The Godfather

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The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same name. The film stars Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, and Al Pacino as his youngest son, Michael Corleone. The story, spanning from 1945 to 1955, chronicles the Corleone family under Vito's leadership and Michael's transformation from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss.

Plot

The film opens with the wedding of Connie Corleone (played by Talia Shire) to Carlo Rizzi (played by Gianni Russo). Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone crime family, listens to requests for favors because "no Sicilian can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day." Vito's youngest son, Michael, who has distanced himself from the family business, attends the wedding with his girlfriend, Kay Adams (played by Diane Keaton).

As the story progresses, Vito is targeted by rival gangsters, leading to an assassination attempt. Michael saves his father from another attempt at the hospital and later kills the men responsible, which forces him to flee to Sicily. While in Sicily, Michael marries a local woman named Apollonia Vitelli (played by Simonetta Stefanelli), who is later killed in a car bomb intended for Michael.

Michael returns to the United States to take over the family business after Vito's death. He orchestrates a series of murders to eliminate his enemies and consolidate his power, including the heads of the other Five Families and his brother-in-law Carlo, who had betrayed the family.

Cast

• Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone
• Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
• James Caan as Sonny Corleone
• Richard S. Castellano as Clemenza
• Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
• Sterling Hayden as Captain McCluskey
• John Marley as Jack Woltz
• Richard Conte as Emilio Barzini
• Diane Keaton as Kay Adams
• Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
• Gianni Russo as Carlo Rizzi
• Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia Vitelli

Production

The film was produced by Albert S. Ruddy and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay was written by Mario Puzo and Coppola, based on Puzo's novel. The music was composed by Nino Rota, and the cinematography was handled by Gordon Willis. The film was edited by William Reynolds and Peter Zinner.

Reception

The Godfather was a massive critical and commercial success. It won three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brando, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Puzo and Coppola. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in world cinema and one of the most influential, especially in the gangster genre.

Legacy

The Godfather has had a lasting impact on popular culture and has spawned two sequels: The Godfather Part II (1974) and The Godfather Part III (1990). The film's quotes, characters, and scenes have become iconic, and it continues to be referenced in various forms of media.

Related Pages

• The Godfather (novel)
• The Godfather Part II
• The Godfather Part III
• Francis Ford Coppola
• Mario Puzo
• Marlon Brando
• Al Pacino
• Academy Awards