I'm rereading the Godfather Legacy book, and wished DeNiro had played Sonny. I've never been a big fan of James Caan in the part.

I guess in DeNiro's screen test he came off a little too crazy, but, he certainly has the intensity to have made Sonny a much more interesting character than Caan did.

One big drawback is who would've played young Vito in part 2?

Yeah when I watched the "extra" stuff on the Dvd's... FFC said that DeNiro was TOO nutty.... I saw it... he looked nuts.

I can't imagine it any other way than it is. Caan is Sonny and DeNiro is young Vito. It's as simple as that.

I think it would have made Sonny a darker character

DeNiro's screen test as Sonny was electrifying--I never tire of watching it. But DeNiro played Sonny in much the same way he played Johnny Boy in "Mean Streets" (which he'd recently finished for Scorsese). His Sonny would have been a very different one than Caan played. And then we'd be left with the problem of who would play young Vito in II.
As you probably know, DeNiro was considered for Paulie in GF. Imagine if he'd gotten that tiny part--and not young Vito.

Thats how i always see it as too, I think Caan was made to play sonny and De niro to play young Vito. I personally agree that De niro was too crazy in the screen test and it wouldnt have looked right if De niro played sonny.

Yeah, DeNiro's Sonny was a raging lunatic. I think Caan brought the right type of mentality to the Sonny character.

1. It was just a screen test, so its not sure how Coppola would have directed him. He could have toned him down a little, but I agree it is best that he played young Vito. I don't know anyone who could have done it better.

2. DeNiro as Paulie??? AN INFAMNIA.

As you guys know, Coppola's reaction was that DeNiro was electric, but it was Sonny as a "murderer," which he didn't think he could sell.