#15 - Francis Ford Coppola - 56/14/12

Most notable films: The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather, Part II (1974), Apocalypse Now (1979), The Godfather, Part III (1990)

Although he will always be best known for his direction of the 'Godfather' films, Francis Ford Coppola has excelled as a writer and producer, in addition to his accomplishments behind the camera. He became the first major American film director to emerge from a university degree program in filmmaking.

With 56 nominations and 14 Oscars, covering 12 films, Francis Ford Coppola is ranked #15 on the 'Oscar Director-y'.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on April 7, 1939, his father Carmine was 'first flautist' for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. When Francis was two years old, Carmine accepted a similar position with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in New York. The family moved to Long Island, where Francis spent the rest of his childhood. At the age of nine, he contracted polio, and was bedridden for long stretches of time. His active imagination led him into homemade puppet theater productions, and eventually he began using his father's 8mm movie camera, making home movies at the age of 10. Inheriting his father's musical inclination, young Francis was a talented tuba player, and earned a scholarship to the New York Military Academy when he was 15. After a year and a half, he left the academy, but he eventually earned a scholarship to Hofstra University, where he majored in theater arts. He became president of both the drama group and the musical comedy club, and merged them into The Spectrum Players. His writing ability and leadership resulted in new productions being staged each week. Coppola graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959, and enrolled in the UCLA film school in 1960. He began an apprenticeship with 'B'-movie impressarioRoger Corman in 1962, working as an all-purpose assistant, a dialogue director, and sound man. Corman had purchased the rights to a 1959 Russian space movie, called Nebo Zovyot, and had Coppola shoot new footage, while editing out some of the original footage, converting the 'space film' into a 'space horror film', called Battle Beyond the Sun. Coppola also directed a pair of titillation films that were barely noticed, before helming Dementia 13 in 1963, with a budget of $20,000. He continued his studies at UCLA through all this, while working on screenplays for This Property is Condemned and Is Paris Burning?

In 1966, Coppola directed his second film, an off-beat comedy called You're a Big Boy Now. Geraldine Page received an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress, becoming the first of a dozen actors to receive recognition for their performances in a Francis Ford Coppola-directed film. Two of those performers won the coveted Oscar: Marlon Brando (Best Actor in The Godfather) and Robert DeNiro (Supporting Actor in The Godfather, Part II). Both actors played the role of Vito Corleone. Here is a list of Coppola's nominated films, with the number of nominations, and Oscars won:

You're a Big Boy Now (1966) 1/-
Finian's Rainbow (1968) 2/-
The Godfather (1972) 11/3
The Conversation (1974) 3/-
The Godfather, Part II (1974) 11/6
Apocalypse Now (1979) 8/2
One From the Heart (1982) 1/-
The Cotton Club (1984) 2/-
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) 3/-
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988) 3/-
The Godfather, Part III (1990) 7/-
Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' (1992) 4/3

After submitting You're a Big Boy Now to the UCLA Film School, Coppola earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Cinema in 1968. The late '60's were a busy time for Coppola, directing two films (Finian's Rainbow and The Rain People), co-writing the story and screenplay for Patton (which won him an Oscar in 1970), and co-founding (with George Lucas) the American Zoetrope production organization, in order to create a liberating environment for filmmakers to direct outside the perceived oppressive control of the Hollywood studio system. He produced, with Lucas directing, THX1138, a sci-fi film that failed financially. All of this was just a lead in to bigger and better things to come in 1972.

Paramount Pictures was looking for a director of Italian heritage to film its adaptation of The Godfather, a novel they helped develop with author Mario Puzo. After being rejected by Sergio Leone (among others), they approached Francis Ford Coppola. Needing a paycheck after the failure of THX1138, he agreed to direct the film, with the stipulation that the movie would stress the importance of the family's growth throughout the years, and downplay being a showcase for Italian organized crime. The combination of near-perfect casting, a riveting screenplay, haunting music, and brilliant direction, led the production to become one of filmdom's classic movie experiences. The Godfather was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture of 1972, and its sequel, The Godfather, Part II, was awarded the same honor in 1974. Coppola was awarded the Best Director award for the sequel. The same year, Coppola had the rare distinction of directing a second film nominated for Best Picture, The Conversation. During this span of time, Coppola also found time to produce George Lucas' second film, American Graffiti, which received a Best Picture nomination in 1973. In his career, Coppola would be nominated four times as Best Director, winning for The Godfather, Part II, and losing for The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and The Godfather, Part III.

Apocalypse Now, released in 1979, was plagued with problems. Poor weather conditions, monetary difficulties, health problems, a 16-month shoot, and nearly three years in the editing, but Coppola pulled it all together and had another major hit. After that, he concentrated on smaller films throughout the '80's, such as The Cotton Club, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Tucker: A Man and His Dream.

In 1990, Coppola revisited his biggest triumph, directing the long-awaited Godfather, Part III. Much was expected, but a confusing script, some ineffective casting, and too lengthy a gap since the previous segments made for lackluster box office, and mixed reviews. Although nominated for seven Oscars, it would win none. Coppola continued directing in the '90's, but has never regained the stature and success he enjoyed decades earlier.

Some of Francis Ford Coppola's films that did not receive Oscar consideration: The Rain People, The Outsiders, Rumblefish, Gardens of Stone, Jack, and The Rain Maker.

Fans of Coppola will not have long to wait for the director's next film. Scheduled to be released in December of this year, Youth Without Youth will be eagerly anticipated, and, perhaps, if successful, will help him move upward on the 'Oscar Director-y'.