Francis Ford CoppolaandGeorge Lucashave been close friends for more than half a century.After meeting on the set of the former’s 1968 musical,Finian’s Rainbow, they hit it off and soon combined talents, along with several others, to found anindependent production company, American Zoetrope. Ambitious, freewheeling, and disaffected by the constrictive nature of the crumbling Hollywood studio system,Coppola and Lucas envisioned a haven of creativity in their new endeavor,a place where bold filmmakers would be encouraged totake risks and experimentwith the medium.
In 1971, however, the future of the company was jeopardized by the disastrous reception to Lucas' first feature-length film,THX-1138. Suddenly in debt and desperate to save American Zoetrope, Coppola pivoted to directing a big screen adaptation ofMari Puzo’s novel,The Godfather, while Lucas scratched his head over what to do next, as his next move needed to be purposeful. When he sought advice from Coppola, however,the younger filmmaker was challenged to take on a decidedly different kind of project for his sophomore effort.
Francis Ford Coppola Challenged George Lucas to Make a Comedy
THX-1138,Lucas' visionary sci-fi parableabout a dystopian consumer culture, has been the subject of generous reappraisal in the decades since its original release; but the film’s bleak and confounding nature strained American Zoetrope’s partnership with distribution partner Warner Bros.Reeling from the studio backlash to his feature-length debut, George Lucas turned to Francis Ford Coppola,who told him, “If you want to make a movie, don’t make one of these artsy sci-fi whatever. I dare you to make a comedy.” Not one to back down from a challenge,Lucas turned tohis personal experiences as a teenagergrowing up in Modesto, California as inspirationfor his next effort.
Along withWillard HuyckandGloria Katz, he wroteAmerican Graffiti, a love letter to the cruising and rock and roll culture of the early 1960s.While several major studios passedon the nostalgic comedy, Universal Pictures agreed to finance it with a $600,000 budget,which was ultimately upped to $775,000 when Francis Ford Coppola signed on to produce.Despite getting the go-ahead to make his second film, Lucas faced an uphill battle with the studio brass at Universal, who, upon seeingAmerican Graffiti, panicked and nearly derailedwhat would soon become a sleeper hit.
Universal Pictures Didn’t Want to Release ‘American Graffiti’ Theatrically
In January 1973,American Graffitiwas screened in San Francisco for a test audience and the higher-ups at Universal Pictures. Despite audience enthusiasm, the film was bashed by executives — including Universal’s vice president of productionNed Tannen —as being “self-indulgent” and “substance-free,” claiming it was a film devoid of star power, narrative coherence, and big laughs. As was the case withTHX-1138, Lucas feared the worst for his career whenthe powers that be insistedAmerican Graffitihad no commercial prospects and wasn’t deserving of a theatrical release, opining it should be re-cut into a television film.
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Fortunately for the embattled filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola intervened to saveAmerican Graffitifrom a dismal fate.Touting his newfound clout thanks toThe Godfather,Coppola called Tannen’s bluff, telling the vice president, “I’ll buy it for you! Here and now. Tell me a price and I’ll write you a check.” Tannen, however, reconsidered and opted to releaseAmerican Graffititheatrically, but not before insisting the film be shortened and that its marketing campaign, in addition to targeting younger audiences, would capitalize on Coppola’s name.
Thanks to their combined efforts,Lucas and Coppola not only managed to secure a theatrical release forAmerican Graffitibut also delivered a film that became a massive hitwith audiences and critics alike. Released in August of 1973, the film went on to grossmore than $100 millionand nab five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. With a critical and box office hit on his hands, a path was suddenly paved for Lucas to begin developing a film that would prove much more ambitious and epic in scope:Star Wars.
American Graffiti
A group of teenagers in California’s central valley spend one final night after their 1962 high school graduation cruising the strip with their buddies before they pursue their varying goals.
American Graffitiis available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO
