The Sicilian (film) of his backer, Mafia Don Masino Croce. The Don, in turn, sets out to kill the upstart by convincing his cousin and closest adviser Gaspare to assassinate him. Due to the huge success of "The Godfather", Mario Puzo was given $1 million for the film rights to his novel "The Sicilian". David Begelman, head of Gladden Entertainment at the time, hired Michael Cimino to direct. When producer Bruce McNall met with Cimino at a dinner in Los Angeles, he complained loudly about the script and Begelman's interference with casting. Cimino wanted Christopher Lambert for the lead role and Begelman was
The Sicilian (film) "The Sicilian", "Ebert criticized the cast, the cinematography, the script, even the sound quality. He was right about all of it." Rotten Tomatoes gives "The Sicilian" a 12% "Rotten" rating, based on 17 reviews. A 146-minute director's cut was released theatrically in France and is available on VHS and Blu-Ray in the United States, and in Europe as a region 2 DVD. This version received mixed reviews when it initially opened in Paris. Maltin gave the director's cut of "The Sicilian" two stars out of four, writing that the film "seems shorter, thanks to more coherency and Sukowa's strengthened role.