As a filmmaker you are not only constantly confronted with the question of which film is your absolute favorite. There are always heated debates about which movie is the BEST of all time. For the FILMSTARTS community, the largest German site for films and series, the answer is clear: “The Godfather” by Francis Ford Coppola. And in this case no one wants to argue, because the mafia epic from 1972 is the greatest possible, style-defining and time-testing cinema in its purest form.
Haven’t you seen “The Godfather” yet? Then you can now stream the masterpiece with a WOW subscription. Alternatively, the film is also available on Netflix, Paramount+ and Magenta TV.
That’s what ‘The Godfather’ is about
It’s a huge wedding party that Connie (Talia Shire) and Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo) are throwing. Only one person remains hidden in the dark, occasionally walking through the partying crowd and then returning to his dark back room: Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). The powerful godfather receives petitioners who offer all kinds of favors for their request.
Because of his power, Don Vito is in constant conflict with other powerful families. His youngest son Michael (Al Pacino), who was in the army, served in World War II and doesn’t want much to do with his family, is drawn into the brutal circumstances when his father is shot in the street. He avenges the murder attempt in cold blood and has to flee the country. The unwanted rise to the new godfather begins…
A masterpiece that every film lover must see
Not only about ‘The Godfather’, but also about its direct successor ‘The Godfather II’, countless praises have been expressed and scientific writings have been written. What the then 31-year-old Francis Ford Coppola staged here is one of the greatest – if not THE greatest – American film of all time. The Mafia Chronicle is so legendary because it provides an impressively detailed look behind the scenes of mafia (family) structures, cast in memorable, elegant images, between violence, betrayal, but also loyalty and love.
The fact that the epic Corleone portrait feels incredibly tangible and emotional is also thanks to the excellent actors. It’s not just Marlon Brando (Oscar winner) who proves why many film fans consider him the best actor of all time. Al Pacino, then in the early stages of his career, is also absolutely groundbreaking in his sensitivity and newfound brutality – becoming the exciting, often heartbreaking center of what is actually a deeply tragic story.that is retold in “The Godfather II” and “The Godfather III”.
In short: if you are interested in movies, you have to see “The Godfather”. It is not without reason that he tops the FILMSTARTS community rankings and also leaves behind masterpieces such as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “The Dark Knight” and “Pulp Fiction”.