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About this movie

Genres:
Crime, Drama
Language:
English
Subtitles:
English
Running time:
2:57:04
Partner rating:
R
Released:

Cast & Crew

Cast

  1. Marlon Brando Don Vito Corleone
  2. Al Pacino Michael Corleone
  3. James Caan Sonny Corleone
  4. John Cazale Fredo Corleone
  5. Robert Duvall Tom Hagen
  6. Diane Keaton Kay Adams
  7. Sterling Hayden McCluskey
  8. Richard Conte Barzini
  9. Talia Shire Connie Corleone
  10. Al Lettieri
  11. Rudy Bond Cuneo

Directors

  1. Francis Ford Coppola

Producers

  1. Albert S. Ruddy

Writers

  1. Francis Ford Coppola
  2. Mario Puzo

The Godfather


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Trailer for The Godfather

Popularly viewed as one of the best American films ever made, the multi-generational crime saga The Godfather is a touchstone of cinema: one of the most widely imitated, quoted, and lampooned movies of all time. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino star as Vito Corleone and his youngest son, Michael, respectively. It is the late 1940s in New York and Corleone is, in the parlance of organized crime, a "godfather" or "don," the head of a Mafia family. Mi... Popularly viewed as one of the best American films ever made, the multi-generational crime saga The Godfather is a touchstone of cinema: one of the most widely imitated, quoted, and lampooned movies of all time. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino star as Vito Corleone and his youngest son, Michael, respectively. It is the late 1940s in New York and Corleone is, in the parlance of organized crime, a "godfather" or "don," the head of a Mafia family. Michael, a free thinker who defied his father by enlisting in the Marines to fight in World War II, has returned a captain and a war hero. Having long ago rejected the family business, Michael shows up at the wedding of his sister, Connie (Talia Shire), with his non-Italian girlfriend, Kay (Diane Keaton), who learns for the first time about the family "business." A few months later at Christmas time, the don barely survives being shot by gunmen in the employ of a drug-trafficking rival whose request for aid from the Corleones' political connections was rejected. After saving his father from a second assassination attempt, Michael persuades his hotheaded eldest brother, Sonny (James Caan), and family advisors Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) and Sal Tessio (Abe Vigoda) that he should be the one to exact revenge on the men responsible. After murdering a corrupt police captain and the drug trafficker, Michael hides out in Sicily while a gang war erupts at home. Falling in love with a local girl, Michael marries her, but she is later slain by Corleone enemies in an attempt on Michael's life. Sonny is also butchered, having been betrayed by Connie's husband. As Michael returns home and convinces Kay to marry him, his father recovers and makes peace with his rivals, realizing that another powerful don was pulling the strings behind the narcotics endeavor that began the gang warfare. Once Michael has been groomed as the new don, he leads the family to a new era of prosperity, then launches a campaign of murderous revenge against those who once tried to wipe out the Corleones, consolidating his family's power and completing his own moral downfall. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards and winning for Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay, The Godfather was followed by a pair of sequels.
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Reviews by Rotten Tomatoes

Scored 'fresh' by Rotten Tomatoes

100%Tomatometer score: 100% positive reviews from professional critics.

percent positive reviews

  1. Positive review
    Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune To permit us a glimpse at The Mob, with all of its ethnic insularity, is like giving a chronic gambler a chance to wander above the false mirrors that overlook every casino. Full review External link
  2. Positive review
    Andrew Sarris, Village Voice Brando's triumph and fascination is less that of an actor of parts than of a star galaxy of myths. Full review External link
  3. Positive review
    Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune Brando made Don Vito something we rarely see in movies: a tragicomic villain-hero, a vulnerable hood. Full review External link
  4. Positive review
    Jay Cocks, TIME Magazine In its blending of new depth with an old genre, it becomes that rarity, a mass entertainment that is also great movie art. Full review External link
  5. Positive review
    Ben Walters, Time Out As filmmaking and storytelling, 'The Godfather' remains a bravura piece of work, its set pieces, dialogue and performances entrenched cinematic icons. Full review External link
  6. Positive review
    Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK] A measured, deathly serious epic. Full review External link

Read more reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

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    Francis Ford Coppola's legendary continuation and sequel to his landmark 1972 film, The Godfather, parallels the young Vito Corleone's rise with his son Michael's spiritual fall, deepening The Godfather's depiction of the dark side of the American dream. In the early 1900s, the child Vito flees his Sicilian village for America after the local Ma...

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Clips

  1. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:43

    The Godfather (3/9) Movie CLIP - Killing Sollozzo and McCluskey (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael (Al Pacino) takes a gun he hid in the bathroom a...

    by movieclips
  2. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:26

    The Godfather (6/9) Movie CLIP - Working for My Father (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael (Al Pacino) explains to Kay (Diane Keaton) that ...

    by movieclips
  3. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:33

    The New Godfather - The Godfather (9/9) Movie CLIP (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael (Al Pacino) lies to Kay (Diane Keaton) about wha...

    by movieclips
  4. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:43

    The Godfather (5/9) Movie CLIP - Michael Loses Appolonia (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael's Italian bride, Appolonia (Simonetta Stefanelli...

    by movieclips
  5. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:42

    Don't Ever Take Sides Against the Family - The Godfather (7/9) Movie CLI...

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Moe Greene (Alex Rocco) threatens Michael (Al Pacino). M...

    by movieclips
  6. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:39

    It's Strictly Business - The Godfather (2/9) Movie CLIP (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael (Al Pacino) devises a plan to kill Capt. McClusk...

    by movieclips
  7. Thumbnail Play video in overlay1:52

    The Baptism Murders - The Godfather (8/9) Movie CLIP (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Michael (Al Pacino) has a series of hits executed while ...

    by movieclips
  8. Thumbnail Play video in overlay1:56

    Sonny is Killed - The Godfather (4/9) Movie CLIP (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Sonny (James Caan) is stopped at a toll booth, ambushed ...

    by movieclips
  9. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:00

    The Horse Head - The Godfather (1/9) Movie CLIP (1972) HD

    The Godfather Movie Clip - watch all clips http://j.mp/x8F6iX click to subscribe http://j.mp/sNDUs5 Mr. Woltz (John Marley) wakes up to find his prize horse...

    by movieclips
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YouTube Movie Extras

  1. Thumbnail Play video in overlay0:44

    Francis Ford Coppolla On Casting Al Pacino in THE GODFATHER

    Francis Ford Coppolla talks aboust casting Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in THE GODFATHER. CONNECT WITH AFI: http://AFI.com http://twitter.com/AmericanF...

    by afi
  2. Thumbnail Play video in overlay1:58

    Robert Duvall on Coppola and 'The Godfather'

    Complete video at: http://fora.tv/series/92y_arts_entertainment Actor Robert Duvall gives praise to Francis Ford Coppola's relaxed directing style and des...

    by ForaTv
  3. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:13

    Talia Shire On Michael Corleone

    Talia Shire talks about the journey of Al Pacino's character, Michael Corleone, in THE GODFATHER during an interview for AFI's 10 Top 10 (2008). CONNECT ...

    by afi
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  4. Thumbnail Play video in overlay1:54

    Talia Shire On The Royal Corleone Family

    Talia Shire talks about the the Gangster films THE GODFATHER and THE GODFATHER, PART II during an interview for AFI's 10 Top 10 (2008). CONNECT WITH AFI: ...

    by afi
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  5. Thumbnail Play video in overlay54:04

    The Godfather at 40

    An offer you can't refuse: "The Godfather" hit silver screens across North America 40 years ago. The Agenda looks at how the film changed motion picture hist...

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  6. Thumbnail Play video in overlay1:42

    William Friedkin on THE GODFATHER

    Director William Friedkin (THE FRENCH CONNECTION, THE EXORCIST) talks about Francis Ford Coppolla's THE GODFATHER. AFI FACEBOOK APP: http://apps.facebook...

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  7. Thumbnail Play video in overlay2:22

    Marlon Brando's Oscar® win for " The Godfather"

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    The Godfather in One Minute and One Take

    Click to tweet! http://clicktotweet.com/IbQp9 Share on Facebook! http://on.fb.me/dHSEzs Vote for us on the Accenture Film Season competition at http://uk...

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    Dogs Parody The Greatest Movie of All Time, The Godfather

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    The Godfather Waltz - The Godfather (Quintet Version)

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  11. Thumbnail Play video in overlay3:43

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    Why's The Godfather such a good movie?

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