Quote of the Week Review: The Godfather (1972)

By Thomas Broome-Jones

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse"

To kick-start our new weekly feature, aptly titled "Quote of the Week", we decided to pick an easy one. If you didn't guess this, don't be disheartened, but they're not going to be getting any easier so you have been warned!

What is there to say about Francis Ford-Coppola's 1972 gangster epic that hasn't been said already? You all know the deal, widely considered to be one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history, some of the most referenced, parodied and homaged moments of all-time and a score that is instantly recognizable in its spine-tingling beauty.

A true master: Brando created one of cinema's greatest characters.

For those of you who haven't seen this film (if so, you really really need to) I'll try and give you as clear an impression of it as possible. The Godfather is the pinnacle of motion picture storytelling, you'll be whisked away to a world occupied by the Mafioso underbelly of New York. As the story following the infamous Corleone Family unfolds, various twists and turns will become apparent as you find yourself engaged with one of the most colourful (and acclaimed) casts of characters ever put to film.

The family is headed by Don Vito Corleone, played by the legendary Marlon Brando, this tour-de-force, Oscar-winning performance heads the film as you will witness the title character exercise his rule with finesse and grace. You'll also follow his sons, Michael (Al Pacino), Sonny (James Caan), Fredo (John Cazale) and his adopted son Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), who all bring something to the table with their own arcs and important places in the narrative.

Any film that's able to make you feel engaged and interested in characters who are, in the best sense of the word, scumbags, deserves to be praised and noted. The way everything comes together in the build to the breathtaking climax makes this film play out like some kind of poem, with a smoothly flowing and focused narrative that is a scarily accurate representation of the Mafia in the early 20th Century. And considering that the Internet wasn't around for research and the Mafia were still very much at large, this is a highly impressive feat.

One of my favourite films with inspired performances, music and direction, this phenomenon of cinema must be seen by all. I give no guarantees that you'll love it as much as I do but there are some films out there that must be viewed before one can call themselves a cinephile, and this is definitely one of them.

 Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him @TBroomey.