The Godfather

Credits: Far Out / Paramount Pictures

Genre

gangster, crime drama

Release Date

March 14th, 1972

Directed By

Francis Ford Coppola

Written By

Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo

Produced By

Albert S Ruddy

Starring

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton

Length

175 minutes

Budget

Estimated $7 million

Box Office

Estimated $250 million

Awards

'The Godfather' had 11 Oscar nominations winning in categories of 'Best Picture' and 'Best Actor in a Leading Role'. The movie also had seven Golden Globe nominations winning in five categories.

Location

New York City, US

Fiction

Yes

Summary

'The Godfather' follows the Corleone Family, a powerful family in New York organised crime during the 1940s post-WW II. It is centred around the familial patriarch Vito Corleone's struggle to hold on to power and ultimately the reluctant rise to power for his son, Micheal, in the Mafia and all the trials and tribulations that come with it.

Fun Facts

The iconic horse head scene which is synonymous with the movie almost didn't make the final cut until Coppola changed his mind in the end.

Related Movies

'The Godfather Part II', 'The Godfather Part III', 'Goodfellas', 'The Irishman', 'Donnie Brasco', 'Once Upon a Time in America', 'Scarface'

Based on the book by Mario Puzo, ‘The Godfather’ is a cult classic gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1972 and is the first film in the iconic trilogy.

Coppola’s distinct moody visuals gives the movie an air of menace even without the presence of physical violence in scenes and although a gangster film, the central themes around family and loyalty makes for a gripping storyline that fan are invested in from the get go.

Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte and Diane Keaton, the film is highly regarded as the gold standard for movies in the gangster genre.