Whose story is better the book or the moive?

The movie and the book both have different takes on the character of Johnny Fontane
In the Book/In the Movie

Born in Little Italy, Johnny Fontane grew up with Nino Valenti, who remained his friend. From an early age, Johnny had a talent for singing, and with the help of his godfather, Vito Corleone, he was able to break into showbusiness. After finishing college, he married his childhood sweet heart Ginny, and had two children, but later left her for Hollywood actress Margot Ashton, who turned out to be a whore. This action estranged him from his godfather, who thought the act was highly disrespectful to Johnny's family.

Later, Don Vito visited the bandleader with Luca Brasi, who made him an offer he couldn't refuse (a gun to the head), and Halley signed a release check for one thousand dollars.

It wasn't long after his second marriage fell apart that Johnny started developing a sore throat. His condition worsened until he could barely sing for ten miniutes without suffering a hoarse throat for three days after. With his singing career looking grim, Johnny sought to make it in big movies, not the singing buddy pictures he had done but Oscar-winning blockbusters. Just such a movie was in production, a war film which featured a main character that a perfect part for Johnny and would put him right back on top. There was only one problem: Jack Woltz, the head of the studio, hated Fontane for having made off with one of his mistresses and spitefully refused Johnny the part.

Johnny arrived at Connie's wedding, where he entertained the guests before asking the Don if he could help him secure a part in a new war movie. When negotiations failed to persuade Jack Woltz, the head of the studio, his prize stud horse was decapitated and left in his bed. Johnny was soon granted the part. Aorund this time, his divorce from Ashton came through, and he began to rebuild his relationship with Ginny.


Don Corleone also helped Fontane by helping him win the Academy Award, in return, Johnny made a star out of his old friend Nino, who died from his heavy drinking habits shortly after appearing in a widely sucessful film. At about this time, Johnny had his third marriage to Annie McGowan, the host of a famous puppet show, but this marriage was short lived. He finally settled on Francesca Corleone, daughter of his old friend Sonny Corleone, whom he stayed with for the rest of his life.

Johnny's part in the book goes threw a couple and tells the tale of how Nino and Johnny dealt with the LA lifestyle, the party's, the drinking and in the end when Johnny does win the Oscar and Nino drags him out of the after party, because everyone had decided that the Best Male & Female actors should "Mate" in front of everyone.