The true protagonist of is Michael Corleone. He begins as the "war hero," the college boy who tells Kay, "That’s my family, Kay. It’s not me." By the end, he lies to her face, closes the door in her face, and accepts the loyalty of his men with a cold, dead stare.
The film is deeply about assimilation and ethnic identity. Vito upholds Old World codes of honor and revenge. Michael, the most “American” son, becomes more Sicilian than Vito – ruthless, cold, and unyielding. The Godfather
Budget: $6–7 million. Worldwide gross: $268–291 million (equivalent to over $1.8 billion adjusted). It was the highest-grossing film of 1972. The true protagonist of is Michael Corleone
"The Godfather" is part of a larger trilogy, which includes "The Godfather Part II" (1974) and "The Godfather Part III" (1990). While the sequels have received mixed reviews, they are still worth watching for fans of the original film. The film is deeply about assimilation and ethnic identity
The Godfather succeeds because it refuses to romanticize violence while making it inevitable. Unlike later gangster films, it does not celebrate the mafia lifestyle – it mourns the loss of humanity. Marlon Brando’s Vito is a paradox: a killer you love, a monster you pity. Al Pacino’s Michael is a tragic figure: a man who becomes what he hates.
Don Vito Corleone holds court at his daughter Connie’s wedding, an occasion where no Sicilian can refuse a request. We meet his sons: hotheaded Sonny, weak Fredo, and war-hero Michael, who tells his girlfriend Kay he is not like his family. A drug baron, Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo, seeks Corleone backing for narcotics. Vito refuses, leading to an assassination attempt that leaves Vito wounded.
Furthermore, changed Hollywood. It proved that a "genre film" could be high art. It ushered in the "New Hollywood" era, where directors, not studios, ruled the roost. It turned gangster films into operas.