In the 52 years since its release, The Godfather has earned a stellar reputation, but it isn’t unimpeachable. Francis Ford Coppola’s crime classic follows the Corleone family as their legendary patriarch is succeeded by his son. It is often referred to as one of the greatest movies of all time, along with its sequel The Godfather Part II. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no valid criticisms whatsoever.
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Enjoying such prestige naturally means that The Godfather is also subjected to extreme levels of scrutiny. Over the years, people have analyzed every word and every frame of The Godfather. Mostly, it holds up incredibly well, but there are some issues which are a little hard to ignore. Few of these perceived issues, if any, damage the overall quality of the movie, but they are definitely worth considering for fans.
Related Every Godfather Movie Ranked From Worst To Best
The Godfather Saga has evolved into a cultural & artistic milestone over time. Here’s every film (& remake) in the trilogy ranked from worst to best.
10 The Blood Effects Haven’t Aged Well
No Movie From 52 Years Ago Will Have Flawless Effects
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The Godfather has mostly aged well, but the practical effects used for the blood date it a little. Francis Ford Coppola wanted to recreate the passages in Mario Puzo’s novel which describe “mists” of blood erupting from gunshot victims. This creates a startling effect, but it isn’t very realistic. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only problem with the fake blood in The Godfather. None of it looks particularly real.
Sometimes, the blood is too bright. At other times, it’s too thin and runny.
Sometimes, the blood is too bright. At other times, it’s too thin and runny. There’s a stark contrast between the way that The Godfather shows blood and more modern techniques, and this makes Coppola’s movie look particularly outdated by comparison. Not all the effects are as old-fashioned. In fact, the horse’s head in The Godfather looks real precisely because it is. Coppola bought the head from a dog food factory.
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9 Sonny & Carlo’s Fight Scene Has Some Conspicuous Air Punches
The Godfather’s Most Notorious Error Is Funny In Hindsight
The Godfather isn’t an action movie, but it does have a few bursts of frantic violence. One of the most eye-catching moments of action comes when Sonny tracks down Carlo to punish him for the way he has been treating Connie. Francis Ford Coppola chooses to shoot large chunks of this scene in a wide shot, but this decision means that the fake punches are extremely obvious. One punch in particular has gone down in history as a notorious gaff.
Since the point of this scene isn’t to deliver high-octane thrills, its sub-par fighting can be forgiven easily enough.
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Since the point of this scene isn’t to deliver high-octane thrills, its sub-par fighting can be forgiven easily enough. The scene does everything that it’s supposed to do, as it sets up Sonny’s death later and shows just how much of a hothead he can be when it comes to his sister. It’s open to interpretation how much of Sonny’s rage comes from him perceiving Carlo’s abuse toward Connie as a personal slight.
8 Luca Brasi’s Character Is Confusing
Luca Brasi Seems An Odd Choice For Some Undercover Work
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo had to make a few changes to the novel for the movie, and this means that some of the lesser characters in The Godfather get less attention. Luca Brasi is a minor character who has a memorable impact. He’s one of the Corleone family’s enforcers, and someone who Vito trusts without reservation. However, some of his actions don’t seem to make sense.
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Luca Brasi is a minor character who has a memorable impact.
Luca Brasi is first introduced during the wedding scene, where he is seen nervously rehearsing what he’s going to say to Vito. This moment reveals a lot about how people view Vito, as well as showing who Brasi is. Some time later, Vito entrusts Brasi with going undercover to gather information on Virgil Sollozzo. Based on everything that the movie shows the audience about Brasi before this moment, he doesn’t seem like a natural candidate for a plan involving subterfuge and espionage. It’s a mystery why Vito thinks he can pull it off.
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7 The Female Characters Could Be Developed Further
Kay And Connie Lack Complexity
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The cast of The Godfather includes some big names, and four of the actors received Oscar nominations. However, none of these nominated actors were women, which underlines how The Godfather has meatier roles for the men. There’s nothing wrong with this in particular. After all, The Godfather is a story of masculinity, a business dominated by men and the corrupting nature of power, which none of the women have. There still could have been some more depth to the women.
The Godfather
isn’t about women, but it could spend more time making them feel real.
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The Godfather doesn’t explore much of Connie’s state of mind as she endures an abusive relationship, nor does it ever flesh out the character of Apollonia. Kay is the only woman who gets some more focus, but her actions also seem convenient for the plot. For example, she takes Michael back rather quickly after he disappears for two years. Diane Keaton does a great job with what she has, but Kay isn’t as interesting here as she is in either sequel. The Godfather isn’t about women, but it could spend more time making them feel real.
6 The Wedding Scene Is A Slow Way To Kick Things Off
The Godfather Requires A Little Patience
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The Godfather opens with the scene of Connie’s wedding, as Vito grants the requests of those who come to him. It’s an interesting way to introduce the characters, particularly Vito and Michael, but some of the extended crowd scenes are a little slow. Some people complain that The Godfather has a slow pace. While this is simply a matter of taste, it’s possible that fewer people would feel this way if the opening scene weren’t so long and ponderous.
The slow pace of the opening scene could turn some audiences away before they have a chance to appreciate the movie.
Francis Ford Coppola famously had just two days to shoot the wedding scene, so he resorted to a more naturalistic approach. The actors and extras were asked to mingle and improvise in character unless they were central to the action. This might not have been what Coppola originally envisioned, but it worked out rather well. The only issue is that the wide shots and the lack of narrative thrust could turn some audiences away before they have a chance to appreciate the movie.
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5 The Orange Motif Has Become Distracting
Inadvertently, The Godfather Has Become Easier To Predict
It’s a common piece of movie trivia that oranges in The Godfather often symbolize an imminent death or some other impending tragedy. Vito is seen buying oranges when he is shot, Jack Woltz has oranges on his table before he wakes up to find his horse’s head in his bed, and Vito dies shortly after playing with an orange peel. By now, most people know that it’s a good idea to be on high alert whenever The Godfather shows a character with an orange.
The use of oranges in
The Godfather
is so famous now that it could be a distraction for first-time viewers.
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The orange motif seemingly came about by pure coincidence, since they were merely added to the set to provide a bright pop of color. However, the use of oranges in The Godfather is so famous now that it could be a distraction for first-time viewers. This is an even bigger problem in the two sequels, since Coppola fully adopts the idea and places oranges even more conspicuously in certain scenes.
4 It’s Hard To Believe Vito Survives His Assassination Attempt
The Reasons For The Hit On Vito Are Also Questionable
The assassination attempt on Vito Corleone is a huge turning point in The Godfather, since it convinces Michael that he needs to take a more active role in the family business. The scene itself is one of the most iconic in the movie, partly due to the use of an overhead camera angle, but it also raises a few questions upon closer inspection. It seems incredibly unlikely that Vito could survive two assassins at close range.
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It seems incredibly unlikely that Vito could survive two assassins at close range.
The other potential logical problem with the assassination attempt is that it would never have happened if Vito hadn’t decided to stop to buy some fruit. While this could be explained away by suggesting that the assassins were tailing him for a while, the motivations behind the killing are also questionable. Vito was marked for assassination because of his refusal to allow the other families access to his political contacts and his resentment toward the narcotics trade. Killing him solves neither of these problems, but it almost certainly starts an all-out war.
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3 Al Pacino’s Best Supporting Actor Nomination Is An Insult
Pacino Deserved A Best Actor Nod More Than Brando
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Marlon Brando’s screen time in The Godfather is surprisingly short, considering the immense impact of his performance. Thanks to his innate gravitas and mumbling voice, Vito Corleone has become a film icon, and Brando was rewarded with the Oscar for Best Actor. Brando’s second Oscar win was a little controversial at the time, considering how much time he spends on screen. What’s even more controversial is the fact that Al Pacino was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Pacino refused to attend the 1973 ceremony in protest.
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The Godfather is Michael’s story. Vito is hugely important, but he’s a supporting character in this story. If anyone in The Godfather should have been nominated for Best Actor, it should have been Al Pacino. Then he might not have had to wait until 1993 to win his first Oscar. Pacino refused to attend the 1973 ceremony in protest. Vito might be the most iconic and most eye-catching character, but rewatching The Godfather underlines the fact that he isn’t as important to the story as Michael.
2 The Corleones Are Sometimes Portrayed As Too Benign
The Godfather Doesn’t Show The Brutal Reality Of Organized Crime
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One of the biggest criticisms that The Godfather has faced over the years is one shared by many other crime movies. Some critics have suggested that The Godfather glamorizes crime, or, at the very least, it ignores the more brutal side of the Corleone family. The Godfather might not be so compelling and so effective if the Corleones were seen more as villains, especially since there are no noble alternatives.
One of the biggest criticisms that
The Godfather
has faced over the years is one shared by many other crime movies.
Vito Corleone is often represented as a virtuous man who looks out for his community, and discussions about the family business often revolve around money and power. Rarely do these conversations ever focus on the grisly details of the Corleone family’s work. Vito seems like a good man for rejecting the narcotics trade, but his crimes have victims too. The Godfather doesn’t show victims of extortion, prostitution and illegal gambling, and the family’s enemies are always portrayed as much worse than the Corleones based on some external factor, like deceit or greed.
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1 Part II Makes The Ending Look Too Convenient
Michael’s Actions Should Warrant Retaliation
The ending of The Godfather sees Michael completing his transition from black sheep to the ruthless head of the Corleone family. As he becomes godfather to Connie’s child, a series of hits that he has orchestrated ensure that he also becomes the undisputed king of the criminal underworld. This scene is one of the finest examples of Francis Ford Coppola’s directing prowess, and it’s an immensely satisfying finale.
The blood-soaked ending seems as though it could set up a large-scale gang war, but it comes without any major repercussions.
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The blood-soaked ending seems as though it could set up a large-scale gang war, but it comes without any major repercussions. Just as Michael, Sonny and Tom plot revenge for Vito’s attempted assassination, it follows that the other families would try to get even with Michael after he purges his enemies. The final scene focuses instead on Kay being shut out of Michael’s world. The Godfather Part II picks up without any mention of a war, which makes the ending of The Godfather a little hard to buy in retrospect.
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10/10 9.8/10 The Godfather RDramaCrime
Francis Ford Coppola directed this 1978 classic that would go on to become one of the most iconic crime films ever made. Starring Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Al Pacino, The Godfather gives a tense and introspective look into the Corleone crime family of New York City.
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*Availability in US Director Francis Ford Coppola Release Date March 24, 1972 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Cast Marlon Brando , Diane Keaton , James Caan , Al Pacino , Robert Duvall Runtime 175 minutes Budget $6 million Expand