Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Godfather (1972)


Academy Awards, USA 1973

Won
Oscar
Best Picture
Albert S. Ruddy
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Marlon Brando
Brando did not show up at the ceremony, but instead sent a woman named Sacheen Littlefeather a.k.a...Maria Cruz, a Native American Californian actress.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Mario Puzo
Francis Ford Coppola
Mario Puzo was not present at the awards ceremony. His daughter Dorothy Ann Puzo accepted the award on his behalf.
Nominated
Oscar
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
James Caan
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Robert Duvall
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Al Pacino
Best Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Best Costume Design
Anna Hill Johnstone
Best Sound
Charles Grenzbach
Richard Portman
Christopher Newman
Best Film Editing
William Reynolds
Peter Zinner
Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
Nino Rota
Withdrawn, ineligible: reused Fortunella score; replaced by a nomination for "Sleuth"

Paramount Pictures
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
My rating: 4 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Paramount)

Marlon Brando is the head of one of New York's five mafia "families". He grants requests from family members during his daughter's wedding, ranging from jobs to murder, in return for "favors" when he needs them. He triggers a gang war between the families when he refuses to get involved with narcotics. Barely surviving an assassination attempt himself, he grooms his son to replace him. Al Pacino as Michael undergoes a remarkable transformation: from reluctant war hero to ruthless Don, and his story anchors the film. A relentlessly violent yet fascinating portrait of a family that demands loyalty at any cost, seemingly at odds with their deeply religious Italian heritage. The ensemble cast assembled by Coppola is one of the best in cinema history, while Gordon Willis' cinematography reflects the dark, somber mood.

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