There is no doubt that Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is truly the best gangster movie out there. The extremely well-crafted movie defines the genre and is a touchstone for all movies to have made from the genre. There are many people who consider Goodfellas as the best. But, Godfather occupies a place in movie history that cannot be replaced.
However, is this iconic flick really worth watching? We think it and we have some of the key reasons why everyone should watch The Godfather.
The Godfather is the romantic portrayal of mob life. Since the movie is based on a novel, the filmmakers had all the freedom to make The Godfather was free to make their lifestyle look glamorous. The Corleones family essentially picturized as the royalty in the criminal underworld. Even though there were occasional scenes like Sonny getting shot dead at a toll booth, most of the movie had their gangsters very glitzy and fabulous.
Gangsters were not never this cool until Francis Ford Coppola gave an idealized Hollywood depiction of their lives.
The Godfather has brilliant performances. Whether the fiction element is good or not, it did help the movie’s actors give some of their greatest performances. Surely, Ray Liotta’s performance as Henry Hill in Goodfellas is truly remarkable. His portrayal of the guy who adores the gangster lifestyle and constantly cheats on his wife is phenomenal and intense. However, let not forget that Al Pacino’s turn as Michael Corleone in The Godfather is more nuanced than any performance in Goodfellas.
While Henry yells out what he’s feeling, Michael explains everything in a single facial expression. In addition to that, the subtle performances from supporting players like Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Talia Shire, John Cazale, and Diane Keaton only adds extra charm to the whole movie. Though Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci’s support in Goodfellas is riveting, it can never be compared to the ensemble of The Godfather.
