intensity with which he approaches his craft.

What does the speaker mean when he says Garcia should be 'institutionalized'?

This is a humorous way of saying that Garcia's dedication and passion for his work are so profound that they belong in an institution like the AFI, which is honoring him.

How long did the speaker work with Andy Garcia on 'The Godfather'?

The speaker worked with Andy Garcia for 17 weeks on 'The Godfather'.

What did the speaker learn from Andy Garcia about his approach to acting?

The speaker learned that Garcia's approach involves a deep commitment to his work, often spending time nurturing relationships off-camera, which translates into his on-screen performance.

What is the significance of the speaker mentioning small gestures like a tap on the shoulder?

These small gestures symbolize the personal connection and nurturing that Garcia extends to his colleagues, which enhances their performances.

What does the speaker imply when he talks about not being able to give the 'family' yet?

This refers to the trust and camaraderie that takes time to build in a professional setting, especially in a film like 'The Godfather' where family dynamics are central to the story.

How does the speaker describe Andy Garcia's preparation for a scene?

The speaker describes Garcia's meticulous preparation, often doing scenes multiple times to perfect a moment, even without dialogue.

What does the speaker mean by 'tearing up canvases' in reference to Modigliani and Van Gogh?

This is a metaphor for the dedication and perfectionism of artists, implying that Garcia, like Modigliani and Van Gogh, is not satisfied until his work is exactly as he envisions it.

What is the final message the speaker conveys to Andy Garcia?

The speaker expresses his love and admiration for Garcia, calling him 'Uncle Michael' and congratulating him on his recognition at the AFI event.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Tribute to Artistry and Generosity

The speaker begins with applause and music, acknowledging Andy Garcia from 'The Godfather, Part Three.' He praises Andy's depth of artistry and his generous spirit, comparing him to a father figure who embraced him as an equal in acting. The speaker reflects on how Andy has inspired generations of actors and will continue to do so. He humorously describes Andy as a combination of a great poet and a clown, and jokingly suggests he should be 'institutionalized,' meaning recognized for his talent at the AFI. The speaker shares personal anecdotes about working with Andy, including dinners and the nurturing of their relationship off-camera, which translated into on-camera chemistry. He concludes by attempting to describe Andy's method of preparation, comparing it to the dedication of artists like Modigliani and Van Gogh, and ends with a heartfelt 'I love you, Uncle Michael,' signifying a deep bond formed.

Keywords

💡Artistry

Artistry refers to the skill and creativity involved in producing art. In the context of the video, it is used to describe the depth of talent and the ability to inspire others that the speaker attributes to Andy Garcia. The speaker praises Garcia's artistry as being so profound that it sets the tone for the entire event and is a testament to his ability to captivate audiences.

💡Generosity

Generosity is the quality of being willing to give more of something, often without expecting anything in return. The speaker highlights Garcia's generosity of spirit and warmth, which is exemplified by his willingness to take the speaker in 'like his own son,' indicating a deep level of personal investment and care.

💡Inspire

To inspire means to motivate or encourage someone to do something, often by serving as a role model or by providing an example. The speaker mentions that Garcia has inspired not just him, but also 'generations' of actors, suggesting a lasting impact on the acting community and a legacy of mentorship.

💡Equal

Being equal implies having the same rights, status, or opportunities. The speaker recalls feeling like an equal to Garcia despite coming from an unprivileged background, which underscores Garcia's inclusive nature and his ability to foster a sense of camaraderie on set.

💡Dedication

Dedication is the commitment to a task or purpose. The speaker praises Garcia's complete dedication to his work, suggesting a level of professionalism and passion that has driven his career and influenced others. This dedication is portrayed as both a strength and a potential sacrifice.

💡Van Gogh

Van Gogh was a post-Impressionist painter whose work had a significant impact on 20th-century art. In the script, the speaker compares Garcia to Van Gogh, indicating a level of artistic genius and the potential for self-destructive behavior, as Van Gogh was known for his tumultuous life.

💡Modigliani

Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor known for his unique style and tragic life. The comparison to Garcia suggests that, like Modigliani, Garcia is a great artist who may also be prone to self-doubt or dissatisfaction, as indicated by the speaker's reference to tearing up canvases.

💡AFI

AFI likely refers to the American Film Institute, an organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts. The speaker humorously suggests that Garcia should be 'institutionalized' at AFI, implying that his talent and influence are so profound that they should be preserved and studied.

💡Privileged

Privileged means having an advantage or access to opportunities that others do not have. The speaker describes his experience working with Garcia on 'The Godfather' as a privileged position, indicating the rarity and value of the opportunity to learn from such a respected actor.

💡Nurturing

Nurturing involves caring for and supporting the growth or development of someone or something. The speaker mentions how Garcia nurtured their relationship off-camera, which is a form of nurturing that contributed to the on-camera dynamic and the overall success of their collaboration.

💡Magic

Magic, in this context, refers to the captivating and seemingly inexplicable aspects of Garcia's acting process. The speaker attempts to give insight into Garcia's 'magic' by describing his preparation for a scene, suggesting a level of craft and mystery to his work that is both admired and emulated.

Highlights

Andy Garcia's depth of artistry and generosity of spirit

Andy Garcia's warmth and welcoming nature to newcomers

Andy Garcia's inspirational impact on generations of actors

Comparison of Andy Garcia to Van Gogh and Modigliani

Andy Garcia's ability to be both a great poet and a clown

The humorous suggestion that Andy Garcia should be institutionalized

The AFI as an institution that keeps Andy Garcia grounded

Andy Garcia's humble beginnings and rise to acting prominence

The importance of nurturing relationships off-camera

The impact of small gestures on an actor's performance

Andy Garcia's dedication to his work and the sacrifices he's made

The essence of Andy Garcia's character through his work ethic

Andy Garcia's preparation process for acting moments

The comparison of Andy Garcia's acting process to an artist's dedication to their craft

The pride in claiming a unique relationship with Andy Garcia

The emotional tribute to Andy Garcia as 'Uncle Michael'

The congratulatory closing to Andy Garcia

Transcripts

[Applause]

ladies and gentlemen from The Godfather

Part three Andy

[Music]

[Applause]

Garcia Al the the depth of your Artistry

is why we're all here you know you the

depth of the Artistry is only more

overwhelmed by the the generosity of

your spirit and you're warmth you took

me in like like if I was your own son

and there was never a doubt that would

that I would was even though I was

coming off the street that I was an an

equal to you as as an actor and uh

you've inspired us that way you know for

now generations and you continue to

inspire actors and will continue to

inspire actors for generations to come

uh you're you're you're van go yeah

you're

Modigliani and that's who you

are you're you're you're simultaneously

what I found in you is that you were

simultaneously at any moment you were a

great poet and a clown and uh but I also

found out that you most definitely most

definitely should be

institutionalized

immediately and but what what greater

institution than the AFI

because you know every every time you uh

are you going to want to get out they're

going to pull you back in

everyone always asked me what was it

like to work for alucin you you know you

spent all this time with him and The

Godfather it was such a privileged

position for for me to be in and we

worked for like 17 weeks together we had

dinner almost every single night and

with my wife and my children and and

sometimes the smallest of gestures that

I would do to me were just based on the

time that we spent together off camera a

tap on the shoulder a touch on the

cheek a touch on on on on the leg nice

job you're doing well

son it's

okay I'm going to give you the family

but not yet and all these little things

and that all came from not the script or

anything it came from the time that I

wanted to spend with

me nurturing the relationship and that's

the essence of who you are your your

complete dedication to the work to to

and you've dedicated your whole life to

that and I know sometimes sacrificing

things that you probably regret but you

have you have this

complete release to your work and uh I

don't know if I can do this I'm going to

attempt to give you some insight into

the the magic of alpacino how he

prepares for a moment it goes like this

are you ready Al one

second we did this like 15 times and I

would watch him and I go he doesn't have

any

dialogue then after the take he'd go

Francis I do one more one more okay I'll

go ahead

[Applause]

it go on and I I did 17 weeks of this

and I would just watch it and I just

say how many canvases did Modigliani

tear up that he didn't like and how many

canvases did Van go tear up that he

didn't like you know there's so many

people in the world that love you Al but

I'm proud to say that I'm the only

person that can claim to say I love you

Uncle Michael congratulations

[Applause]