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The Godfather
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The Godfather (1972) More at IMDbPro »

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Lawrence of Arabia (1962) -- AFI's 10 Top 10 - The 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres
The Godfather (1972) -- The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
The Godfather (1972) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Mario Puzo (novel)
Mario Puzo (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Godfather on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 March 1972 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
An offer you can't refuse.
Plot:
The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 17 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(244 articles)
Godfather Duvall Is Gilliam's Don
 (From WENN. 18 December 2009, 4:21 AM, PST)

The 2009 Terror Film Festival 'Claw' Awards - Winners Announced
 (From Fangoria. 13 December 2009, 1:23 AM, PST)

User Comments:
The Godfather more (1419 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Mario Puzo's The Godfather (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
175 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS (re-release) | Mono

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to Francis Ford Coppola, the term "Don Corleone" is actually incorrect Italian parlance. In Italian, addressing someone as "Don" would be like addressing them as "Uncle" in English, so the correct parlance would be "Don Michael" or "Don Vito". Coppola says that Mario Puzo, who couldn't speak Italian, simply made up the idea of using "Don" with a person's last name, and it has now become a pop culture staple. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Michael is telling Kay about Luca Brasi, she has a cigarette in her left hand which disappears and reappears between shots. A few seconds later, the cigarette is gone and Kay has a fork in her left hand which then jumps to her right hand. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Bonasera: I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom but I taught her never to dishonor her family. She found a "boy friend," not an Italian. She went to the movies with him. She stayed out late. I didn't protest. Two months ago he took her for a drive, with another boy friend. They made her drink whiskey and then they tried to take advantage of her. She resisted. She kept her honor. So they beat her. Like an animal. When I went to the hospital her nose was broken. Her jaw was shattered, held together by wire. She couldn't even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the light of my life. A beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again.
[He breaks down at this point, and the Don gestures to his son to get him a drink]
Bonasera: Sorry...
[He regains his composure and carries on]
Bonasera: I went to the police, like a good American. These two boys were brought to trial. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison, and suspended the sentence. Suspended sentence! They went free that very day! I stood in the courtroom like a fool, and those two bastards, they smiled at me. Then I said to my wife, "For justice, we must go to Don Corleone."
Don Corleone: Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you come to me first?
Bonasera: What do you want of me? Tell me anything. But do what I beg you to do.
Don Corleone: What is that?
[Bonasera gets up from his seat and whispers into the Don's ear; for a long moment the Don is silent]
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Lumet: Film Maker (1975) more
Soundtrack:
Mall Wedding Sequence more

FAQ

Is this movie based on a book?
How did Sonny know that it was Paulie who sold Vito out?
How did Michael know about Carlo and Sonny?
more
237 out of 417 people found the following comment useful.
The Godfather, 10 June 1999
10/10
Author: Tim Cox from Marietta, OH

Engrossing motion picture that features some of the finest editing, cinematography and performances ever. There is a wonderful theme of family that runs through this film and its later sequels. No one is truly judged. Love is unconditional. God is the one who truly judges. Easily, the word masterpiece describes this film, but that's been said by so many...Who am I to argue? Masterpiece is right on the money.

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