Not much.
Very entertaining, and I love it. I've read it maybe 10-12 times myself.
But, had the great trilogy of films not been made, or had they been crappy low budget films as Paramount originally planned (at least for Part I), very few would remember the novel today.
I agree. It was kind of like one of those Michael Chriton or John Grisham books of the month that becomes a best seller and then a movie is made out of it. Then forgotten a few months after the movie dies out of theaters. It was just a freak of nature because the book and movie were so popular that they both kept themselves in the public's awareness all these years, generating sequels and spin-offs...
One would not be remembered without the other.
Also - The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (which is a neat little book) is similar to The Godfather - a huge commercial hit. Now a movie is to be made. And Ron Howard is directing. Not the low budget cheapie that Paramount wanted for The Godfather, but it will be interesting to see how much success this book/movie combo generates.
However, I think The Godfather is unique, fellas. We'll never see anything like it again!
