Picture 45: The Godfather (1972)

Marlon Brando returns 18 years after his first blog appearance in On the Waterfront (1954). This year also launches the careers of superstars Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, John Cazale and Diane Keaton. Francis Ford Coppola’s epic gangster film was the highest grossing film of 1972 and was quoted by Roger Ebert as the film that everyone agrees is “unquestionably great”. It clearly has universal acclaim and all of the accolades but does it still have the edge 52 years after its release?

The film chronicles the Italian-American Corleone mafia family from 1945-1955. Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is the patriarch who oversees multiple corrupt dealings in the New York area. Robert Duvall expertly portrays his right-hand man and so-called consigliere, Tom Hagen. James Caan is well cast as Vito’s hot-headed eldest son Sonny. The youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) is a returning WW2 military veteran who has very little desire to get involved in the family business. This may or may not change in time. John Cazale gives a generational performance as Vito’s other son Fredo – vulnerable, weak and prone to manipulation. We follow this intriguing family as they try to survive the unforgiving world of mobster rule. There are four other powerful gangster families in the New York area – each vying to either be engaged in mutually beneficial business dealings or wipe each other out depending on the season.

This film is as rich as any you will ever see. The characters, dialogue and plot are all exquisitely developed. There are plenty of tense, shocking scenes and you cannot take your eyes off the picture for the full 3 hours. You see mobsters as nuanced and complex human beings, not the simplistic embodiment of evil. All this mixed with very good cinematography and Nino Rota’s iconic soundtrack make for a cultural phenomenon. The Godfather launched countless attempts to recreate the magic of this classic. Few have or will ever come close.

This is cinema at its best and it tops the list by some margin. It has set a new benchmark and the 29 year reign of Humphrey Bergman is over.

Rating: 10/10

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. The Godfather (1972)

2. Casablanca (1943)

3. The Apartment (1960)

4. Rebecca (1940)

5. The Sound of Music (1965)

6. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

8. Ben-Hur (1959)

9. Lost Weekend (1945)

10. All About Eve (1950)

11. Hamlet (1948)

12. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

13. Gone With the Wind (1939)

14. West Side Story (1961)

15. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

16. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

17. Wings (1928)

18. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

19. You can’t take it with you (1938)

20. Patton (1970)

21. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

22. On the Waterfront (1954)

23. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

24. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

25. Marty (1955)

26. Oliver! (1968)

27. Cimarron (1931)

28. Grand Hotel (1932)

29. The French Connection (1971)

30. An American in Paris (1951)

31. From Here to Eternity (1953)

32. It Happened One Night (1934)

33. My Fair Lady (1964)

34. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

35. Cavalcade (1933)

36. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

37. Going My Way (1944)

38. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

39. All the King’s Men (1949)

40. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

41. Gigi (1958)

42. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

43. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

44. The Broadway Melody (1929)

45. Tom Jones (1963)

Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.

With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield

Dr Caspar Briault

Dr Kate Diomede

Dr Fionnuala Durrant

Dr Josh Fisher

Mr Vivian Gallaher

Mrs Clare Gallaher

Dr Adam Holland

Dr Hannah Morrison

Dr Meera Radia