Often considered to be the greatest movie of all-time, Francis Ford Coppola's crime masterpiece, The Godfather, is a tour de force of cinematic brilliance. It is a rare movie that manages to feel essentially perfect; no baggage, just great storytelling and wonderful performances from the entire cast. Then there are the iconic scenes that - even today - still retain their sense of freshness: the horse's head, Brando and his irrefusable offer... The first of a trilogy, The Godfather also happens to be one of those movies that transcends its origins; it was a pulpy paperback in its original form, but Coppola (quite unexpectedly) made it into certified art. As an exploration of the mafia, and as crime as family, there is no better movie in existence. Looking back now, though, it's the characters that truly define The Godfather; they're the reason this movie sucks you in and refuses to let you go.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
