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:

crime family | mafia | 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

This is the second Best Picture Oscar winner in which Marlon Brando won the Academy Award for Best Actor, also in which three of Brando's co-stars were nominated for Best Supporting Actor but none of whom received the award. The first film was On the Waterfront (1954). Coincidentally, the story of both films is about organized crime set in the New York City-Hoboken area. A key difference between the two however is that Brando's character (Terry Malloy) in the earlier film fights against organized crime. Whereas in the latter film, Brando's character (Vito Corleone) is the head of a major organized crime family.

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Goofs

When Sonny is beating up Carlo in the street, you can clearly see that one of the punches does not get anywhere near Carlo's face, but Carlo still shows a reaction to the "punch".

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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 Joey: Joey and the Temptation (2005)

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Soundtracks

Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
(1706-1713)
(Baptism sequence)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

User Reviews

perfect

This movie is strong, good script, great casting, excellent acting, and over the top directing. It is hard to fine a movie done this well, it is 29 years old and has aged well. Even if the viewer does not like mafia type of movies, he or she will watch the entire film, the audiences is glued to what will happen next as the film progresses. Its about, family, loyalty, greed, relationships, and real life. This is a great mix, and the artistic style make the film memorable.

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:

$246,120,986

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Alfran Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

175 min

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1