The Movie
The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola from a screenplay written by Mario Puzo and Coppola. The film stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as the leaders of a powerful New York crime family, based on Mario Puzo's 1969 novel of the same name. The plot, which spans the years 1945 to 1955, focuses on Michael Corleone's (Pacino) transformation from reluctant family outsider to ruthless Mafia boss, while also chronicling the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando). The Godfather is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in history and one of the most influential, particularly in the gangster genre.The American Film Institute now ranks it as the second greatest film in American history (behind Citizen Kane), and it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1990. For a time, it was the highest-grossing film ever made, and it still holds the box office record for 1972. It won three Academy Awards that year: Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay for Puzo and Coppola. Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall were nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Coppola was nominated for Best Director.
Now half a century old, Francis Ford Coppola's revered New Hollywood masterpiece has one of the best-known final shots in film history - but it almost had a much more Catholic ending. The Godfather is the most memorable, most influential, most quoted, most beloved, most discussed, most imitated, most revered and most entertaining American movie ever made. An engrossing metaphor for American capitalism, watching the film on the big screen emphasises the majesty of Coppolas work.
~ Don Vito Corleone
~ Don Vito Corleone
~ Don Vito Corleone
~ Don Vito Corleone
General Information
| Initial Release | March 24, 1972 |
|---|---|
| Location | Loew's State Theatre |
| Running time | 175 minutes |
| Genre | Crime / Drama |
| IMBD Rating | 9.2/10 |
Production notes and credits
| Director | Farncis Ford Coppola |
|---|---|
| Writers | Mario Puzo |
| Music and Sound | Nino Rota |
| Cinematorgrapher | Gordon Willis |
| Production Studio | Paramount Pictures |
Download the Godfather re-release HD poster
DownloadThe Godfather premiered at the Loew's State Theatre on March 14, 1972, and was widely released in the United States on March 24, 1972. It was the highest-grossing film of 1972, and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made, earning between $250 and $291 million at the box office.
Millions of movie fans remember Gianni Russo as the guy who played Carlo Rizzi in "The Godfather, but Russo spent decades as a real-life "mob associate". Despite not having any acting experience, Russo was determined to be in the movie and, after a variety of persuasive gambits with various folks connected with the production, he was cast as Carlo.
While casting for "The Godfather," director Francis Ford Coppola saw Pacino acting on Broadway. Instantly, he knew he had found his Michael Corleone. However, the studio wanted someone famous, like Robert Redford, to play the lead role. Eventually, Coppola convinced the studio to cast Pacino, but the troubles didn't end there. Pacino told The Washington Post that executives tried to fire him three times during the filming of the movie. In the end, Pacino earned his first Oscar nomination for the role.
There were so many hurdles in front of Coppola that it's surprising he ever wound up directing the Godfather trilogy at all. Before Coppola even landed the opportunity to make the films, Paramount Pictures aimed to hire a more established director. Coppola was almost fired three times while making the first Godfather, his ability not only to finish the film, but also to lead the ensuing franchise to win a total of nine Academy Awards and gross over $1.1 billion is a miracle.
The Godfather premiered at the Loew's State Theatre on March 14, 1972, and was widely released in the United States on March 24, 1972. It was the highest-grossing film of 1972, and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made, earning between $250 and $291 million at the box office.
