Trivia / The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

• What Could Have Been: The role of Mario Trantino was originally given to Al Pacino, who was frustrated over Paramount's dithering over whether to cast him as Michael in The Godfather. Paramount and MGM, the studio behind The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight, agreed to release Pacino from his contact for Gang in exchange for Robert De Niro, who had been cast as treacherous driver Paulie in Godfather. This allowed De Niro to appear in his Star-Making Role as young Vito in the second Godfather film.