The Godfather is a film series consisting of three feature-length crime films directed by Francis Ford Coppola based upon the novel of the same name by Italian American author Mario Puzo. The first two films of the series were written, filmed, and released just two years apart in the 1970s, while the third installment was not released until 1990. All three films were distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The three films follow the fictional Corleone Mafia family through the course of its history in the United States and their homeland Sicily. The early plot line begins with patriarch of the family Vito Corleone's (Marlon Brando) decline and exit from the family business and the passing over of the control to his youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) who then becomes the major focus of the films. After seizing control, Michael uproots the family from New York and moves out to Las Vegas where he gets involved in a business transaction in the unstable Cuba, which he manages to get out of. Years later, Michael has pulled out of the mafia world and attempts to buy a good reputation through various acts of charity.
The series achieved success at the box office, with the films earning over $550 million worldwide. The films were critically acclaimed and the first film, The Godfather, is seen by many as one of the greatest films of all time. The first sequel, The Godfather Part II, is viewed by many as the greatest sequel of all time. The series is heavily awarded, winning 9 out of 29 total Academy Award nominations.
Film series
The Godfather
The Godfather, the first film in the franchise, was released on March 15, 1972. The feature-length film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based upon Mario Puzo's novel of the same name. The plot begins with Don Vito Corleone declining an offer to join in the narcotics business with notorious drug lord Virgil Sollozzo, which leads to an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, Vito's oldest son Sonny takes over the family and Michael strikes back for the assassination attempt by killing Sollozzo and a corrupted police captain, forcing Michael to go to Sicily in hiding. While in Sicily, Michael travels around the country and meets a young woman whom he marries, but who is eventually killed in a car bombing. Michael returns to America after the news of his brother Sonny's killing. After returning, Vito turns over the reins of the family to Michael. Michael plans to move the family business to Las Vegas; but before the move, he plots the killing of the heads of the five families on the day of his sister's son's baptism. Other subplots include Vito's daughter's abusive marriage, Johnny Fontaine's success out West, and Vito's second oldest son Fredo's role in the family business.
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II, the second film in the franchise, was released on December 20, 1974. The feature-length film was again directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based upon Mario Puzo's novel of the same name. The film is in part both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, presenting two parallel dramas. The main storyline, following the first film's events, centers on Michael Corleone, the new Don of the Corleone crime family, trying to hold his business ventures together from 1958 to 1959; the other is a series of flashbacks following his father, Vito Corleone, from his childhood in Sicily in 1901 to his founding of the Corleone family in New York City.
The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III, the third film in the franchise, was released on December 25, 1990. Francis Ford Coppola reprises his role as director for the feature-length film, while also writing the screenplay with the help of the author Mario Puzo. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire. The film also weaves into its plot a fictionalized account of real-life events â€" the 1978 death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981â€"1982 â€" and links them with each other and with the affairs of Michael Corleone.
Compilations for video and television
In addition to the three films that were released to theaters, three compilations were created by Coppola and editors Barry Malkin and Walter Murch:
- The Godfather Saga (1977) â€" a 7-hour television miniseries based on the first two films, and incorporating additional footage that was not included in the theatrical releases.
- The Godfather 1902â€"1959: The Complete Epic (1981) â€" a version of The Godfather Saga that was released to video (VHS format).
- The Godfather Trilogy: 1901â€"1980 (1992) â€" a 10-hour compilation released directly to video (VHS and LaserDisc formats) in 1992 and 1997. It encompasses all three films, and again incorporates footage that was not included in the theatrical releases, more additional footage than either the Saga or Epic had previously included.
Cast
Reception
Box office performance
Public and critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series received a positive 89% average rating from critics - 100%, 99%, and 68% respectively, making it one of the highest-rated film series of all-time, along with the Toy Story trilogy (in which the first two films earned a perfect 100%, and the third earned 99%), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (92%, 96%, and 94%), the Dollars trilogy (98%, 93%, 97%), The Dark Knight trilogy (85%, 94%, 88%), and the original Star Wars trilogy (94%, 97%, and 79%). Metacritic, based on its ratings for each film (100%, 80%, 60%), lists the series as receiving "Generally Favorable Reviews" with its 80% average.
The series appears in many "Top 10" film lists, such as the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association's Top 10 Films, IMDb top 250, Time magazine's All-Time 100 Movies, and James Berardinelli's Top 100.
Awards and nominations
The three films together were nominated for a total of 29 Academy Awards, of which they won 9. For the Best Supporting Actor award, both the The Godfather and The Godfather Part II had three actors nominated for the award, which is a rare feat. Both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II won the award for Best Picture in their respective years. The Godfather Part II won the most Academy Awards with six to its credit. The Godfather Part III was nominated for seven Oscars, but failed to win any.
- The Godfather â€" Nominations: 11, Wins: 3
- The Godfather Part II â€" Nominations: 11, Wins: 6
- The Godfather Part III â€" Nominations: 7, Wins: 0
Video games
Three video games have been released to supplement the film series. The releases include: The Godfather, The Godfather: The Game, and The Godfather II.
Notes
References
Further reading
- AMC TV (2010-11-25). "Ten Things You Didn't Know About the Godfather Trilogy". Free Republic.Â
- Browne, Nick (2000). Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Trilogy. Cambridge University Press. ISBNÂ 978-0-521-55950-8.Â
- Messenger, Chris (2012). The Godfather and American Culture: How the Corleones Became "Our Gang". SUNY Press. ISBNÂ 978-0-7914-8870-6.Â
- Santopietro, Tom (2012). The Godfather Effect: Changing Hollywood, America, and Me. St. Martin's Press. ISBNÂ 978-1-4299-5262-0.Â
- Sciannameo, Franco (2010). Nino Rota's The Godfather Trilogy: A Film Score Guide. Scarecrow Press. ISBNÂ 978-0-8108-7711-5.Â
