The epitome of cinema

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2008)

The Godfather is placed near the top of any reliable best films list. It is an American classic based on Mario Puzo's novel and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It recounts the ascent of Michael Corleone to the head of his crime family, originally headed by his father, "the Godfather" Don Vito Corleone. Don Vito is played by Marlon Brando in a key performance, which actually does not amount to all that much screen time (at least, relative to the whole film). The majority of the film focuses on Michael and his acquaintances trying to sustain an empire that satisfies their vision of an American dream.
The film exhibits masterful quality in virtually every category. The acting is one of those key aspects. Although I'm not a fan of Al Pacino, his performance as Michael is unarguably a great achievement. Marlon Brando is even more iconic and unforgettable as Don Vito. Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton are good supporting actors. In addition, I think Sollozzo and the corrupt police captain are wrongly unappreciated as bad guys.
The camera-work and direction is solid (although nothing groundbreaking). The music is fantastic. Although the main theme is most remembered, I believe the suspenseful music used to lead up to inevitable encounters is more important. It makes the tension come straight through the screen and into the audience.
The movie is a little on the long side, but most of the time the scenes are completely engrossing. It would be difficult for anyone to argue that The Godfather is not a great film. While its not my favorite movie of all time, it deserves its place in critic lists. It is as near perfect a movie as you can expect a human to make.