Find out where to watch Francis Ford Coppola’s classic movie The Godfather, a dark tale of family ties and the ruthless pursuit of power that might rip them apart.
As the Don of one of America’s most powerful mafia families succumbs to illness and old age, his reluctant youngest son, Michael, slowly falls deeper and deeper into the criminal underworld he spent so long trying to escape.
What The Godfather Is About
"The Godfather" is considered by many to be the first real mobster film, sparking a whole new genre of crime drama that is still loved by audiences to this day. The film begins as Michael, the youngster son of Don Corleone, returns from war to attend his sister’s wedding. While he has done all he can to avoid being part of the family business, Michael finds he cannot keep the violence at arms distance when a rival gangster lands Don Corleone in hospital. The son must take matters into his own hands to protect his family and, as he does so, Michael realizes just how good power can feel.
Watch The Godfather On Amazon Prime
Why It's Considered The Best Film Of All Time
Ever since its release back in 1972, "The Godfather" has been regarded as one of the finest films ever made, but what is it about this epic tome on the politics of the mafia that has enthralled audiences for the past fifty years?
Before you even delve into the plot, one of the main reasons for "The Godfather’s" ongoing success is the talent that was involved in its production. Behind the camera curating the visual tone of the film was Francis Ford Coppola, one of the most respected directors in modern history with such films as "Dracula"under his belt.
In the title role, golden age actor Marlon Brando plays the patriarch of the Corleone family opposite a young Al Pacino as his son and eventual heir, Michael. The pairing of these with heavyweight talents who, at the time, represented the best of the old Hollywood guard and the cream of rising talent, captured the intense, complex relationship shown in the script with seamless on-screen chemistry.
Of course, what cannot be ignored when assessing the success of a film is how much it permeates into popular culture, which "The Godfather" does in spades. How many times have you heard "look how they massacred my boy" or "I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse" paraphrased in contemporary films? "The Godfather" is such a classic precisely because of the way its language has become a universal reference.
The Godfather's Inspiration
While achieving global fame as a film, "The Godfather" originated as a novel by Mario Puzo back in 1969 as the first of a trilogy of books. While Puzo famously never met a real mobster, the influence for his books came very much from real life in the form of the Valachi papers. In the 1960s, a famous gangster called Joe Valachi was asked to write down the details of his life as a criminal, but where the attorney general was hoping for a brief overview, Valachi wrote an 1180-page manuscript, documenting over thirty years of criminal activity.
This was the first time anyone outside a mafia organization got a glimpse into the realities of that world, and when released to the public (in the hope of curbing crime) it served as the perfect starting point for Puzo’s novels.
Where To Watch The Godfather
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, "The Godfather" has a run time of two hours and fifty-five minutes. You can stream the film now on Amazon Prime.
