The Godfather
will always stand as one of the best mafia crime dramas out there. With a
storyline that draws you in and acting that makes you grin with delight, The
Godfather is a classic among classics. Its screenplay and legacy have
influenced many crime dramas that followed.
Released in
1972—exactly 40 years ago at the time of this review (2012)—the legacy of The
Godfather lives on. Many times, phrases and lines from the movie are used in
other films or by people just to make a point. The screenplay has also been
referenced in various films. One I remember is Analyze This, where Billy
Crystal dreams of De Niro’s death (De Niro was in The Godfather Part II),
mirroring the attempted assassination of Vito Corleone.
The Godfather is
directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who also worked with Marlon Brando in Apocalypse
Now in 1979) and produced by Albert S. Ruddy, whom I remember as the man behind
Cannonball Run 1 and 2.
The movie is
based on a 1969 book set between the mid-1940s and 1950s. The book, written by
Mario Puzo, shares the same title as the film. The screenplay, which won an
Oscar, was adapted by Puzo and Coppola.
The film stars
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, the Don, the Godfather, and the head of one of
the five Mafia families in America. He has three sons and a daughter: Santino
(Sonny), Federico (Fredo), Michele (Michael), and Constanzia (Connie). The
story spans the years 1945 to 1955 and follows the rise of the new Don in the
Corleone family.
Sonny Corleone
was expected to take over the family, but due to unforeseen circumstances,
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is forced to step in. Michael, a war hero who had
distanced himself from the family business, is drawn back in after an attempt
is made on Vito Corleone’s life. He joins forces with his brother Sonny to
restore order to the Corleone family.
Made on a budget
of $6.5 million, the movie has grossed over $280 million. It received nine
Academy Award nominations and won Best Picture for Albert S. Ruddy, Best Actor
for Marlon Brando, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Puzo and Coppola.
Ironically, Pacino was not the first choice for the role. He was relatively
unknown at the time and only got the part because Coppola threatened to quit if
he wasn’t cast.
If you haven’t seen this masterpiece, then I don’t know what you’ve been watching.
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