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The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Coppola from Mario Puzo's novel, is consistently voted the greatest film ever made in critic polls. The story of the Corleone Mafia family's power struggle transformed American cinema, elevating gangster films to the level of Greek tragedy and winning three Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Marlon Brando's portrayal of Vito Corleone — gravelly-voiced, cotton-mouthed, quietly menacing — is one of cinema's greatest performances. The film made a star of Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Diane Keaton. 'I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse,' the baptism scene cutting between violence and religious ceremony, and the severed horse head remain among cinema's most iconic images.
# Top 10 The Godfather facts
- 1Marlon Brando stuffed cotton in his cheeks to audition for the role of Vito Corleone — Coppola almost didn't cast him
- 2The studio initially wanted Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, or Warren Beatty for Michael — not Al Pacino
- 3The Godfather earned $245 million at the box office in 1972 — equivalent to over $1.5 billion today
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Marlon Brando stuffed cotton in his cheeks to audition for the role of Vito Corleone — Coppola almost didn't cast him
- ◆The studio initially wanted Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, or Warren Beatty for Michael — not Al Pacino
- ◆The Godfather earned $245 million at the box office in 1972 — equivalent to over $1.5 billion today
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