PremiumThe Offer episode 6 review: Al Ruddy is fired, but the mafia has different ideas
Unlike the previous episodes, this one focuses solely on the issues happening outside of The Godfather and the repercussions of Al Ruddy’s infamous photo with Joe Colombo. It also gives a better look at how deep the mafia was involved in the making of the timeless classic.
Last Updated: 02.43 PM, May 19, 2022
Story: Al Ruddy has to face the heat after his meet up with Joe Colombo in front of hundreds of cameras. He is fired by Paramount but the mafia has a different idea.
Review: Time and time again we have been told that the mafia had a big role to play in the making of The Godfather. With the sixth episode of The Offer, which had the film’s original producer Al Ruddy helping with the story, we get to see just how deep the mafia’s influence was in getting The Godfather completed.
Gulf and Western are forced to sell off Paramount sooner and cheaper than expected after Ruddy’s photo and press meeting with Joe Colombo makes the headlines in the press. A furious Charles Bluhdorn decides to fire Ruddy as the film’s producer with immediate effect. The episode also shows us how Gulf and Western tried to sell Paramount and what the repercussions of being involved with the mafia were. But a rousing speech from Robert Evans more or less convinces Bluhdorn to not sell. But according to him, it was “business not personal,” a line from the movie famously uttered by Michael Corleone.
On the other hand, the episode also gives us more account of how deeply the mafia was influenced in the film’s production. Bettye McCartt (Juno Temple) decides to approach the mafia head himself and let him know that his pal Ruddy has been fired from the film. The mafia soon get involved and decide to go on strike at the film’s production, that too on its first day of shooting. This forces Bluhdorn to reverse his decision and get Ruddy back on board.
Throughout the season, we have seen Ruddy as the man who can do it all, running around solving every issue with his confidence and often almost stupid decisons. At one point as the viewer, you even start to question how much of all this was true. This episode however sees him give up and decide to call it quits, and Bettye saves the day by going to meet Colombo himself in his den.
While we do not get a lot of Godfather in this episode, the little portion we get is Francis Ford Coppola filming the scene where Michael and Kay shop for Christmas presents. It also shows a visibly nervous Al Pacino finding it all a bit too difficult, before the director steps in to calm the actor down and help him find his place.
This was one of the more silent episodes of the show, with not much to offer for any of the Godfather fans who are tuning into the show. However, the mafia's influence is made ever so clear and we have to confirm that their role in creating one of the greatest motion pictures made in Hollywood, assuming everything shown here are factual. The episode ends however with bullets flying all around, with Joe Colombo sending his trusted man to send a loud and clear message to the gangs in Harlem who have been messing with them. We have no idea what to expect from the next episode, but one would hope that it would have to do a lot more with The Godfather itself.
Verdict: One of the more standstill episodes of the show, it does not offer a lot to the people who are tuning in to get more information about the movie in particular. It is an episode dedicated to show the troubles Paramount, Gulf and Western and Al Ruddy went through behind the veils of the film, and also just how great a role the mafia played in the making of The Godfather.