Actor Marlon Brando in a scene from “The Godfather.” Photo: Wikipedia.

Want an offer you can’t refuse?

Well, the new streaming series “The Offer” on Paramount+ tells the story of Jewish producer Al Ruddy, Paramount head Robert Evans, and executive Charlie Bludhorn, and how they overcame a flurry of obstacles to make “The Godfather.”

While the success of the legendary film must go to Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and director Francis Ford Coppola (here played magnificently by Jewish actor and comedian Dan Fogler) the three Jewish men dealt with historic obstacles.

Gulf and Western, which owned Paramount, was squeezing Bludhorn to sell the film studio because many movies were losing money. Evans promised that ‘The Godfather” would be a blockbuster and presented a dramatic video to corporate types that kept the film alive, but on life support.

Many in the mafia, namely crime boss Joe Colombo, supported an Italian-American Civil Rights League, arguing that the Jews had the Anti-Defamation League, so they should have a body looking out for Italian interests.

Al Ruddy was told that the mafia wouldn’t let him make the movie. But he smartly negotiated a deal to take out any words from the script deemed offensive to Italians, and persevered despite the threats. With a deep voice and a penchant for getting out of trouble, Miles Teller is excellent as Ruddy.

Ruddy had to make the film work financially, since they were given only about $6 million and needed to shoot in New York and Sicily. He fought to get Al Pacino, who Evans initially thought was too small to be considered a tough guy. Studio execs didn’t want Brando, as he had recently done some flops and had blonde hair, but Coppola had an idea to go to his house and film him. Brando put tissues in his mouth to make him look like a bulldog, and used shoe-polish to make him look darker. Bludhorn was stunned at the transformation. James Caan, who is Jewish, wound up getting the part of Sonny Corleone.

Matthew Goode is fantastic as Evans, a man always drinking and with big attitude problem. As fictional studio executive Barry Lapidus, Colin Hanks is forgettable as a bad guy who is simply boring on screen. Juno Temple, of “Ted Lasso” fame, is fabulous as an assistant to Ruddy, who has no qualms about meeting Colombo to save the day.

“The Offer” is based on the perspective of Ruddy, so others may argue that they deserve more credit — but that’s how Hollywood goes. Teller, Goode, and Fogler all have great chemistry, and their scenes are full of tension and Hollywood bluster. Anthony Ippolito does an impressive job with Pacino’s voice, and Joseph Russo is menacing as Joe Gallo. In a case of life imitating art, Gallo was shot and killed at the restaurant Umberto’s, not far from where the film was still being shot.

In a funny scene, Bludhorn warns Ruddy that Evans has gone “meshuggana” or “crazy” due to drinking, drugs, and depression.

Anyone interested in the film should immediately watch the show on the making of the masterpiece, to see what really went on behind the scenes.

The author is a writer based in New York.