Just saw a screen-test of De Niro as Sonny and he would've made this movie even more perfect. James Caan doesn't look remotely Italian or related to Michael and Fredo, he just looks like a typical Jew with his jewfro. His performance was fine but there's a disconnect there with his appearance.
shareOP: What exactly does a “typical Jew” look like? Do yourself a favor, think before you speak!
shareI have to agree as much as I liked James Caan as Sonny, De Niro in those scenes would’ve been fantastic, but then would you have kept De Niro as young Vito for Godfather Part II or cast a different actor?
Having De Niro return would have given it an almost ghostly feel, this time playing his Italian speaking father in a much more restrained role than loudmouth Sonny!
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As a red headed Greek Italian, I smirk at your assumptions. James Caan had a distinctly masculine, aggressive, bold way about him that made him an excellent choice for the hot headed and violent Sonny Corleone. He embodied the role of Santino Corleone so well, many people just assumed he was Italian, the chestnut brown hair notwithstanding.
shareOk what about..De Niro as Sonny (to have the legendary Brando Pacino Deniro in one movie doing scenes together thing) then Godfather2 Burt Renyolds as young Vito (ok BR was never considered anywhere on the same level as DeNiro but this would've been shortly after his Oscar worthy performance in Deliverance way before the wisecracking Smoky/Cannonball Burt we came to know .. and obviously Burt resembled Brando much more than DeNiro. Also no Brando in the movie to stop Burt getting the role like GF1/Burt as Sonny )
and James Cann could've had another (sizable) role as another character in GF1 and or 2