The Godfather (1972)

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

Mario Puzo (screenplay by), Francis Ford Coppola (screenplay by)

Stars:

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan

Top Rated Movies #2 | Won 3 Oscars. Another 26 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlon Brando	...	Don Vito Corleone
Al Pacino	...	Michael Corleone
James Caan	...	Sonny Corleone
Richard S. Castellano	...	Clemenza (as Richard Castellano)
Robert Duvall	...	Tom Hagen
Sterling Hayden	...	Capt. McCluskey
John Marley	...	Jack Woltz
Richard Conte	...	Barzini
Al Lettieri	...	Sollozzo
Diane Keaton	...	Kay Adams
Abe Vigoda	...	Tessio
Talia Shire	...	Connie
Gianni Russo	...	Carlo
John Cazale	...	Fredo
Rudy Bond	...	Cuneo

Storyline

The Godfather "Don" Vito Corleone is the head of the Corleone mafia family in New York. He is at the event of his daughter's wedding. Michael, Vito's youngest son and a decorated WW II Marine is also present at the wedding. Michael seems to be uninterested in being a part of the family business. Vito is a powerful man, and is kind to all those who give him respect but is ruthless against those who do not. But when a powerful and treacherous rival wants to sell drugs and needs the Don's influence for the same, Vito refuses to do it. What follows is a clash between Vito's fading old values and the new ways which may cause Michael to do the thing he was most reluctant in doing and wage a mob war against all the other mafia families which could tear the Corleone family apart.

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Plot Keywords:

mafia | crime family | patriarch | organized crime | rise to power | 

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Taglines:

An offer you can't refuse.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only comment Robert Duvall made about his performance was that he wished "they would have made a better hairpiece" for his character.

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Goofs

After Santino tells his mom that pop is hurt; he tears off a piece of bread, opens it and grabs some peppers and onions. While Santino is eating in his father's den, he calls Tessio for back-up and opens his father's safe. The sandwich he is seen eating finished as he is dialing and reappears while he say's "C'mom Luca."

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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...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Although Mario Puzo is given possessory credit at the beginning, and is credited as a screenwriter at the end, no credit is given to him on-screen as author of the original novel, even though that credit is given on the poster. This credit does appear in the second film, however.

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Alternate Versions

The theatrical prints contain about five seconds of black silent footage between the Paramount logo and when the music starts and the title fades in. On the home video versions this black silent footage is shortened. However, the Blu-ray release restores this.

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Connections

Referenced in Lights, Camera, Action!: A Century of the Cinema: The Greatest Show on Earth (1996)

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Soundtracks

Mona Lisa
(1950)
Lyrics by Jay Livingston
Music by Ray Evans

User Reviews

Simply the best

This film is pretty much the perfection of the craft. Every single aspect of The Godfather is outstanding. There are so many iconic lines and moments throughout the movie that have been replicated and entrenched in culture over the years. There really isn't too much else to say. This is truly the peak of filmmaking.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Latin

Release Date:

24 March 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mario Puzo's The Godfather

Filming Locations:

NY Eye and Ear Infirmary, 2nd Avenue & East 13th Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$302,393, 19 March 1972

Gross USA:

$134,966,411

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$246,120,974

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Alfran Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

175 min

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1