The Godfather
| The Godfather | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | The Godfather by Mario Puzo |
| Produced by | Albert S. Ruddy |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Gordon Willis |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | Nino Rota |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 175 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6–7.2 million[N 1] |
| Box office | $250–291 million[N 2] |
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film[2] directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, and Diane Keaton. It is the first installment in The Godfather trilogy, chronicling the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando) from 1945 to 1955. It focuses on the transformation of his youngest son, Michael Corleone (Pacino), from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss.
Paramount Pictures obtained the rights to the novel for $80,000, before it gained popularity.[3][4] Studio executives had trouble finding a director; the first few candidates turned down the position before Coppola signed on to direct the film but disagreement followed over casting several characters, in particular, Vito (Marlon Brando) and Michael (Al Pacino). Filming took place primarily on location around New York City and in Sicily, and was completed ahead of schedule. The musical score was composed principally by Nino Rota, with additional pieces by Carmine Coppola.