The Godfather is an American trilogy, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy and Francis Ford Coppola. The Godfather is based on Italian American author Mario Puzo's novel of the same name. The Godfather trilogy contains The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part ll (1974), and The Godfather Part lll (1990).
The story of The Godfather is about the rise and fall of the Corleone family, a powerful Italian-American mafia clan. The trilogy is about the family, power, betrayal, ambitions, and the price of crime. The Godfather franchise is considered a masterpiece for multiple reasons, and one of the reasons is the amazing cast, including Marlon Brando, AL Pacino, James Caan, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, and others.
Who played The Godfather?
1. Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando is an American actor born on April 3, 1924. Marlon played Vito Corleone in the first movie of this franchise, The Godfather (1972). Vito Corleone is the head of the Corleone Crime family. He is very respected and powerful among the mafia. The first movie shows how Michael Corleone takes over the family business after his father, Vito Corleone, steps down. Marlon's performance as a ruthless don and caring father was highly appreciated; he also won an Academy Award for his performance. Because of Marlon Brando’s performance as Vito, the role has become iconic forever.
2. Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro is an American actor born on August 17, 1943. Robert De Niro played the role of young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part ll (1974). Robert De Niro's role as young Vito expands on the back story, as the story runs in two timelines, one is the current time when Michael is struggling to take over the business as the current Godfather while the other shows flashbacks of Vito Corleone’s early life. To play a younger version of the already iconic character, Robert De Niro went to great lengths to maintain the essence of the character. He also learned the accent to match the authenticity. For his portrayal of Vito Corleone, he also won an Academy Award. It made Vito Corleone one of the few characters for which two actors won Oscars.
3. Al Pacino
Al Pacino is an American actor born on April 25, 1940. Al Pacino plays the role of Michael Corleone, the youngest son of Vito Corleone. Al Pacino’s character is one of the key characters of the film trilogy, and his character is in all three movies of the franchise. Michael Corleone has a huge character arc throughout the films - he went from being the detached younger son who didn’t want to get involved in his father’s mafia business, to a ruthless mafia boss, and eventually a person who regretted his decisions. Al Pacino made his character one of the most remembered through his performance in all three of The Godfather movies.
Who is the Godfather?
The term Godfather in the movie is used for the leader of a powerful mafia family who controls crime and protects his people. In the film, Marlon Brando plays the role of Vito Corleone, the original Godfather who is head of the mafia. He is a fierce man who is respected and feared by the mafia, but he still manages to fulfill his role of a family man. Eventually, Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino takes over the position of Godfather after his father's death, and the power and dynamics change him, which he later reflects.
FAQs about The Godfather
A. Francis Ford Coppola is the director of The Godfather.
A. The Godfather has three installments.
A. The Godfather trilogy won 9 Oscars in total.
