A film hailed as a ‘masterpiece’ by fans and dubbed ‘quite possibly the best movie ever made’ is set to air on TV tonight, free of charge.
The Godfather, since its release in 1972, has become an iconic piece of cinematic history. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and adapted from Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name, it continues to be highly esteemed over 50 years later. The plot revolves around a powerful Italian-American crime family led by Don Vito Corleone, portrayed by Marlon Brando.
Don Corleone’s youngest son Michael, played by Al Pacino, returns home after serving in the army during World War II and initially resists joining the family’s criminal empire while attending a wedding with his girlfriend Kay, played by Diane Keaton. However, a gang war and his father’s life being threatened soon challenge Michael’s loyalties and principles.
Film enthusiasts wanting to revisit this classic or those yet to discover its charm can tune into Channel 4 at 10.45pm on Saturday, December 28. For those who can’t wait, the film is available for streaming on Amazon Prime anytime, provided they have a subscription, reports the Mirror.
The Godfather features prominently on numerous lists ranking the greatest films of all time. Empire magazine places it third in its top 100 rundown, while the British Film Institute ranks it 12th out of 250. The film won three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, who infamously declined the award. He sent Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to protest against Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans, giving a memorable speech at the ceremony.
Its impact is undiminished over time, with film buffs holding it in high esteem. Online, one fan declared: “Quite possibly be the best movie ever made. Its combination of great acting, cinematography, dialogue, storytelling and other things make this movie a perfect movie. It also manages to keep a very slow, steady pace without being boring, which is not an easy feat to achieve. They don’t make movies like this anymore.”
Echoing the sentiment, another said: “It’s hard to find a moment in the film that isn’t great. The Godfather lives up to the term masterpiece. A defining film in the history of cinema. The Godfather introduced a legendary filmmaker and several great actors in the telling of an Italian American dynasty undone by the tragic circumstances of their criminals exploits. The Godfather is highly regarded as the greatest American movie of all-time. No other movie has garnered such praise as this movie has.”
The Godfather is on Channel 4 at 10.45pm Saturday December 28 and streaming on Amazon Prime