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A movie that is just people eating spaghetti for 5 hours straight, and a couple people get shot near oranges. The End.
:''This article is about the film. For the novel on which the film is based, see [[The Godfather (novel)]]. For the main article of the video game based on the Godfather, see [[The Godfather: The Game]]. For other uses, see [[godparent|Godfather]].''
{{Infobox_Film | name = The Godfather |
image = Godfather vhs.jpg |
caption = [[Internet Movie Database|IMDB]] [[Image:4hv out of 5.png]] 9.1/10 (164,311 votes)<br>[http://www.imdb.com/chart/top top 250: #1]|
imdb_id = 0068646 |
writer = [[Mario Puzo]] |
starring = [[Marlon Brando]]<br>[[Al Pacino]]<br>[[James Caan]]<br>[[Robert Duvall]]<br>[[Diane Keaton]]<br>[[Talia Shire]]<br>[[John Cazale]]<br>[[Richard S. Castellano]]<br>[[Abe Vigoda]] |
director = [[Francis Ford Coppola]] |
producer = [[Albert S. Ruddy]] |
distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]] |
released = [[March 15]], [[1972]] |
runtime = 175 min. |
language = [[English language|English]], [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]], [[Latin]] |
music = [[Nino Rota]] and [[Carmine Coppola]]|
awards = |
budget = $6,000,000 |
followed_by = ''[[The Godfather Part II]]''
|}}
'''''The Godfather''''' is a [[film]] adaptation of [[The Godfather (novel)|the novel]] of the same name, written by [[Mario Puzo]], directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]] and starring [[Marlon Brando]] and [[Al Pacino]]. The film's story spans ten years from late [[1945]] to [[1955]].

This movie is universally regarded as the definitive [[Mafia]] film. It is consistently ranked amongst the [[Films that have been considered the greatest ever|finest movies of all time]]. It is currently ranked as third best film by the [http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx American Film Institute], and, as of May 18, 2006, rated number one on the 250 films on the Internet Movie Data Base with a 9.1/10 rating.
==Plot==
{{spoiler}}

The film begins at the wedding of [[Don Vito Corleone]]'s ([[Marlon Brando]]) daughter, [[Connie Corleone|Connie]] ([[Talia Shire]]), to Carlo Rizzi ([[Gianni Russo]]) in late summer of [[1945]]. According to tradition, no [[Sicilian]] can refuse a request on his daughter's wedding day, so the Don is meeting people and granting various "favors." One of the favors is asked by Vito's godson [[Johnny Fontane]] (loosely based on Frank Sinatra), a [[crooner]] who wants Corleone's influence to break into the movie business -- more specifically, with a movie he'd be perfect in, but cannot land the lead role as it is being produced by Jack Woltz, with whom Johnny had a falling-out in the past. After Don Corleone tells Johnny to rest and let him take care of everything, he reassures him by saying that he is "gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

Meanwhile, the Don's youngest son [[Michael Corleone|Michael]] ([[Al Pacino]]), who has returned from service in [[World War II]], tells his girlfriend [[Kay Adams|Kay]] ([[Diane Keaton]]) about the ways in which his father 'coerces' rivals ("With a gun to his head, my father assured him that either his signature or his brains would be on the contract."). He tells her, "That's my family, Kay. Not me."

Later, the Family [[consigliere]] [[Tom Hagen]] ([[Robert Duvall]]), a German/Irish street kid and friend of Don Corleone's oldest son, [[Sonny Corleone|Santino]] or "Sonny" ([[James Caan]]), whom the Don took in and raised as his own, goes to Hollywood, and "persuades" the producer Woltz to cast Fontane in the movie by leaving the head of the producer's prize [[racehorse]], Khartoum, in his bed.

When Tom returns to New York, influential [[heroin]] dealer [[Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo]] asks Don Corleone for legal protection and a million dollars in financing for the heroin business. Because he is concerned that the politicians and policemen in his control will not see narcotics as the same kind of innocent pursuit as gambling, prostitution and illegal alcohol, Don Corleone refuses to get involved, but Sonny (who is Don Corleone's underboss, albeit undisciplined and hotheaded), breaks ranks during the meeting and expresses interest in the deal. [[Luca Brasi]], Don Corleone's unfailingly loyal [[enforcer]], is sent to obtain information from Sollozzo's apparent backers, the Tattaglia Family, and he is subsequently killed by them and Sollozzo as part of a previous plan to get to Don Corleone.

After Don Corleone's refusal, Sollozzo unsuccessfully attempts to assassinate him, and detains Tom to act as a messenger to deliver an offer of a new deal to Sonny. Sonny refuses to consider the deal, waiting to see what information Luca Brasi will have -- but Brasi's bullet-proof vest is delivered to the Coreleone home wrapped around a dead fish: a Sicilian message that "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." The Corleone Family now begins to prepare for the possibility of all-out warfare with the other Mafia families (called "going to the mattresses", because the "soldiers" will hide out in tenements sleeping on mattresses). Meanwhile, Don Corleone's [[caporegime]] [[Peter Clemenza]] ([[Richard S. Castellano]]) has Paulie, the Don's bodyguard, killed, since Sonny is certain that Paulie betrayed the Don.

Michael, who is recognized by the other families as a "civilian" who is not involved in the family business, goes into town to have dinner with Kay, and then on to visit his father in the hospital. When he gets there, he finds no police guard, and none of his father's men guarding him: they've all been arrested or sent away by the police. Michael realizes that his father is being set up for another assassination attempt, and convinces a nurse to help him move the old man to another room. Once there, he tells his father "I'm here. I'm with you now," -- a declaration both that he is with the old man at that moment, and that he no longer intends to remain the innocent and uninvolved "civilian" outside the family business. This brings tears to the Don's eyes.

Although Michael has called for help, he's afraid that something will happen before it gets there, and he enlists the innocent Enzo the baker, who has shown up to pay his respects to the Don, to stand outside the hospital with him, looking menacing and pretending to be carrying guns. A car pulls up, obviously there for the assasination attempt, but pulls away after a visual confrontation with Michael and Enzo. Almost immediately after, clearly by plan, police cars come screaming up with corrupt Police Captain McCluskey ([[Sterling Hayden]]). McCluskey rousts Michael, who confronts him and accuses him of being in the pay of Sollozzo. For this, McCluskey has his officers hold Michael steady while he breaks his jaw with a single punch.

Michael is about to be arrested, despite being a war hero with no record in the rackets, when Tom Hagen shows up with "private detectives" licensed to carry guns to protect Don Corleone, and threatening McCluskey with having to explain his actions in court if he interferes with them. McCluskey withdraws from the scene, and the Don is safe for the moment.

Realizing that Sollozzo will not rest until his father is dead, Michael volunteers to kill Sollozzo and his bodyguard, Captain McCluskey, during a meeting designed to end the conflict. Tom Hagen's intelligence network discovers in advance where the meeting is to be held, a Bronx restaurant, and Clemenza has a pistol planted in the bathroom there for Michael to use. During the meeting, Michael excuses himself to go to the bathroom, retrieves the weapon, murders Sollozzo and McCluskey at point blank range, and leaves the scene.

Michael is sent to Sicily, under the protection of Vito's old friend and business partner Don Tommasino, to avoid arrest for the murders. There, he meets and marries the beautiful young virgin Apollonia, who is later killed by a [[car bomb]] meant for Michael. Back in America, Don Corleone returns home from the hospital and is heartbroken to learn that Michael, for whom he had political aspirations and therefore wanted to keep "clean" and away from the family's illegal operations, was the one who killed Sollozzo and McCluskey.

In New York, the temperamental Sonny severely beats his brother-in-law, Carlo, for abusing Connie. After Carlo beats Connie a second time, Sonny sets off alone to seek his revenge on Carlo. Unbeknownst to Sonny, Carlo has betrayed him to the Barzini Family. Don Barzini's men assassinate Sonny as his car sits at a toll booth. Instead of perpetuating the revenge cycle, Don Corleone (now more or less recovered from the assassination attempt) seeks peace with the warring Five Families so his youngest son can return home. Don Corleone realizes that it was Don Emilio Barzini, not Philip Tattaglia, who was behind the war and Sonny's death. The Don says to Tom, "Tattaglia's a pimp. He never could've out-fought Santino. But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along." Now with his safety guaranteed Michael returns from Sicily and woos and marries his former girlfriend Kay, telling her that his father's ways are over, and that in five years, the Corleone Family would be completely legitimate.

The ailing Don Corleone places Michael in charge of the Family, since the next oldest brother Fredo, who has been sent to Las Vegas for his health and to learn the casino business, is the weakest and least intelligent of the brothers. The caporegimes Clemenza and Salvatore "Sally" Tessio ([[Abe Vigoda]]) complain that in the new set-up, they're being pinched and pushed around by the Tattaglia Family, and want permission to strike back. When Michael refuses, because "things are being negotiated" that will settle matters, they ask the Don's permission to start their own Families, as it was once promised they could. The Don asks their forebearance, and tells them they should be "friends" to Michael. Michael tell them he has plans to leave behind the family's ([[olive oil]] importing) business in New York and become "legitimate" in the [[Nevada]] casino business, and that once the move to Las Vegas is made, Clemenza and Tessio can break away to form their own families.

In Las Vegas, in the hotel/casino partly financed by the Corleones and run by Moe Greene (based partly on [[Bugsy Siegel]]), Michael calls in the Don's marker with Johnny Fontanne, asking him to sign a contract guaranteeing multiple yearly engagements at the casino, and requesting that he get his Hollywood friends to do the same. Fontanne is happy to repay the Don's favor.

But Michael's offer to buy out Moe Greene is rudely rebuffed, since Greene believes the Corleones are weak, and he can get a better deal from the Barzinis. Fredo attempts to intercede with Tom Hagen, who tells him the Don is semi-retired, and Michael is in charge of the family business. Moe leaves, and Fredo tells Michael, "You don't come to Las Vegas and talk to a man like Moe Greene like that!" Michael's response is pointed and chilling (as well as prescient): "Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever."

Michael returns home, and, in one of the film's most tender scenes, Vito Corleone, while advising Michael about strategy and possible assassination attempts, confesses that he had hoped his youngest son had not been drawn into the family business. Although dreaming Michael would one day be a governor or a senator, Vito admits that "there wasn't enough time." While playing in the garden with his grandson, Michael's son Anthony, Don Corleone dies.

[[Image:corleonesons.jpg|right|thumb|400px|From left to right: Al Pacino (Michael), Marlon Brando (Don Vito), James Caan (Santino), John Cazale (Fredo).]]

During the funeral, Corleone Family caporegime Tessio conveys a proposal for a meeting with Don Barzini, on Tessio's turf so Michael will be safe. As Vito Corleone told him and Tom Hagen confirms at the funeral, Michael's enemies will attempt to kill him by using a trusted acquaintance to set up a meeting once Vito Corleone and his important political connections are gone.

Michael then arranges for the murders of the other families' heads (Philip Tattaglia, Emilio Barzini, Victor Stracci, and Carmine Cuneo), Moe Greene (whom the other families support), and Sal Tessio (for betraying Michael to Barzini) —- and those murders are carried out while Michael is standing up as [[godparent|godfather]] to his nephew, Connie and Carlo's second son, Michael Francis Rizzi. The film's climactic scene involves intercutting between the brutal assassinations and the church, as Michael recites the traditional vows of [[baptism]].

Afterwards, Michael confronts Carlo about Sonny's murder, and tricks him into admitting his role in setting up the killing -- and Carlo is then strangled to death by Clemenza. Later, Connie accuses Michael of ordering Carlo's murder. Kay is witness to Connie's hysterical confrontation. She questions Michael about Connie's accusation, and he answers vehemently, "Don't ask me about my business, Kay." She insists, and Michael appears to relent, for "just this one time." Michael then lies outright and assures his wife that he had no role in Carlo's death.

Kay is relieved by Michael's denial. However, as the movie ends, her fears are perhaps reawakened as she watches Clemenza and new caporegime Rocco pay their respects to Michael, kissing his hand and addressing him as "Don Corleone."

{{endspoiler}}

==Production==
The film was released in [[1972 in film|1972]] and was directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]], who had directed several films prior to this. None of those films had a significant impact upon the public, though he had won an [[Academy Award]] for co-writing ''[[Patton (film)|Patton]]'' in 1970<ref name=duke>{{cite book|title=New American Cinema|publisher=Duke University Press|year=1998|editor=Jon E Lewis|pages=14-17}}</ref>. Shooting spanned from [[March 29]], [[1971]], to [[August 6]] of that year. Due to skepticism about the film's expected success, a modest budget was set for the film, forcing the crew to use regular lighting as opposed to production lighting. This lent a more realistic appearance to the film.

There was intense friction between director Coppola (who was at least the third choice to direct<ref name=duke />) and the studio, [[Paramount Pictures]], and several times Coppola was close to being replaced. Paramount maintains that their scepticism was due to a rocky start to production, though Coppola believes that the first week went extremely well. Paramount perceived that Coppola was failing to keep up to the production schedule, frequently made mistakes in production and casting and insisted on unnecessary expenses. The studio strongly opposed the casting of [[Al Pacino]] and [[Marlon Brando]], insisting both be made to perform in multiple screen tests and that Coppola consider other actors.

Despite this intense pressure, Coppola managed to defend his decisions and avoid being fired. The final cut was seemingly remarkably free from the changes the studio had previously demanded.

==Casting==
Puzo helped in the making of the movie and its sequels and co-wrote the [[screenplay]]. The producers originally wanted [[Robert Redford]] to play [[Michael Corleone]], but Coppola demanded [[Al Pacino]]. Pacino was not well known at the time, and the studio did not consider him right for the part. Pacino was only granted the role after Coppola threatened to quit the production.

The role of Don Vito Corleone was memorably acted by [[Marlon Brando]], who won an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] (which he did not accept, in protest of Hollywood's portrayal of
Native Americans) for his portrayal of the aging Don. Many of the actors playing the supporting roles were largely unknown or minor actors; however, they rocketed into the limelight with the success of ''The Godfather''. [[Al Pacino]] and [[Robert Duvall]], in particular, went on to enjoy long, successful, highly acclaimed careers.

===Cast list===
* [[Marlon Brando]] as [[Don Vito Corleone]]
* [[Al Pacino]] as [[Michael Corleone]]
* [[James Caan]] as [[Sonny Corleone|Santino "Sonny" Corleone]]
* [[Richard S. Castellano]] as [[Pete Clemenza]]
* [[Robert Duvall]] as [[Tom Hagen]]
* [[Sterling Hayden]] as Captain McCluskey
* [[John Marley]] as Jack Woltz
* [[Richard Conte]] as Don Emilio Barzini
* [[Alex Rocco]] as Moe Greene
* [[Al Lettieri]] as [[Virgil Sollozzo|Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo]]
* [[Diane Keaton]] as [[Kay Adams]]
* [[Abe Vigoda]] as [[Sal Tessio|Salvatore "Sally" Tessio]]
* [[Talia Shire]] as [[Connie Corleone|Costanza "Connie" Corleone-Rizzi]]
* [[Gianni Russo]] as Carlo Rizzi
* [[John Cazale]] as [[Fredo Corleone|Frederico "Fredo" Corleone]]
* [[Rudy Bond]] as Ottilio Cuneo
* [[Al Martino]] as [[Johnny Fontane]]
* [[Morgana King]] as [[Carmella Corleone]]
* [[Lenny Montana]] as [[Luca Brasi]]
* [[John Martino]] as Paulie Gatto
* [[Salvatore Corsitto]] as Amerigo Bonasera
* [[Richard Bright (actor)|Richard Bright]] as [[Al Neri]]

==Critical acclaim==
[[Image:Al Pacino and Robert Duvall in the Godfather.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Robert Duvall]] (left, as Tom Hagen) and [[Al Pacino]] (right, as Michael Corleone) in '''The Godfather''']]

The film is greatly respected among international critics and the public. It was voted [[Films that have been considered the greatest ever|greatest film of all time]] by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{ref|ent-weekly}}, and #3 of all time by the [[American Film Institute]]. It is consistently ranked #1 on [[Internet Movie Database|IMDB]]'s Top 250. In the 2002 ''[[Sight & Sound]]'' poll of international critics, it was ranked as the 4th best film of all time.

The [[soundtrack]]'s main [[theme]] by [[Nino Rota]] was also critically acclaimed; the main theme is well-known and widely-used.

===Awards===
''The Godfather'' won three [[Academy Awards]]:

* [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]
* [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] (Marlon Brando refused the award)
* [[Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay|Best Writing (adapted screenplay)]] (Francis Coppola, Mario Puzo)

The film was also nominated for eight additional Academy Awards. In addition, it won five [[Golden Globe]]s, one [[Grammy]], and numerous other awards.

The sequel ''[[The Godfather Part II]]'' also won an [[Academy Award for Best Picture]], making the ''Godfather'' trilogy the only series of films to date to win multiple Oscars in this field. It was also the only sequel ever to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, until ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'' won the Best Picture award in 2003 (IMDb.com.) ''[[The Godfather Part III]]'' was nominated for seven Oscars.

===Revenues===
The film was an enormous box-office hit, smashing previous records to become the highest-grossing film of all time (until that record was surpassed by ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'' in [[1975]]). It made [[USD]] $5,264,402 in its opening weekend and went on to gross $81,500,000 in its initial run; re-releases boosted its North American total to $134 million.

==Sequels==
===The Godfather Part II===
''Main article: [[The Godfather Part II]]''

A sequel, ''The Godfather Part II'', was released in [[1974 in film|1974]]. It consists of two parallel storylines, with the focus switching between these. The first storyline follows Michael Corleone in the late [[1950s]], as he deals with a decaying marriage and a growing gambling empire; the other is a flashback sequence following his father, Vito, from his youth in Sicily through the founding of the Corleone crime family in New York and the births of Michael and his siblings. This version of Vito is played by different actors at different ages, but the adult Vito is played by [[Robert De Niro]], who won a [[Best Supporting Actor]] Academy Award for a role in which, interestingly, he speaks almost no English-language dialogue. De Niro and Brando remain the only two actors to both win Academy Awards for playing the same character. Many critics consider the sequel to be superior to the original film in quality, one of the few film sequels to achieve such acclaim.

===The Godfather Saga===
''Main article: [[The Godfather Saga]]''

Coppola re-edited the two movies together, in chronological order (adding some previously unseen footage but also toning down the [[violence]]), into one long saga for TV broadcast, entitled ''The Godfather Saga''. While easier to understand, many consider this version to be less interesting than the original from a structural or artistic standpoint.
Both ''The Godfather'' and ''The Godfather Part II'' have been selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]]. This is not the case for the third installment.

===The Godfather Part III===
''Main article: [[The Godfather Part III]]''

In [[1990]], Coppola released a belated third film, ''The Godfather Part III''. This film was successful financially, but critical and fan response was mixed. However, the movie still received seven Academy Award nominations, among them [[Best Picture]] and [[Best Cinematography]]. The film is also notable for the key role played by Coppola's daughter, the future Academy Award-winning film-maker [[Sofia Coppola]], who was asked to play [[Mary Corleone]] on short notice after [[Winona Ryder]] became ill.

The movie was set in [[1979]], and focused on an aging Michael Corleone. Parts of the film were very loosely based on real historical events concerning the very short Papacy of [[John Paul I]] in [[1978]] and the collapse of the [[Banco Ambrosiano]] in [[1982]].

==Trivia==
* One of the movie's most shocking moments comes early in the film, involving the real severed head of a horse. [[Animal rights]] groups protested the inclusion of the scene, but Coppola stated that the horse's head was delivered to him from a [[dog food]] company; a horse had not been killed specifically for the movie.

* Before [[Robert Duvall]] was cast, [[Paul Newman]] and [[Steve McQueen]] auditioned for the role of Tom Hagen.

* [[Jack Nicholson]], [[Dustin Hoffman]], [[Warren Beatty]], [[Martin Sheen]], [[James Caan]] and a young [[Robert De Niro]] all read for the part of Michael. Although Coppola ultimately cast [[Al Pacino]] in the role, he would bring two of the rejected actors into the cast, with Caan playing Sonny in this film and De Niro a young Vito Corleone in ''[[The Godfather Part II]]''.

* [[Elvis Presley]] read the novel by [[Mario Puzo]] and loved it so much, he wanted to play the role of Don Corleone. [[Colonel Tom Parker]] later convinced him not to audition, which Elvis later came to regret.

* Film scholars and fans of the ''Godfather'' movies note what they believe is the significance of [[Orange (fruit)|oranges]] in the films. The fruit plays a symbolic role, fans suggest, as the appearance of an orange in the film indicates an important "death scene" will take place. In the first film, Tom Hagen and Woltz negotiate Johnny's movie status at a dinner table with a plate of oranges on it, and Woltz soon discovers his dead horse's head; Don Vito Corleone is buying oranges from a fruit seller when he is attacked; oranges are placed on the table at the meeting of the Mafia bosses (and specifically in front of the ones who will be assassinated at the film's climax); and Don Corleone dies while eating an orange, as he plays with his young grandson. Tessio is also seen peeling an orange at Connie's wedding. In ''The Godfather Part II,'' Michael Corleone receives an orange from an associate of a group behind an attempt on his life, and later in the movie, is seen eating an orange as he orders the "hit" against his enemies, in preparation for the climax of the film. Additionally, in a scene from the early 1900s storyline, Don Fanucci takes an orange from a street vendor's cart and tosses it about just before his death at the hands of a young Vito. Michael also dies while eating an orange in Sicily at the end of the third film. Also, in ''The Godfather Part III'', a bowl of oranges is knocked over as the helicopter assault begins. "[[The Sopranos]]" copy this when Uncle Junior tries to have Tony killed, just before which Tony buys a bottle of orange juice. During the confession scene in ''The Godfather Part III'', when about to speak to Cardinal Lamberto about the murder of his brother Fredo, Michael suffers a [[diabetic]] attack and is given a glass of orange juice. The roots of the orange as a symbolic fruit which represents wealth, power, and healing, can be traced back to [[Renaissance Art]] and, in [[Italy]], to the powerful [[Medici]] family. [http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth213/Medici_patronage.html] At the end of ''The Godfather Part III''', Michael is seen sitting on a chair, and later dies. The first thing that fell off was an orange, then his crane, then himself.

* The phrases "Mafia" and "Cosa Nostra" are not used at any point during ''The Godfather''. They are used for the first time when Michael testifies before the committee in ''The Godfather Part II''. However, the phrase "this thing of ours" (the literal translation of Cosa Nostra) is used.

* Italian director [[Sergio Leone]] was offered the chance to direct The Godfather, but he declined on the basis that he did not find the story interesting to him. He went on to direct his own gangster opus, focusing instead on Jewish-American gangsters, ''[[Once Upon a Time in America]]''.

* The baby being baptized at the end of the movie is actually played by an infant [[Sofia Coppola]], director [[Francis Ford Coppola]]'s daughter, even though the part is supposed to be that of a baby boy. (She would also play Michael's daughter, Mary, in ''The Godfather Part III'', stepping in for [[Winona Ryder]].)

* [[Nino Rota]]'s music score for the film was initially nominated for an Oscar, but was subsequently withdrawn when it was discovered that Rota recycled some of the music he had written for an obscure [[1958]] Italian film ''[[Fortunella]]''.

==Impact==
The trilogy had a powerful impact upon the public. Don Vito's line "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse" was voted as the second most memorable line in cinema history in a 2005 [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1398449.htm poll], called [[AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes]] by the [[American Film Institute]], and it is often parodied. This famous line served as inspiration for the song "An Offer She Can't Refuse" by Reeve Oliver, a band signed to Capitol Records.

Reports from Mafia trials and confessions have suggested that Mafia families began a "real life" tradition of paying respect to the family ''don'' by kissing his ring, in imitation of the opening scene of ''The Godfather''.

The image of the Mafia as being a medieval-style organization with a "royal family" doing favors for underlings is very popular. For example, in [[John Grisham]]'s novel ''[[The Firm (book)|The Firm]]'', the Mafia is depicted as having an organization wherein the top mobsters marry into the "royal family". However, this image bears little resemblance to the more sordid reality of a Mafia "family", which is depicted in the film ''[[Goodfellas]]''.

The [[Home Box Office]] series ''[[The Sopranos]]'' pays homage to ''The Godfather'' in a humorous episode where they discuss the feasibility of [[Bootleg recording|bootlegging]] copies of the DVD. Paramount returned the favor by including this clip as an [[Easter egg (virtual)|Easter Egg]] on the Godfather DVD Collection{{fact}}. Moreover, characters in ''The Sopranos'' sometimes discuss ''The Godfather'' and ''The Godfather Part II'' as both favorite films and images to live up to in the less glamorous real world of organized crime. In the series premiere of ''The Sopranos'', Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt) says, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"&mdash;a line from ''The Godfather Part III''.

==Games==
{{main|The Godfather: The Game}}
In [[March 2006]], a video game version of ''The Godfather'' was released by [[Electronic Arts]]. The player can make his/her own gangster, and soon become the don, and even Don of New York. The game also lets the player kill rival families, make businesses/rackets pay protection, and control New York City. Prior to his death, [[Marlon Brando]] provided voice work for Vito. However, due to poor sound quality, a sound-alike's voice had to be used instead. James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Abe Vigoda lent their voices and likenesses as well, and several other ''Godfather'' cast members had their likeness in the game. [[Francis Ford Coppola]] said in [[April 2005]] that he was not informed of Paramount's decision to allow the game to be made and he did not approve of it.<ref>{{cite web | title = "Coppola Angry over'' Godfather'' Video Game", 8 April 2005 | url=http://www.showbizdata.com/contacts/picknews.cfm/38287/COPPOLA_ANGRY_OVER_%3CI%3EGODFATHER%3C/I%3E_VIDEO_GAME | accessdate= August 22 | accessyear= 2005 }}</ref> [[Al Pacino]] also did not participate (due to already participating in the upcoming [[Scarface: The World is Yours|Scarface game]]), and his likeness was replaced with a different depiction of [[Michael Corleone]].

In [[1991]], [[US Gold]] produced an earlier computer-only game based on the movie. It was a [[DOS]]-based game and came on 6 floppy disks. There were five levels of gameplay.

A [[board game]] based on the movie was also produced.

==See also==
===Related works===
* [[The Godfather (novel)]]
* [[Goodfellas]]
* [[The Last Don]]
* [[The Godfather: The Game]]

===Topical===
* [[Crime]]
* [[Mafia]]

===Actors and crew===
* [[Francis Ford Coppola]] (Director)
* [[Marlon Brando]]
* [[Al Pacino]]
* [[James Caan]]
* [[Robert Duvall]]
* [[Diane Keaton]]
* [[Talia Shire]]
* [[Alex Rocco]]
* [[Nino Rota]]
* [[Robert De Niro]]

==References==
<references/>

==Further reading==
* Burr, T, ''The 100 Greatest Movies of All Time'', New York: Time-Life Books [[ISBN 1883013682]]. Lists ''The Godfather'' as "the greatest film of all time."
* [[Peter Cowie|Cowie]], Peter, ''The Godfather Book'', London: Faber and Faber, 1997

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{imdb title|id=0068646|title=The Godfather}}
* {{filmsite|id=godf|title=The Godfather}}
* [http://www.ruinedendings.com/film544plot Plot Summary] on ''Ruined Endings''
* [http://www.TheGodfatherTrilogy.com/ The Godfather Trilogy]
* [http://www.ea.com/official/godfather/godfather/us/home.jsp The Godfather Game]
* [http://www.amigagames.com/gage/g/godfather.html 1991 US Gold version of the Godfather PC Game]
*[http://www.imdb.com/chart/top IMDb Top 250]
* ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[April 22]], 2006, [http://film.guardian.co.uk/patterson/story/0,,1758640,00.html "Mob mentality"]

{{Template:AcademyAwardBestPicture}}

{{Godfather}}

[[Category:1972 films|Godfather, The]]
[[Category:Drama films|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Mafia movies|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Films based on fiction books|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Best Picture Oscar|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Best Actor Oscar (film)|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nominee (film)|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:United States National Film Registry|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Films directed by Francis Ford Coppola|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:Movie trilogies|Godfather 1, The]]
[[Category:The Godfather|Godfather 1, The]]

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[[fi:Kummisetä (elokuva)]]
[[fr:Le Parrain]]
[[he:הסנדק]]
[[ilo:Ti Ninong]]
[[it:Il Padrino (film)]]
[[ja:ゴッドファーザー]]
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[[pt:The Godfather]]
[[ru:Крёстный отец (фильм)]]
[[ro:Naşul]]
[[simple:The Godfather]]
[[sv:Gudfadern (film)]]
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[[zh:教父 (电影)]]

Revision as of 10:00, 21 May 2006

A movie that is just people eating spaghetti for 5 hours straight, and a couple people get shot near oranges. The End.

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