The Godfather--The Best Gangster Saga Movie Ever Made

This superb, three-part gangster saga movie was inaugurated with this film from Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy

The cast consisted of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Al Lettieri, Sterling Hayden, John Cazale

The Godfather (1972). The first two parts of this grand saga are among the most celebrated, landmark films of all time. Many film reviewers consider the second part equal or superior to the original but the first part was a tremendous critical and commercial success because it turned out to be the highest grossing film of its time.This unforgettable gangster saga movie contributed to a resurgence of the American film industry.

Director Coppola collaborated on the epic film's screenplay with Mario Puzo who had written a best-selling novel of the same name about a Mafia dynasty (the Corleones). This gangster saga movie catapulted director Coppola to the top of the best directors list.

Strong performances, solid directing, and a tightly-plotted script all contribute to The Godfather's success.. Every major character - and more than a few minor ones - were sculptured into a separate, complex individual. Stereotypes did not influence Coppola's film, although certain ones were formed as a result of it.

This gangster film re-invented the gangster genre, elevating the classic Hollywood gangster film to a higher level by portraying the gangster figure as a tragic hero.

Rarely can it be said that a film has defined a genre, but never is that more true than in the case of The Godfather. Since the release of the 1972 epic (which garnered ten Academy Award nominations and was named Best Picture), all "gangster movies" have been judged by the standards of this one.

[Al Pacino is best remembered for the role he created in The Godfather.]

The Godfather had three Best Supporting Actor nominees, all well-deserved. The first was Pacino then James Caan and Robert Duvall who's presence in The Godfather isn't flashy or attention-arresting. Like his character of Tom Hagen, he is steady, reliable, and stays in the background. Not so for Caan's Sonny, whose demonstrative and volatile personality can't be overlooked.

There has been countless discussions about not only the violence encountered in this great gangster saga movie, but it raises another moral dilemma. Is it alright to operate outside a corrupt judical system by creating there own sytem of rules to live under!