'Godfather' (it's in the fig flavor group 'Sugar')
coop951 (Jim Cooper) Discovered this tree in 2015, at the time the fig trees from the movie would have been at least 43 years old, and he's redistributed many cuttings of it since then, as has some other fig tree growers, that and seeing how the cultivar does for others, that has been an exciting project for James. James Cooper trims the mother tree annually. This cultivar remains unknown and Jim had lost interest in finding out that it's a known cultivar by 2017. To him "it will always be The Godfather" cultivar, and that's good enough for him.
The 'Godfather' fig tree was one of two fig trees imported from Sicily just for the 'Godfather movie' that was released in 1972. They were both supposed to be directly in the movie, yet apparently last minute they decided to not use either of the trees directly in the movie. Although one of the two fig trees is mentioned in one of the movie's deleted scenes by 'Marlon Brando', as he plays the character 'Don Corleone' as the character is talking about his garden.
look at subtitles, maybe he was so hard to understand in that part of the scene, that they removed it
This tree has been a hidden part of history, and a low-key NYC heirloom since about 1972. The other fig tree that was supposed to be used in the movie, it died!
So far this cultivar's figs have not been proven much comparable to any other cultivar's flavor and texture.
It's very sweet figs are jammy, are thick, are rich, they have a unique very smooth and creamy 'pure brown sugar and vanilla taste', with just the right amount of seed crunch. It has no berry or honey flavor, yet it may have a caramel like flavor to it at times. When the figs of this cultivar are picked properly ripe, that is when it's figs are truly delicious. It's figs are medium to large, on the inside they are often an almost colorless yellow, with a tiny hint of red. It seems like even the mediocre figs from this tree are very sweet. The skin of this cultivar is very thin, and is often dark. It's figs dry well.
This cultivar may begin to ripen figs at just a few months old, those figs may be tasty at such a young age of tree. This cultivar is high production, and it appears to be an early season cropper, with a short hang time.
This cultivar grows like a weed, and it's cuttings root easily.
coop951 wrote:
"Many of us know each other through the fig forums but few of us know how we make a living in the real (non fig) world. I am a Key Grip. If you look at the credits at the end of a movie you will see all these titles of film technicians with funny names. Key Grip, Gaffer, Best Boy, Prop Man, Set Dresser.
These are all crafts involved in film production. I am a Key Grip working in movies, Episodic TV, music videos and commercials. My job involves working with the camera and the lighting. I'm a proud union member of IATSE Local 52 and have been doing this type of work for over 35 years
As many of us do, we talk about figs a lot. As the original source of The Dominick, I have grown and given away trees to over 25 people in film production over the years (and 100's of others) and they all love it and his story.
I have also heard over the last 20 years about a set dresser (these are the people who place everything you see on the set) who worked on The Godfather movie and wound up with the 2 trees from the movie and was growing them out in Long Island. One plant was at his house and the other plant was given to the gentleman who worked with him. These two trees were imported from Sicily just for the movie.
I always wondered, how do I get in touch with this man and how do I get a cutting. This gentleman had retired from the business and I didn't know exactly how to get in touch with him, or if he still had this tree 30 years later.
A couple of months ago I was working on a commercial and one of the "prop men" came over to me and said that he heard I was really into figs. I've known him and worked with him before, and he told to me that after his father passed away, he bought his house and that his father had worked on The Godfather and he had one of the trees from the movie.
"Excuse me"... did you just say what I thought you said. "Yes", he worked on the movie and he was given one of the two trees.
Stunned was my reaction. I have been trying to find out where these trees are for over 20 years. He had one and he told me about the other one, but the daughter of that set dresser told him that hers had just died a couple of years ago. He now has the only one.
My friend told me that the tree grows every year but it is very leggy and all the other plantings around it have overshadowed the tree over the last 30 years and it wasn't getting much sun.
So two years ago he moved it, split it and placed it into a much sunnier spot and it grew somewhat better, but not that much better. This year however, it grew really nicely and finally made some figs, but they never ripened. He showed me some pictures of it that he had posted on social media and I could tell that the tree was badly overgrown, needed some nutrition and was not shaped correctly.
I informed him that the tree needed a haircut badly, needed some training and some good winter protection. I happily suggested to show him how to trim it and protect it the correct way if I can have some cuttings.
He then said to me "show me how to take care of it and you can have all the cuttings you want, and do whatever you want with them".
Deal. I was shaking with excitement by now.
So last Saturday I went to his house and trimmed the tree and we wrapped it well and protected it for the winter, and I took a small bounty of cuttings.
I questioned him about the tree and he said that he never ate one. It wasn't growing well where it was and he didn't know what a ripe one looked like or if it was light or dark.
This I must find out. I will be growing this tree and will see what it really is.
What I do know is that it is quite cold hardy as it has lived out in Long Island NY for over 30 years with no protection.
I have pictures of the leaves and I would say it has all the classic characteristics of the Mt. Etna trees.
I will be growing a number of trees for him and his family and some for the daughter of the other gentleman who had the one that died.
I am giving a few cuttings out to some of my fig pals, but have not decided on a mass distribution yet.
It is a very special tree and I'd like to keep it that way.
To be continued"
coop951 wrote:
"I have never made any presumptions on what variety this is. What I do know is that the production company brought the plant in from Sicily Italy, and it was used in the movie."
coop951 wrote:
"When the set dressers "dress" a set there are sometimes items in a scene that you don't see that well. They are still part of the scene, but the camera doesn't focus in on it. The scene that these trees are in is when Don Corleone has a heart attack in his tomato garden. This is what I was told by both children of the 2 men who got the trees. I guess you have to look very carefully"
coop951 wrote:
The director, Francis Ford Copolla wanted an authentic fig from Italy for the scene with Marlon Brando where he is in the tomato garden with his grandson and has a heart attack.
coop951 wrote:
A member of the crew was able to bring home a couple of trees after the movie finished.
