If Hollywood had a Hall of Fame for movies, The Godfather would have been the first introduction and given its own wing for its legendary status as one of, if not the greatest, film of all time.
Now for just the second time in my life, I have witnessed the greatness of the Corleone family.
In case you have never found the time to watch this epic mafia movie, let me just say that you are missing out on one of the greatest stories about family ever written. Yes, this is probably one of the dirtiest families you could ever encounter because their body count ranks up there with the best of them. However, this family is more than just violent acts and shady deals; they are about protecting one another and turning in favours whenever called upon.
Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) may be the best Godfather in the fictitious New York City mafia history solely based on the amount of respect he commands. He may have come from nothing, but he built an empire that was thought to be untouchable until he is gunned down in broad daylight. The attempt on the don’s life alters the crime world like an earthquake. Just when one family thought it was time for a change at the top, their efforts set off a chain reaction of events that cost everyone their lives.
There are so many iconic actors in this film, all of them playing fantastic roles. Brando may be remembered for a few Oscar-winning roles before this film, though I think the majority of people will only remember him as The Godfather.
Al Pacino had a few roles to his credit by this time, but his career exploded after playing Michael Corleone, youngest son of Vito and eventual Godfather for the remainder of the franchise. His ability to take control of the family in its time of need turned a war hero into one of the world’s most feared Godfathers.
Vito had an older son, Sonny, played by James Caan. He’s known for his temper and quick reactions to everything. Of course, those two things would be his downfall, which is sad because his heart was always in the right place, and he would have made a great head of the family had he been able to control himself.
Then there is their stepbrother and family lawyer, Tom Hagan, played by Robert Duvall, with a full set of hair! I really enjoyed his performance and character because he was the best advisor anyone could ask for. Tom was not one to get his hands dirty. He was just a lawyer and brilliant strategist who was extremely valuable to his friends and family.
Like I said previously, I had only seen this movie once in my life before the other night. I got myself pumped up for a second viewing because I needed to cross this movie off my review list. I needed to give it my honest opinion, and you guys needed to know how I felt. I can’t say this film is anything less than incredible; however, there are just a few aspects that make me lower my score just a tad bit. The Godfather is the second-highest-rated movie on IMDb with a 9.1 rating. I understand how valuable this movie is to so many people, so I don’t have harsh criticism to provide.
Initially, I gave this film an eight-star rating on my IMDb profile some 12 years ago. Upon further review, I feel like my answer hasn’t changed, and I stand by my decision, even though The Godfather is considered the greatest movie of all-time. 8/10
Ten Stars or Less 