The Godfather

This mafia drama based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo has long been considered one of the best films of all time. It is also one of the most commercially successful. The story revolves around the powerful Italian-American criminal family of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). When his youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) reluctantly joins the Mafia, he becomes embroiled in the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal. Although Michael desperately tries to maintain a normal relationship with his wife Kay (Diane Keaton), he is drawn deeper and deeper into the family business...

THE GODFATHER was nominated for eleven Oscars and won one Oscar each for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Adapted Screenplay, among many other awards. With a budget of around seven million dollars, it grossed over 250 million dollars, saved Paramount from ruin, made Al Pacino a star and Francis Ford Coppola a sought-after director.