The Godfather
The Godfather (1972)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers:Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, Sterling Hayden, John Cazale, Richard Castellano, John Marley, Richard Conte, Al Lettieri, Abe Vigoda, Gianni Russo, Rudy Bond, Morgana King, Richard Bright, Alex Rocco, Tony Giorgio, Vito Scotti, Julie Gregg, Angelo Infanti, Franco Citti, Saro Urzi, Sofia Coppola, Joe Spinell.
Box office: $134,966,000 (US total)
Run time: 175 minutes
Rating: R
The plot
The story begins as "Don" Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia "family", oversees his daughter's wedding. His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Through Michael's life the nature of the family business becomes clear. The business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but given to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. Don Vito lives his life in the way of the old country, but times are changing and some don't want to follow the old ways and look out for community and "family". An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. The clash of the Don's fading old world values and the new ways will demand a terrible price, especially from Michael, all for the sake of the family.
Awards & Nominations
Ten Academy Awards nominations and the winner of 3 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay; the top-grossing film of the year, and a $134 million box-office hit.
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers:Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, Lee Strasberg, John Cazale, Michael V. Gazzo, G.D. Spradlin, Troy Donahue, Bruno Kirby, Richard Bright, Dominic Chianese
Box office: $57,300,000 (US total)
Rating: R
The plot
The early life & career of Vito Corleone in 1920's New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-Revoltion 1958 Cuba.
Awards & Nominations
Eleven Academy Awards nominations, and the winner of 6 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Robert DeNiro as the young Don Corleone), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Score Oscars.
The Godfather: Part III (1990)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers:Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, George Hamilton, Sofia Coppola, Rick Aviles
Box office: $66,666,000 (US total)
Rating: R
The plot
In the final instalment of the Godfather Trilogy, an aging Don Michael Corleone seeks to legitimize his crime family's interests and remove himself from the violent underworld but is kept back by the ambitions of the young. While he attempts to link the Corleone's finances with the Vatican, Michael must deal with the machinations of a hungrier gangster seeking to upset the existing Mafioso order and a young protoge's love affair with his daughter.
Awards & Nominations
With seven Academy Awards nominations (including the first for cinematographer Gordon Willis in this trilogy) and zero Oscars, but $66 million in box-office business.
