Summary

  • The Godfather movies, particularly The Godfather Part II, are iconic representations of the gangster genre, featuring exceptional performances and compelling narratives.
  • The newly released version of The Godfather Part III, called The Godfather Coda, addresses many of the flaws of the original, improving the film's narrative integrity and ending.
  • The original 1972 release of The Godfather remains the best in the trilogy, exemplifying the legacy of the Corleone clan and showcasing Michael Corleone's transformation into a cold-blooded killer.

The Godfather movies are considered among the greatest movies ever made, but which Godfather movie is best? Based on Mario Puzo’s bestselling crime novel, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy has had an indelible mark on cinema, changing the way in which mob dramas are made and perceived. In addition to stellar performances and taut narrative storytelling, The Godfather movie's success as a whole can be attributed to its underlying themes — mainly the warped version of the American Dream. An unforgettable manifesto on organized crime, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, in particular, have been deemed prime representations of the gangster genre.

Exceptionally well-written characters superbly cast like Al Pacino's Michael Corleone helped The Godfather secure legendary status as the textbook American Gangster movie. The theme of family is also a powerful aspect of these movies with the contrast between Vito Corleone and his son Michael offering a captivating, heartbreaking, and brilliant framing for much of the series. Even the third movie, which doesn't have the same legacy, has been made better by Coppola’s newest cut of The Godfather III, Keeping this in mind, which Godfather movie is best?

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4 The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Godfather Part III

Release Date
December 25, 1990
Cast
Al Pacino , Andy Garcia , Diane Keaton
Runtime
142 minutes

Considered the weakest link in the trilogy of Godfather movies, The Godfather Part III was heavily criticized for its convoluted plot and Sofia Coppola’s awkward performance as Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III cast. All valid critiques, but it's important to note that The Godfather Part III was originally intended by both Coppola and Puzo as an epilogue, and not a grand finale. Due to unavoidable circumstantial reasons and Universal’s insistence on framing the movie as a conclusive piece, The Godfather III suffered from a narrative standpoint. Unfortunately, a flaw that was exacerbated by several unimpressive performances and long-drawn-out introductory sequences that marred the pacing of the movie.

While Coppola’s new rendition, The Coda Cut, addresses some of these flaws, it is crucial to consider the merit of The Godfather III's reception in its own right. Al Pacino’s performance as a lost, broken, and increasingly guilt-ridden Michael Corleone adds more layers to the character, and it's interesting to witness the trajectory of the new Corleone head, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), as he navigates the same trappings as those before him. There’s also the issue of the absence of Robert Duvall as Corleone consigliere Tom Hagen, which hampers the final installment, and the strong critical dislike when it came to Sofia Coppola’s wooden performance as Mary.

Although Sofia Coppola went on to become a masterful director in her own right, while not allowing harsh criticism of her role as Mary to get to her, it is also important to note that it must’ve been immensely difficult for her to assume last-minute responsibility on a project of such magnitude (Winona Ryder was originally cast as Mary in The Godfather Part III). Nonetheless, due to a mixture of these factors, and much more, the problematic The Godfather III ranks lowest in the trilogy. While The Godfather Part III isn't the best Godfather movie, the threequel was still nominated for seven Academy Awards.

3 The Godfather, Coda: The Death Of Michael Corleone (2020)

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone staring intently into the camera in The Godfather 3
The Godfather Part III

Release Date
December 25, 1990
Cast
Al Pacino , Andy Garcia , Diane Keaton
Runtime
142 minutes

Coppola is no stranger to revisiting his creations over time, as exemplified in the multiple renditions of his Vietnam masterpiece, Apocalypse Now. The criticisms surrounding The Godfather Part III were finally addressed through the recent release of a new cut, named The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, through which Coppola aimed to mold the third installment more as a fitting epilogue to the saga, as opposed to a grand conclusion that the film was popularly expected to be. The Godfather Coda does not differ wildly from the original, although the changes made massively improve the film.

This is especially true in the case of Michael’s journey, whose deeper motivations are spelled out more in the Godfather Part III: Coda cut, tracing his arc as a man doomed to suffer the repercussions of his actions as mob boss over the years. Coppola fixes the original’s meandering plot by editing it into a much shorter film, mainly via shuffling key scene sequences and altering the beginning and the end altogether. These creative decisions undoubtedly improve the narrative integrity of the film, as it leads with a strong opening featuring a key conversation between Michael and Archbishop Gilday. By positioning this exchange as the opening sequence, Coppola clarifies Michael’s stance as someone seeking legitimacy and redemption, two concepts that elude him right up till the end.

Another crucial change in The Godfather III is the new cut’s ending, which ends instead with Michael’s anguished scream when he finds that his only source of comfort and hope, his daughter Mary, has been shot dead as a result of his sins. Utterly broken and forever lost, Michael undergoes a spiritual death instead of a literal one, which grants his story a more urgent tint, while greatly improving upon the core narrative thread that unifies the final installment. This also means that audience don't see the widely ridiculed prosthetics on Al Pacino when Michael dies in the original, which brings the film's quality closer to the best Godfather movie.

2 The Godfather Part II (1974)

The Godfather Part II

Release Date
December 20, 1974
Cast
Al Pacino , Robert De Niro , James Caan , Diane Keaton
Runtime
202minutes

The successor to the genre-altering The Godfather was one that evoked nostalgia for a lost era, heightened by the film’s moody, atmospheric tint and mournful musical score. The Godfather Part II excels on various fronts, especially from a narrative standpoint, as the film chronicles the Corleone regime, built on murder, extortion, and ruthless will with startling emotional depth. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including three different actors competing for Best Supporting Actor. The Godfather Part II went on to win five of those nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro.

The Godfather Part II flashes back to Don Vito’s story featuring Robert De Niro's Oscar-winning Godfather Part II performance as Vito. The Godfather Part II is an interesting look into the past that shaped Vito into the man he is in The Godfather, and then moves on to Michael losing the remaining shreds of his morality, as he has embarked upon a journey that can never warrant him peace. A strange duality pervades the film, urging audiences to critically evaluate the actions of the men center place within the saga, while also witnessing them slowly descend into empty shells of who they were.

This gives to a powerful sense of catharsis with the purging of pity and fear, especially when Michael’s journey is contrasted with that of his father. The latter’s existence is still steeped in suffering despite the upholding of certain values that made Don Corleone the man he was. Paying the way for movies and shows like Goodfellas and The Sopranos, the sheer brilliance of The Godfather II culminates in a now-iconic sequence, in which Michael grants Fredo the kiss of death on learning about his act of betrayal — a scene that feels especially heavy in retrospect.

1 The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather

Release Date
March 24, 1972
Cast
Marlon Brando , Diane Keaton , James Caan , Al Pacino , Robert Duvall
Runtime
175 minutes

Aptly the godfather of gangster shows and movies, the original 1972 release is still the best Godfather movie. The movie won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Marlon Brando. The start of The Godfather trilogy brought Mario Puzo’s vision to life, chronicling a tale entrenched in diasporic politics and emotional quandaries, allowing audiences to empathize with the characters despite being acutely aware of their morally doubtful acts. The movie exemplifies the legacy of the Corleone clan, established through characters like Don Vito, Tom Hagen, and Sonny.

The 1972 movie also marks the inception of the metamorphosis of Michael Corleone in The Godfather's treacherous gangster world as he resembles his father in more ways than one. However, with time, an almost cruel ruthlessness embodies Michael, which can be attributed to his plurality of vision when it comes to reconciling two distinct cultures - the American way and his own Italian traditions. This culminates after the death of Apollonia, after which Michael comes to internalize the Mafia mob gangster ethos, which includes the concepts of justified vendetta, honor, and omertà (law of silence).

Michael’s transition from, “That’s my family, Kay. Not me”, to a cold-blooded killer is horrifying to behold, especially when he murders Sollozzo and McClusky in cold blood in the restaurant, through whom he assumes great power to the point of alienating those who love him. Dripping with grandeur, tragedy, doomed romances, and high-stakes drama, The Godfather remains unparalleled within The Godfather saga, granting it the much-deserved status of critical acclaim.

Why The Canceled Godfather IV Never Happened

Al Pacino sitting in a chair in The Godfather Part II.

Francis Ford Coppola very nearly made The Godfather IV, but the fourth Godfather movie only got as far as a script. The Godfather IV was in the early stages of development in the late '90s. A pre-Scorsese Leonardo DiCaprio was discussed as an option for portraying the young Sonny Corleone, and De Niro's involvement was also rumored. However, when Godfather author Mario Puzo passed away in 1999, Coppola decided to retire the series. Work on The Godfather IV, which would have been a prequel, was abruptly halted. Paramount again tried to push forward with a Godfather IV prequel movie in 2012, but they were unsuccessfully sued by Puzo's estate.

Despite winning the rights to turn a posthumously released 2012 novel, The Family Corleone (written by Ed Falco based on a Puzo screenplay), into a movie, Paramount never pushed forward with the project. There has been more Godfather content released since the Coda cut, so fans aren't completely left wanting. The Offer series on Paramount+ dramatizes the production of The Godfather, covering how the best Godfather movie made it from Coppola and Puzo's imagination to screens. Yet even with its iconic status, it is best to leave The Godfather franchise as it is.