FILM REVIEWS

Godfather, The (1972) A

The phenomenal critical and commercial success of “Bonnie and Clyde” in 1967 revived Hollywood (and the American public’s) interest in the crime-gangster-film.  More crime films were Oscar-nominated in the l970s than in any previous decade, and three won Best Picture: the action-thriller “The French Connection,” in 1971, and the two Francis Ford Coppola crime sagas, “The Godfather” in 1972, and “The Godfather, Part Two,” in 1974.  In 1990, the third and last segment, “The Godfather, Part Three,” also secured Best Picture nomination 
 
Of the first two “The Godfather” movies, the first was more critically acclaimed and more popular at the box-office, grossing over $80 million in domestic rentals. But it was less honored by the Academy, winning a second Best Actor for Marlon Brando, as Mafia boss Don Vito Corleone, and screenplay, written by Coppola in collaboration with Mario Fuzo, upon whose best-seller it was based.
 
The film’s major competitor in 1972 was Bob Fosse’s exuberant musical “Cabaret,” which captured the largest number of awards, 8, including Best Director. The two Godfathers broke new grounds in several ways. For years, until “The Departed,” in 2006, they were the only crime-gangster movies to have won Best Picture. “The Godfather Part II,” won the largest number of awards, 6, thus becoming the only sequel to have received an Oscar.
           

Credits

An Albert S. Ruddy Production, released by Paramount Pictures.

Produced by Albert S. Ruddy.

Associate Producer: Gary Frederickson.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel by Puzo.

Photographed in Technicolor by Gordon Willis.

Art direction by Warren Clymer.

Edited by William Reynolds and Peter Zinner.

Musical score by Nino Rota.

 

Running time: 176 minutes.

 

Cast:

 

Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando)

Michael Corleone (Al Pacino)

Sonny Corleone (James Caan)

Clemenza (Richard Castellano)

Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall)

McCluskey (Sterling Hayden)

Jack Woltz (John Marley)

Barzini (Richard Conte)

Kay Adams (Diane Keaton)

Sollozzo (Al Lettieri)

Tessio (Abe Vigoda)

Connie Rizzi (Talia Shire)

Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo)

Fredo Corleone (John Cazale)

Cuneo (Rudy Bond)

Johnny Fontane (Al Martino)

Mama Corleone (Morgana King)

Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana)

Paulie Gatto (John Martino)

Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto)

Neri (Richard Bright)

Moe Greene (Alex Rocco)

Bruno Tattaglia (Tony Giogio)

Nazorine (Vito Scotti)

Theresa Hagen (Tere Livrano)

Phillip Tattaglia (Victor Rendina)

Lucy Mancini (Jeannie Linero)

Sandra Corleone (Julie Gregg)

Mrs. Clemenza (Ardell Sheridan)

Apollonia (Simonetta Stefanelli)

Fabrizio (Angelo Infanti)

Don Tommasino (Corrado Gaipa)

Calo (Franco Citti)

Vitelli (Saro Urzi)

 

 

Credits

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