Many would agree that this is one of the greatest movies of all time! A cinematic masterpiece and a timeless classic. Instead of the blood guts and gore of the usual mafia affiliated dribble, The Godfather shows the business side of organized crime unlike any other. Family is the most important thing in their world, and a gruesome death befalls any who wish to tarnish it. Set in the time when drugs and contraband were first introduced to the mafia and eventually lead to their downfall, you will enter a world of deceit, death and corruption. Welcome to the family!

The movie (based on a script labored over for some time by Puzo and then finally given form, I suspect, by director Francis Ford Coppola) gets the same feel. We tend to identify with Don Corleone's family not because we dig gang wars, but because we have been with them from the beginning, watching them wait for battle while sitting at the kitchen table and eating chow mein out of paper cartons.

"The Godfather" himself is not even the central character in the drama. That position goes to the youngest, brightest son, Michael, who understands the nature of his father's position while revising his old-fashioned ways. The Godfather's role in the family enterprise is described by his name; he stands outside the next generation which will carry on and, hopefully, angle the family into legitimate enterprises.

Those who have read the novel may be surprised to find Michael at the center of the movie, instead of Don Corleone. In fact, this is simply an economical way for Coppola to get at the heart of the Puzo story, which dealt with the transfer of power within the family. Marlon Brando, who plays the Godfather as a shrewd, unbreakable old man, actually has the character lead in the movie; Al Pacino, with a brilliantly developed performance as Michael, is the lead.

At it's simplest, "The Godfather" is a film about a conflict within the Mafia, in fact, though, that conflict is simply the stage that Coppola uses to set out what he is really interested in; loyalty, family and, most importantly, power. Don Corleone (Brando) is the leader of a Mafia family, in dispute with the rest of the Mafia over a proposal to sell drugs. When he survives an assassination attempt it sparks a gang war and brings his eldest son Michael (Pacino) back into the family business.


One of Coppola's neatest tricks is how he creates sympathy for the heroes and makes us care about them. No mean feat given the nature of their buisness, but this is achieved through limiting the scope of the film, most of which takes place in a family setting; wedding, baptism, home and business. The only crime is to take sides against the family. The Mafia, which runs protection and gambling rackets, is replaced with a more benevolent, paternal organization worthy of respect. The violece which touches the family is real but their own victims are never the blameless or innocent, but rather the treacherous and unworthy.

The whole cast is wonderful but Brando, in particular, is faultless - powerful and utterly compelling. Pacino is also at the top of his game here; Michael is his father's son, quietly assured and confident of what he has to do, not necessarily liking it, but never hesitating. Add in to the mix a fine supporting cast and dark, rich cinematography and you have a film worthy of all the popular and critical acclaim.

Engrossing motion picture that features some of the finest editing, cinematography and performances ever. There is a wonderful theme of family that runs through this film and its later sequels. No one is truly judged. Love is unconditional. God is the one who truly judges. Easily, the word masterpiece describes this film, but that's been said by so many...Who am I to argue? Masterpiece is right on the money.

Engrossing motion picture that features some of the finest editing, cinematography and performances ever. There is a wonderful theme of family that runs through this film and its later sequels. No one is truly judged. Love is unconditional. God is the one who truly judges. Easily, the word masterpiece describes this film, but that's been said by so many...Who am I to argue? Masterpiece is right on the money.

This is a masterpiece. A timeless masterpiece. Initially, I didn't like this film all that much - I found it rather over-hyped and boring. This was until the advent of DVD, which gave me the feature I needed for this sort of film: subtitles. Once I switched them on and heard (read) every last word of Brando's ramblings and other characters ramblings, I grew a true appreciation for this epic.

To make a true epic, you need all of three following ingredients working in near perfect harmony. For screenwriters who come across this, take the following pointers on board: 1) Contrasting Characters: Good films have some character distinction, but most fall rather flat because the core of each character is the same.

Of course, there are exceptions to rule (ie... where you want mono-tonal characters... aka matrix; or where you want outlandish contrasts... aka The Fifth Element), but ultimately, this is what makes films deep, meaningful and grand. Consider the contrasts between the Don's children. Michael is rather cool, rational and collected, whereas Sonny is more hot-headed, spontaneous and simple minded. But simply having these contrasts is not nearly enough. What you really need to do is to develop these characters - place them in situations - and then dwell on how their character impacts on the situation they're put in. The Godfather is a terrific example of how to pull this off. While many try to do this in screenplays, most lose the plot and create character obscurities that stretch credibility.

2) Transformation: The central character(s) must undergo a transformation, resulting in them being almost unrecognizable by the end of the film. By putting them into situations, the character's character must not only influence the outcome of the situation; it must also have a lasting impact on the character. Consider Michael at the wedding and compare that to the Michael we see at the end of the film. Again, many films try, but most fail because they come up with unreal (literally, not praisingly) or simply moronic transformations (eg, Wall Street).

3) Patience: Men in Black 2 was an astounding film for one simple reason - it was an entire film squashed into about 70 minutes. It was not much longer than an episode of ER or Buffy. I certainly hope the new goal of Hollywood isn't to make films as short as possible.

All the great ones spend time - time developing characters, family life, growth, patience with the story telling in general. This is the key (provided that the story isn't mind-numbingly boring). Dances with Wolves, Heat.. and so on are very patient but top-class films. While studios may be lukewarm on the idea of longer films, they are worth it if you have a ripper story to base it on.

I feel that this film has not dated all that much and has tremendous re-watch-ability.

The godfather trilogy is an exclusive set of movies that will continue to live with humanity, every generation will see them to say, "Oh that was 10 out of 10." If you watch them you will know that the world that lives inside the underworld is same as the one we live in except that people in underworld are so smart, in fact smartness is the only thing that can keep them there. Don Vito Caroleone's early life shown in part-II is very well done to show the Don in making, how a kid who couldn't even tell his name went on becoming a underworld don who keep most senators, judges and lawyers in his pocket. Meeting of don with the so call five families are among most impressive scenes.

A saga that goes on for 9 continuous hours takes you around various walks in life of Mike (Don's younger son who become Don later), his school days, love life, personal life, family life, business life, political life and religious life. How all of these different roles Mike plays in his life and how intertwined these are.

I enjoyed watching these movies so much, I wish I had seen them much before then I did. Its amazing to see how the Part-III was made 18 years later the part-I was made and everything looks so continuous if watch them together.

I need not say much! The Godfather father trilogy been around for a while and everyone knows that they are great set of movies, its just the matter of when you actually get to see them.

Watch them! Kudos to Francis Ford Coppola!

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.

The most widely and worldwide beloved and respected american movie of all time, THE GODFATHER. i may have seen it when i was young but i forgot everything about it and decided to see it now. and what a time i had. truly memorable and unforgettable masterpiece it is. a classic movie. one of the best movies of all time. one of my all time favorites. the best mafia gangster movie ever. the best trilogy ever. currently 2nd place in the IMDB TOP 250 movies ranking, a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%. one of the best Oscar winning movie ever. nominated for a total 11 Oscars but then the Best Score nomination was labeled withdrawn or ineligible due to being reused from another movie. but a total 10 Nominations and winning 3. Best Picture, Best Lead Actor Marlon Brando and Best Adapted Screenplay. the other nominations are Best Actor In a Supporting Role James Caan, Robert Duvall and Al Pacino, Best Director, Best Costumes, Best Sound and Best Film Editing.

Francis Ford Coppola is the Godfather of Mafia Gangster movies, he made this wonderful classic masterpiece. he gave exceptional direction to this movie. you just can't hate or dislike this movie it has something and everything for everyone. people will age the time will go on but this movie won't age forever. it still is and will be the best. Mr Coppola gave a wonderful direction, it was like he knew so much about them he made a history with this movie. exceptional direction by him. Screenplay was well done, superb. admirable work. superb story and wonderful plot. i am not one of those people who complain about this movie being really long, slow moving and boring. i don't overrate stuff, i say what i feel.to be honest i wasn't bored at all while watching this movie. in fact i loved it, when it was finished i wanted more, well i'll be watching the other two soon. this movie was like an wonderful encyclopedia about this Italian big mafia family and i wanted to know and see more about them that is the kind of feeling you don't get anymore. i loved the slow moving just talking plot, that is what makes it a classic. i love it the way it is and this is the way it should be. superb story and a likable plot. i was glued to the screen and was attentive the whole time.

talking about the performances, wow man. there could not have been any better Don Vito Corleone than the Best Actor ever, the legend itself, Mr Marlon Brando. what a marvelous, spectacular, classic astonishing performance he gave. i wish he was there for the every Godfather movie. his dialogues delivery, his expressions, his everything his attitude was just unforgettable. wow such an excellent performance ever. superb work. Al Pacino as Michael Corleone was the best supporting actor to me, he did an excellent job. he was really good. James Caan as Sonny Corleone was good too and so was Robert Duvall as Tom Hegan. other actors include John Cazale, Diane Keaton , Sterling Hayden , Richard Conte , Talia Shire , Al Lettieri , Al Martino , Lenny Montana , Rudy Bond , Richard Bright , Richard S. Castellano , Franco Citti , Corrado Gaipa , Tony Giorgio , Julie Gregg , Angelo Infanti and others. superb supporting cast and a one big alone one that was so powerful that it is beyond words to describe his performance.

this movie had good dialogues, nice background score and soundtracks. i liked the editing too, nice work by them. superb cinematography and art direction along with the costumes direction.

yes there is violent scenes, action and shooting scenes are less and i like it. not nowadays where you see alot of action and less good writing. they do it to cover the bad written work up. but not here. but there were good amounts of them you see people getting shot and killed in violent ways.

there were some really classic scenes which are so memorable to be honest. this movie is tragic too. and an epic story about a family.

i don't even have to say this i think but this is a MUST WATCH.

I love this movie and all of the GF movies. I see something new every time I have seen it (countless, truly). The story of tragedy and (little) comedy that exists in this film is easily understood by people all over the world. This film has been called an American story however I have met others who have seen this movie in other languages and they seem to have the same love and appreciation for it that I do. I love the characters and all of the different personalities that they represent not just in families but in society itself. It seems like the entire cast is part of every other movie that I love as well. The sounds, music, color and light in the film are just as much a part of the film as the people. This could be attributed to the method in which it was filmed. At many parts of the film I can still find myself feeling the emotions conveyed in the film. I never tire of appreciating this film. I thank God that FFC is an American treasure. We are fortunate to have him.

If your into Mafia movies then you must see The Godfather part 1 and 2. These movies are the cream of the crop. YOu will not be unsatisfied at the end. I personally guarantee that you will learn the ins and outs of the Corleone Family. Great flick and worth watching over and over.