User:Stafford Gordon/sandbox

The opening sequence of the film Patton shown here is wrong; it is not the original beginning as conceived by its director Francis Ford Coppola.

This had the screen initially entirely filled by the American flag, with Patton's voice over. Then, as Patton continues his speech, there's a very slow dollying shot backwards away from the flag, which eventually reveals the peak of Patton's cap over the top of it, and as the dollying continues his face gradually comes into full view.

While writing the screenplay for The Godfather a friend of Coppola's suggested he might create a distinctive opening sequence for the film; perhaps along the lines of Patton? Hence the black screen "I believe in America..." opening of the movie.

Verification of this can be found in the director's commentary of the digital re-issue of the film The Godfather.