Mar 24, 1972 · The Godfather: Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. With Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano. The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

The Godfather (1972) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

Don Vito Corleone (played by Marlon Brando) is the aging Godfather of a mafia family. He has three sons - Sonny (James Caan), Fredo (John Cazale) and Michael (Al Pacino). Sonny is his natural successor but is impulsive, short-tempered and not much of a thinker.

Reviewers say 'The Godfather' is acclaimed for its intricate narrative, deep character exploration, and universal themes of power, family, and loyalty. The film's deliberate pacing, iconic performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, and its significant influence on the gangster genre are often lauded.

In scene after scene -- the long wedding sequence, John Marley's bloody discovery in his bed, Pacino nervously smoothing down his hair before a restaurant massacre, the godfather's collapse in a garden -- Coppola crafted an enduring, undisputed masterpiece.

His performance as the godfather alone is iconic. His character has been recreated so much in films that it has almost if it has not already become a cliché. His performance though was not a cliché.

Reviewers say 'The Godfather' is acclaimed for its intricate narrative, deep character exploration, and universal themes of power, family, and loyalty. The film's deliberate pacing, iconic performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, and its significant influence on the gangster genre are often lauded.

THE GODFATHER is quite simply a masterful piece of film-making, an epic in the truest sense of the word and by far the finest gangster film ever shot. Made with finesse, style to spare and a director who elicits pitch-perfect performances from a …

A masterclass in film making, is The Godfather a contender for the best film of all time? I'd argue the case that it is, this is the ultimate gangster movie. Before you panic at the thought of a film being almost three hours long, you needn't, you won't even notice the time, it flies by.

Reviewers say 'The Godfather' is acclaimed for its intricate narrative, deep character exploration, and universal themes of power, family, and loyalty. The film's deliberate pacing, iconic performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, and its significant influence on the gangster genre are often lauded.