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Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Based on Mario Puzo’s novel with the same title.
Genre: Modern Gangster
Featured cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Talia Shire, Abe Vigoda, and Diane Keaton.
1972
Plot:
An ageing patriarch of a major New York crime syndicate attempts to maintain his prominent position among the other New York families while seeking to transfer control to his sons.
Review:
One of the two defining films of the modern gangster genre (the other being Goodfellas); The Godfather is outstanding on several fronts. To begin with, it is based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel of the same title. It was nominated for eleven Oscars and was the winner of three (Best Picture, Best Screenplay Based on a Novel, and Best Actor for Marlon Brando). It had a very talented cast including performances by some relative unknowns at the time (see featured cast, Richard Castellano (Clamenza), and John Cazale (Fredo). The film was masterfully directed by a young Francis Ford Coppola who managed to keep the audience engaged with a movie that ran for nearly three hours. It achieved excellence in almost everything it attempted. Besides its wins listed above, it was noted for its music (receiving a Grammy for best original score for a motion picture), and its costume design. It was a tour de force excelling in almost every aspect. The film has more than stood up to the test of time. Forty years after its release it continues to be acknowledged as one of the all-time greats. It is one of those rare films that can be viewed countless times. It is one of the few examples of a film that is acknowledged for both its critical reception as well as its entertainment value. While its appeal is not universal, it reaches far beyond the reach of its genre. This movie is recommended for most mature viewing audiences, although it is infamous for its graphic violence.
The Godfather
Based on Mario Puzo’s novel with the same title.
Genre: Modern Gangster
Featured cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Talia Shire, Abe Vigoda, and Diane Keaton.
1972
Plot:
An ageing patriarch of a major New York crime syndicate attempts to maintain his prominent position among the other New York families while seeking to transfer control to his sons.
Review:
One of the two defining films of the modern gangster genre (the other being Goodfellas); The Godfather is outstanding on several fronts. To begin with, it is based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel of the same title. It was nominated for eleven Oscars and was the winner of three (Best Picture, Best Screenplay Based on a Novel, and Best Actor for Marlon Brando). It had a very talented cast including performances by some relative unknowns at the time (see featured cast, Richard Castellano (Clamenza), and John Cazale (Fredo). The film was masterfully directed by a young Francis Ford Coppola who managed to keep the audience engaged with a movie that ran for nearly three hours. It achieved excellence in almost everything it attempted. Besides its wins listed above, it was noted for its music (receiving a Grammy for best original score for a motion picture), and its costume design. It was a tour de force excelling in almost every aspect. The film has more than stood up to the test of time. Forty years after its release it continues to be acknowledged as one of the all-time greats. It is one of those rare films that can be viewed countless times. It is one of the few examples of a film that is acknowledged for both its critical reception as well as its entertainment value. While its appeal is not universal, it reaches far beyond the reach of its genre. This movie is recommended for most mature viewing audiences, although it is infamous for its graphic violence.