In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award®-winning* masterwork “The Godfather,” Paramount Pictures has released all three films in the epic trilogy on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever, with all the films having been meticulously restored under the direction of Coppola.
It would be fair to say that “The Godfather” is Francis Ford Coppola’s project, despite the fact that it was backed and initially shepherded by a major studio. Paramount Pictures now famously wanted other directors (Sergio Leone, Peter Bogdanovich) than Coppola, and other actors to play Vito Corleone (Ernest Borgnine, Danny Thomas) instead of Marlon Brando. For the role of Michael Corleone, Paramount leaned toward a more famous actor, like Robert Redford, but Coppola insisted upon Al Pacino – a relative unknown at the time. These and other casting choices vindicated Coppola’s vision for the now-iconic “The Godfather.” The film was a huge critical and commercial success, paving the way for the two remaining installments.
While directing “The Godfather,” Coppola had already demonstrated his keen ability to craft screenplays, having won an Academy Award, along with Edmund H. North, for Best Original Screenplay for “Patton.” Coppola and novelist Mario Puzo co-wrote all three screenplays and won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Godfathers I and II. Though Coppola had directed “The Rain People” and “Finian’s Rainbow,” neither were commercial successes. Further, Coppola was initially reluctant to even helm the film because he thought it would depict Italian Americans in a negative fashion. Yet, ironically, it was “The Godfather” that ushered him into the first ranks of Hollywood directors, at least in part because it portrayed the underworld characters in a sympathetic fashion.
Aside from superb casting, two other great strengths imbue all three films. The first is clearly production design. The plethora of period automobiles and authentic location shots bring to life scenes that might otherwise appear only in documentaries. Low-key and natural lighting are ubiquitous, with characters coming in and out of the shadows, literally as well as metaphorically. This segues into the second great strength of the films: how they represent politics and power – both ostensibly legitimate and explicitly illicit – with the differences not necessarily obvious to the Corleones, or audiences either for that matter.
Robert De Niro’s win for Best Supporting Actor in “The Godfather Part II,” remains one of only two instances where different actors have won an Academy Award for playing the same character – with the other being Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker. Although Francis Coppola did not win Best Director for the original “Godfather,” (which went to Bob Fosse in 1973 for “Cabaret”), he did win Best Director for “The Godfather Part II.” Both “Godfathers Parts I and II” won Best Picture in their respective years.
Unfortunately, “The Godfather Part III” did not fare as well its predecessors, at least at first. In particular, Sofia Coppola’s role as Mary Corleone was unfairly maligned by critics, despite a very credible performance. The 50th Anniversary Edition contains a re-edited version of Part III entitled “Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death Of Michael Corleone.” In an introduction, Coppola maintains that the new version captures his original intent, perhaps most importantly by moving Archbishop Gilday’s (Donal Donnelly) entreaty for financial assistance from Michael Corleone and his lawyer B.J. Harrison (George Hamilton) to the opening scene. The archbishop needs hundreds of millions of dollars to cover losses by Vatican-controlled International Immobiliare for reasons he does not make not altogether clear. This sets the stage early for the actions that follow. Though only four minutes shorter than “Part III,” “Coda” has a clearer narrative structure, which critics subsequently also appreciated. Like many other movies, its reputation has improved after further reflection by reviewers and audiences.
Excessive hype – regarding the first two films in particular – may leave first-time viewers scratching their heads as to why they both regularly appear on lists of the top movies of all time. The answer lies in the many layers which infuse the rich narratives, stunning visuals, and timeless themes. As such, the entire set of “Godfather” pictures reward repeated viewings.
Much more can be said about this excellent package than space permits, including special features that provide additional insight into the production. The superb combinations of casting, production design, social commentary, and intricate plotting all come together in a way that few other movies can match. Suffice to say that this excellent trilogy of films – like fine wine – only improves with age.
Now available on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever
