A closer look
Studio executives possess an almost supernatural ability to fundamentally misunderstand the art they are paying for. When composer Nino Rota presented the haunting, melancholic trumpet melody that would become legendary, Paramount suits complained it was 'too highbrow' and wouldn't resonate with audiences. Director Francis Ford Coppola literally had to fight to keep the track in the film. It went on to become one of the most recognizable pieces of cinematic music in history, entirely in spite of the corporate overlords.
