Movies / The Godfather (1972)
Runtime: 175 min
Languages: English Italian Latin
Countries: USA
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. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
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Directors (1) | Credit |
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Francis Ford Coppola | ... |
Writers (2) | Credit |
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Francis Ford Coppola | (screenplay by) |
Mario Puzo | (based on the novel by) |
Composers (1) | Credit |
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Nino Rota | ... |
Editors (2) | Credit |
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Peter Zinner | ... |
William Reynolds | ... |
Cinematographers (1) | Credit |
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Gordon Willis | director of photography |
Actors (78) | Credit |
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Abe Vigoda | Tessio |
Alex Rocco | Moe Greene |
Al Lettieri | Sollozzo |
Al Martino | Johnny Fontane |
Al Pacino | Michael Corleone |
Angelo Infanti | Fabrizio - Sicilian Sequence |
Anthony Gounaris | Anthony Vito Corleone (uncredited) |
Ardell Sheridan | Mrs. Clemenza |
Burt Richards | Floral Designer (uncredited) |
Carmine Coppola | Piano Player in Montage (uncredited) |
Carol Morley | Night Nurse (uncredited) |
Chris Anastasio | Policeman (uncredited) |
Chuck Riley | Narrator of Theatrical Trailer (voice) (uncredited) |
Conrad Yama | Fruit Vendor (uncredited) |
Corrado Gaipa | Don Tommasino - Sicilian Sequence |
Diane Keaton | Kay Adams |
Don Costello | Don Victor Stracci (uncredited) |
Ed Vantura | Wedding Guest (uncredited) |
Filomena Spagnuolo | Extra in Wedding Scene (uncredited) |
Franco Citti | Calo - Sicilian Sequence |
Frank Macetta | (uncredited) |
Frank Sivero | Street Extra (uncredited) |
Gabriele Torrei | Enzo the Baker (uncredited) |
Gian-Carlo Coppola | Baptism Observer (uncredited) |
Gianni Russo | Carlo |
Gray Frederickson | Cowboy on the Set at Woltz's Studio (uncredited) |
Italia Coppola | Extra in Wedding Scene (uncredited) |
James Caan | Sonny Corleone |
Jeannie Linero | Lucy Mancini |
Joe Lo Grippo | Sonny's Bodyguard (uncredited) |
Joe Petrullo | Pallbearer (uncredited) |
Joe Spinell | Willi Cicci (uncredited) |
John Cazale | Fredo |
John Marley | Jack Woltz |
John Martino | Paulie Gatto |
Joseph Medaglia | Priest at Baptism (uncredited) |
Julie Gregg | Sandra Corleone |
Lenny Montana | Luca Brasi |
Louis Guss | Don Zaluchi (uncredited) |
Lou Martini Jr. | Boy at Wedding (uncredited) |
Marlon Brando | Don Vito Corleone |
Matthew Vlahakis | Clemenza's Son (uncredited) |
Max Brandt | Extra in Furniture-Moving Scene (uncredited) |
Merril E. Joels | Toll Both Collector (uncredited) |
Morgana King | Mama Corleone |
Nick Vallelonga | Wedding Party Guest (uncredited) |
Nino Ruggeri | Mobster at Funeral with Barzini (uncredited) |
Norm Bacchiocchi | Luca Brasi's Assassin (uncredited) |
Peter Lemongello | Singer (uncredited) |
Randy Jurgensen | Sonny's Killer #1 (uncredited) |
Raymond Martino | Corleone Family Member (uncredited) |
Richard Bright | Neri |
Richard Conte | Barzini |
Richard Fass | Tom Hagen's Son (uncredited) |
Richard S. Castellano | Clemenza (as Richard Castellano) |
Rick Petrucelli | Lou - Sollozzo's Driver (uncredited) |
Robert Dahdah | Crowd (uncredited) |
Robert Duvall | Tom Hagen |
Roman Coppola | Boy on Street Who Attended Funeral (uncredited) |
Ron Gilbert | Usher in Bridal Party (uncredited) |
Ron Veto | Extra in Hospital Scene (uncredited) |
Rudy Bond | Cuneo |
Sal Richards | Drunk (uncredited) |
Salvatore Corsitto | Bonasera |
Saro Urzì | Vitelli - Sicilian Sequence |
Simonetta Stefanelli | Apollonia - Sicilian Sequence |
Sofia Coppola | Michael Francis Rizzi (uncredited) |
Sonny Grosso | Cop Outside Hospital (uncredited) |
Sterling Hayden | Capt. McCluskey |
Talia Shire | Connie |
Tere Livrano | Theresa Hagen |
Tom Rosqui | Rocco Lampone (uncredited) |
Tony Giorgio | Bruno Tattaglia |
Tony King | Tony - Stablehand (uncredited) |
Tony Lip | Wedding Guest (uncredited) |
Tybee Brascia | Dancer in Wedding Scene (uncredited) |
Victor Rendina | Philip Tattaglia |
Vito Scotti | Nazorine |