The year was 1972 and the month March. An era when gangster movies were aplenty, another film released in just six theaters to raving reviews. The theatrical release expanded soon after and Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster flick raged into households and conversations. The movie was a colossal success and nominated for a string of awards including 11 Academy awards. Two successful sequels followed. Cut to 50 years later, the movie has achieved a cult classic status. On the film’s 50-year anniversary, Paramount Pictures re-released the movie again – this time in 156 theatres. And it made over three times that it made back in 1972. That movie was ‘The Godfather’.
As the iconic movie completes 50 years this month, the movie has struck a new chord. Newer generations have taken to the movie and its sequels and despite being made half a century ago, The Godfather is very relevant in today’s age.
Revolving around a mafia boss played by Marlon Brando who passes his legacy of power and violence to his sons, The Godfather was unafraid to tread grey areas explored seldom in cinema back then. The characters journey through complex emotions and situations and face off against each other in sibling rivalries in their ultimate quest for absolute power. Coppola along with writer of the book Mario Puzo finally weaved elements into the final script to make a piece of art that won them the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Marlon Brando, who was a skinny 47-year-old when he played boss Vito Corleone – father to 33-year-old Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone, also won the Academy Award for Best Actor which he declined to accept. On the day of the award show, that is now stuff of Oscar legend, Brando sent in Native American actor Sacheen Littlefeather to accept it his award in a statement against the poor treatment of native Americans in Hollywood.
