Review of The Godfather (1972) by Danny R — 23 Jan 2016

Francis Ford Coppola's landmark crime epic is one of the finest and most riveting American films ever made, which is based upon Mario Puzo best selling novel. It is set in 1945 on Long Island and tells the tale of a criminal dynasty, with an absolutely superlative Oscar winning performance by the late great Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, the aging head of the most powerful Mafia clan in the United States, his youngest son Michael, played brilliantly by Al Pacino in breakout Oscar nominated performance, has just returned from World War II and is attending the wedding of his sister Connie, played wonderfully by Talia Shire, the joyful family occasion is short lived because of a ruthless drug dealer named Virgil Sollozzo, impressively played by the late character actor Al Lettieri, who is looking for financial support as well as protection from the Corleone family, but when Don Vito refuses and turns down Sollozzo's request, Sollozzo tries to have Don Vito assassinated by two hit men who gun him down outside a fruit stand, but the Don survives the hit barely.

This will set a series of deadly events into play and full scale Mob war will begin. Masterful direction by Coppola, with impeccable supporting performances by James Caan, Robert Duvall, Richard Castellano, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton, and Abe Vigoda, breathtakingly filmed with beautiful on location sequences shot in Sicily by the late great master cinematographer Gordon Willis, Nino Rota's unforgettable musical score is powerfully haunting.

This is one of the few rare times where the film is better than the book. "The Godfather" is a history-making cinematic masterpiece that is the winner of three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor: Marlon Brando, and Screenplay: Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo.

Highly Recommended.