The Path to Paradise by Sam Wasson: inside Coppola’s mind

In the beginning of this year, Francis Ford Coppola was present on the set of Megalopolis. He gazed up at two steel beams that were hanging high above the floor of the studio, as his face was illuminated by the sunset and the LED panel encircling the scene. He shifted his attention towards a young lady next to him and inquired if she had ever experienced love.

In the sci-fi movie by the director of The Godfather, there is a scene in which the main characters meet for a secret kiss on top of some high beams in the futuristic city of New Rome. The movie costs $120 million and stars Adam Driver as a visionary builder named Catiline and Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia, the daughter of Catiline's enemy who is against his progressive ideas.

Coppola explained the sensation of kissing someone you love for the first time to his friend. He said that even if the kiss occurred in an unexpected place, like on a subway, it can still feel like you're on top of the world. Although the height symbolized something metaphorical, it also presented challenges, such as the difference in height between the actors and the difficulty of walking on swaying flooring in high heels. Despite these obstacles, Coppola insisted that no harnesses be worn during the filming so that the actors could experience the feeling of potential danger during the kiss. This uncommon approach to filmmaking reflects Coppola's creative philosophy of working without limitations.

The passage above is just one of many tantalizing new revelations uncovered by Sam Wasson in his fascinating new book, The Path to Paradise, which explores the life and work of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola. Wasson tells the story of Coppola's creative journey as a metaphorical trip from hell to heaven, with Megalopolis as the ultimate destination and the hellish experience of filming Apocalypse Now in the sweltering Philippine jungle as a starting point. The title of the book references an Italian poet's maxim that suggests the road to happiness may be paved with difficulty.

However, it's not a simple and easy journey upwards like Dante's escape from the inferno. Wasson approaches it differently by playing with time, constantly sending Coppola back into his personal hell every few pages, as if he were James Bond plummeting down a series of trap doors in a villain's hideout, only to end up back inside the shark-infested waters again and again.

It's no surprise that the Apocalypse Now shoot produced not only a great movie, but also a plethora of amazing anecdotes. Every day, conflicts between money, art, and egos created war stories that could only come from a real war. Wasson shares these tales with ease: Coppola made a secret hideout in a dead volcano, the cocaine supply melted due to extreme heat, and Martin Sheen was driven half-mad during the filming of the opening Saigon hotel scene. They even had to borrow helicopters from Ferdinand Marcos, the president of the Philippines, who sometimes recalled them without notice and returned them with new Philippine Air Force colors. The war in Vietnam was not just fought there, but it also raged within American souls back home since the beginning of the conflict. According to Coppola himself, it was "an LA war" that involved drugs, sex, and Jim Morrison.

The writer describes Coppola's demeanor as sometimes resembling that of a crazy ruler like Kurtz from "Heart of Darkness," but other times his idealistic tendencies shine through. As part of the Movie Brat crowd of film-school rebels, he comes across more as a leader and big shot, with strong opinions that aren't always practical. Some of the best parts of the article depict him spending time with his family - his wife Eleanor and daughter Sofia, who is now an accomplished filmmaker in her own right. He also discusses his ideas with fellow filmmakers like George Lucas on how to revolutionize the art form. The article goes against popular opinion by portraying Hollywood unions as a hindrance rather than helpful.

Looking at the overall view of things, especially when it comes to Coppola, it seems that the process of creating films is not as important as the transformation of cinema as a whole. It is revealed that following the first showing of his second movie, You’re a Big Boy Now, at Cannes in 1967, 28-year-old Coppola had plans to establish an organization similar to a Ministry of Culture which would take two percent of the revenue generated by US box office sales. The money collected would then be used to finance projects created by students, which would help to constantly refresh and enhance the pool of talent available in the film industry.

Wasson is a talented journalist who has an exceptional ability to capture minute details and use captivating language that reflects Coppola's unwavering energy. Throughout their writing, there is a flood of beautiful language that immerses the reader. For instance, Wasson describes Sheen, who was selected by Coppola for Apocalypse Now, as a man who lived on the edge, but no one knew what kind of precipice or where it led to.

The section about Coppola's childhood in New York subtly hints at his future successes. His relationship with his older brother August and his authoritarian father Carmine is reminiscent of The Godfather. Carmine, who was once a composer, desperately seeks his big break, which hangs over the family like a dark shadow.

This blog section doesn't provide a detailed account. The author barely mentions the creation of The Godfather Part II, which was one of Coppola's biggest achievements, and only ends the story in 1982 with the failure of his musical One From The Heart. However, the rest of Coppola's life, including the 13 films made between then and Megalopolis and the tragedy of his son's death during the making of Gardens of Stone, is covered in a brief epilogue. Instead of mapping out Coppola's life, the author takes a rigorous and skillful approach, weaving through the challenges and successes of Coppola's career to reveal a tantalizing destination that lies ahead.

Fabulous Faber is releasing The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Narrative at a price of £20. If you're interested in purchasing your personal copy, you can get it for a discounted price of £16.99 by calling 0844 871 1514 or simply visiting Telegraph Books.