The Godfather Poster
MOVIEmeter
Top 500
Up 19 this week

The Godfather (1972)

R 175 min  -  Crime | Drama  -   24 March 1972 (USA)
9.2
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 9.2/10 from 566,207 users   Metascore: 100/100 
Reviews: 1,528 user | 157 critic | 14 from Metacritic.com

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

Writers:

Mario Puzo (screenplay), Francis Ford Coppola (screenplay), and 1 more credit »
Watch Trailer
 Loading+Watchlist

Watch now

Buy it from Amazon »

Related Lists

image of title
a list of 727 titles by dimkovachev created 2 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 250 titles by cy1995 created 10 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 382 titles by mhar_ced created 4 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 100 titles by Ab Siddique created 22 Apr 2011
 
image of title
a list of 506 titles by UnitSuke created 4 months ago
 

Connect with IMDb


Top 250 #2 | Won 3 Oscars. Another 25 wins & 17 nominations See more awards »

Related Videos

The Godfather -- The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. The Godfather -- Clip: The garden scene with Don and Michael Corleone Lawrence of Arabia -- AFI's 10 Top 10 - The 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlon Brando ...
Al Pacino ...
James Caan ...
Richard S. Castellano Richard S. Castellano ...
Clemenza (as Richard Castellano)
Robert Duvall ...
Sterling Hayden ...
John Marley John Marley ...
Richard Conte Richard Conte ...
Al Lettieri ...
Sollozzo
Diane Keaton ...
Abe Vigoda ...
Tessio
Talia Shire ...
Connie
Gianni Russo Gianni Russo ...
Carlo
John Cazale ...
Rudy Bond Rudy Bond ...
Cuneo
Edit

Storyline

The story begins as "Don" Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia "family", oversees his daughter's wedding. His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Through Michael's life the nature of the family business becomes clear. The business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but given to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. Don Vito lives his life in the way of the old country, but times are changing and some don't want to follow the old ways and look out for community and "family". An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. The clash of the Don's fading old world values and the new ways will demand a terrible price... Written by Charlie Ness  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Wedding | Lawyer | Organized Crime | Violence  | See more »

Taglines:

An offer you can't refuse.

Genres:

Crime | Drama

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Official site | Add/edit official sites  »

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Latin

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Mario Puzo's The Godfather See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$302,393 (USA) (19 March 1972) (6 Screens)

Gross:

$245,066,411 (Worldwide) (11 May 1997)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Apart from as required by his Marine Corps uniform, Michael Corleone does not wear a hat until he becomes involved in the family business. See more »

Goofs

Revealing mistakes: During the sequences filmed in Sicily, Michael's broken-jaw make-up does not match the make-up used during the sequences filmed in New York. This is because Paramount Pictures would not pay the costs of sending makeup artist Dick Smith to Italy with the rest of the crew. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Bonasera: I believe in America. America has made my fortune. And I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom but I taught her never to dishonor her family. She found a "boy friend," not an Italian. She went to the movies with him. She stayed out late. I didn't protest. Two months ago he took her for a drive, with another boy friend. They made her drink whiskey and then they tried to take advantage of her. She resisted. She kept her honor. So they beat her. Like an animal. When I went to the hospital her nose was broken. Her jaw was shattered, held together by wire. She couldn't even weep because of the pain. But I wept. Why did I weep? She was the light of my life. A beautiful girl. Now she will never be beautiful again.
[He breaks down at this point, and the Don gestures to his son to get him a drink]
Bonasera: Sorry...
[He regains his composure and carries on]
Bonasera: I went to the police, like a good American. These two boys were brought to trial. The judge sentenced them to three years in prison, and suspended the sentence. Suspended sentence! They went free that very day! I stood in the courtroom like a fool, and those two bastards, they smiled at me. Then I said to my wife, "For justice, we must go to Don Corleone."
Don Corleone: Why did you go to the police? Why didn't you come to me first?
Bonasera: What do you want of me? Tell me anything. But do what I beg you to do.
Don Corleone: What is that?
[Bonasera gets up from his seat and whispers into the Don's ear; for a long moment the Don is silent]
[...]
See more »

Crazy Credits

In the end credits, Marlon Brando's name is the only one that is not accompanied by the character name that he plays (e.g. "as Vito Corleone").
See more »

Connections

Referenced in "The X Files: Surekill (#8.8)" (2001) See more »

Soundtracks

"Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor"
(1706? - 1713?)
(Baptism sequence)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach See more »