The Godfather

The Godfather is the quintessential mafia film. It originally premiered on March 24, 1972 and quickly earned both a hefty box office take and rave reviews from the critics. The movie, which was directed by master artist Francis Ford Coppola, followed a novel penned by Mario Puzo. The film stars Al Pacino, James Caan, Marlon Brando, and Diane Keaton.

The running time of the movie is almost three hours long, and the story feels like a true epic. It follows 10 years in the life of the Corleone family. Marlon Brando plays "The Godfather," the head of this Italian crime family. He demonstrates his awesome power during the beginning of the movie, when he makes a Hollywood film producer an "offer he can't refuse" by chopping off the head of his favorite racehorse and leaving it in his bed sheets.

The story follows the rise of Don Corleone's son, played Al Pacino. Although the family wants to go "straight" and get out of the crime business, they are inevitably pulled towards intrigue, crime, and murder. Betrayal is common. In one of the most famous scenes in film history, Michael, Al Pacino's character, baptizes two babies while the action is intercut with a family killing spree he ordered.

According to the prestigious American Film Institute, The Godfather is the number one film of all time. Sites like imdb.com and rottentomatoes.com also rank The Godfather as the number one movie ever. The Godfather spawned two sequels. The Godfather Part II also won an Oscar for best picture of the year. Memorabilia from the film routinely sells for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.