The Godfather

Name: The Godfather
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 24, 1972
Duration: 175 min
Rating: 100
Cast: Al Pacino, Marlon Brando

1972

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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100

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 4073 Ratings

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9.2

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9.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 4073 Ratings

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The Godfather (Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: March 24, 1972 | R

Starring: Al Pacino, Marlon Brando

Summary: Francis Ford Coppola's epic features Marlon Brando in his Oscar-winning role as the patriarch of the Corleone family. Director Coppola paints a chilling portrait of the Sicilian clan's rise and near fall from power in America, masterfully balancing the story between the Corleone's family life and the ugly crime business in which they areFrancis Ford Coppola's epic features Marlon Brando in his Oscar-winning role as the patriarch of the Corleone family. Director Coppola paints a chilling portrait of the Sicilian clan's rise and near fall from power in America, masterfully balancing the story between the Corleone's family life and the ugly crime business in which they are engaged. Based on Mario Puzo's best-selling novel and featuring career-making performances by Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall, this searing and brilliant film garnered ten Academy Award nominations, and won three including Best Picture of 1972. [Paramount Pictures]… Expand

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 175 min

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Metascore

100

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Critic Reviews

100

Kenneth Turan

Overflowing with life, rich with all the grand emotions and vital juices of existence, up to and including blood. And its deaths, like that of Hotspur in "Henry IV, Part I," continue to shock no matter how often we've watched them coming. [16 Mar 1997, Calendar, p.7]

100

Barbara Shulgasser

A handbook on cinematic lucidity. All events are described clearly. Motives of all the characters are set right there on the table next to the pasta for our consideration. Read full review

100

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Coppola’s epic storytelling sweep is magnificent: there is an electric charge in simply the shift from New York to California to Sicily and back to New York. Read full review

100

F. X. Feeney

The Godfather traces the arc of this doomed idealism with a beauty that is still fresh. Read full review

100

Roger Ebert

The wedding sequence... is a virtuoso stretch of filmmaking: Coppola brings his large cast onstage so artfully that we are drawn at once into the Godfather's world. Read full review

100

James Berardinelli

The picture is a series of mini-climaxes, all building to the devastating, definitive conclusion... It was carefully and painstakingly crafted. Every major character - and more than a few minor ones - is molded into a distinct, complex individual.

Staff (Not Credited)

Overlong at about 175 minutes (played without intermission), and occasionally confusing. While never so placid as to be boring, it is never so gripping as be superior screen drama. Read full review

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User Reviews

MarkK.

Aug 22, 2009

Bob N is an idiot. This movie is great! And by saying that I don't mean "great" as in "good movie" I mean "great" as in "a movie revolutisionizing every aspect of the gangster genre" A lot of people thinks it's too long, (Too much movie to handle) but with a little patience and a Bob N is an idiot. This movie is great! And by saying that I don't mean "great" as in "good movie" I mean "great" as in "a movie revolutisionizing every aspect of the gangster genre" A lot of people thinks it's too long, (Too much movie to handle) but with a little patience and a mature mind you are sure to find this movie exciting and unlike anything else! Fantastic!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

MichaelH

Aug 18, 2004

One word for this movie, Unbelievable, deserves the 100.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

ReviewCritic

Dec 28, 2011

Like Babe Ruth is to baseball, like John Steinbeck is to writing, their is no doubt about it, The Godfather is the greatest film of all time. Never before have we seen performances so stellar, by Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and everyone else! The Godfather has littleLike Babe Ruth is to baseball, like John Steinbeck is to writing, their is no doubt about it, The Godfather is the greatest film of all time. Never before have we seen performances so stellar, by Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and everyone else! The Godfather has little life lessons everywhere. Along with an engaging plot, that just completes the most critically acclaimed film of all time. The Godfather is Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece.… Expand

46 of 61 users found this helpful4615

MovieMasterEd

Mar 22, 2016

Rarely can it be said that a film has defined a genre, but never is that more true than in the case of The Godfather. Since the release of the 1972 epic (which garnered ten Academy Award nominations and was named Best Picture), all "gangster movies" have been judged by the standards of thisRarely can it be said that a film has defined a genre, but never is that more true than in the case of The Godfather. Since the release of the 1972 epic (which garnered ten Academy Award nominations and was named Best Picture), all "gangster movies" have been judged by the standards of this one (unfair as the comparison may be). If a film is about Jewish mobsters, it's a "Jewish Godfather"; if it's about the Chinese underworld, it's an "Oriental Godfather"; if it takes place in contemporary times, it's a "modern day Godfather."

If The Godfather was only about gun-toting Mafia types, it would never have garnered as many accolades. The characteristic that sets this film apart from so many of its predecessors and successors is its ability to weave the often-disparate layers of story into a cohesive whole. Any of the individual issues explored by The Godfather are strong enough to form the foundation of a movie. Here, however, bolstered by so many complimentary themes, each is given added resonance. The picture is a series of mini-climaxes, all building to the devastating, definitive conclusion.

Rarely does a film tell as many diverse-yet-interconnected stories. Strong performances, solid directing, and a tightly-plotted script all contribute to The Godfather's success. This motion picture was not slapped together to satiate the appetite of the masses; it was carefully and painstakingly crafted. Every major character - and more than a few minor ones - is molded into a distinct, complex individual. Stereotypes did not influence Coppola's film, although certain ones were formed as a result of it.

The Corleone with the most screen time is Michael (it's therefore odd that Al Pacino received a Best Supporting Actor nomination), and his tale, because of its scope and breadth, is marginally dominant. His transformation from "innocent" bystander to central manipulator is the stuff of a Shakespearean tragedy. By the end, this man who claimed to be different from the rest of his family has become more ruthless than Don Vito ever was.

Despite the likes of Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface, ...And Justice for All, and Scent of a Woman on his resume, Pacino is best remembered for the role he created in The Godfather (and subsequently reprised in two sequels). While this is not his most demonstrative performance - indeed, he is exceptionally restrained - the quality of the script makes Michael Corleone notable.

Next to Humphrey Bogart's Rick from Casablanca, Oscar winner Marlon Brando's Don Vito may be the most imitated character in screen history. The line "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" has attained legendary status, as has the entire performance. With his raspy voice, deliberate movements, and penetrating stare, Brando has created a personae that will be recalled for as long as motion pictures exist.

Don Vito is a most complicated gangster. In his own words, he is not a killer, and he never mixes business with personal matters. He puts family first ("A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man") and despises displays of weakness. He understands the burden of power, and his wordless sympathy for Michael when he is forced to assume the "throne", is one of The Godfather's most revealing moments (about both father and son).

The Godfather had three Best Supporting Actor nominees, all well-deserved. The first was Pacino (who probably should have been nominated alongside Brando in the Best Actor category). The other two were James Caan and Robert Duvall. In a way, it's surprising that Duvall wasn't passed over. His presence in The Godfather isn't flashy or attention-arresting. Like his character of Tom Hagen, he is steady, reliable, and stays in the background. Not so for Caan's Sonny, whose demonstrative and volatile personality can't be overlooked.

Family responsibility. A father's legacy. The need to earn respect. The corrupting influence of power. These are some of the ingredients combined in Francis Ford Coppola's cinematic blender. They are themes which have intrigued the greatest authors of every medium through the centuries.

We come to The Godfather like Kay Adams - outsiders uncertain in our expectations - but it doesn't take long for us to be captivated by this intricate, violent world. The film can be viewed on many levels, with equal satisfaction awaiting those who just want a good story, and those who demand much more. The Godfather is long, yes - but it is one-hundred seventy minutes well-spent. When the closing credits roll, only a portion of the story has been told. Yet that last haunting image (Kay's shock of recognition), coupled with Nino Rota's mournful score, leaves a crater-like impression that The Godfather Part II only deepens.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

rwh007

Jul 26, 2022

Set the standard for generations to come. Vision executed to perfection at all levels (acting, cinematography, writing, etc.).

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

theryno

Apr 1, 2014

Masterfully done, and I am not just saying that. I watched the whole thing, and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen until the credits rolled. Summary, BEST MOVIE EVER.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SeanM.

Nov 12, 2003

Excuse me, how did this movie get a 100, the metacritic calculation failed to factor in the last entry which would inevitably knock down the score to a 99. I personally have never seen the movie but I am just pointing out the fact that the critism of the movie is very bias towards it being Excuse me, how did this movie get a 100, the metacritic calculation failed to factor in the last entry which would inevitably knock down the score to a 99. I personally have never seen the movie but I am just pointing out the fact that the critism of the movie is very bias towards it being perfect and classic. [Ed: Sean, take a look at the scoring explained page re: normalization.]… Expand

2 of 16 users found this helpful

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