Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Godfather

This week I have chosen to write about one of my favorite books of all time, The Godfather. It was written by Mario Puzo in 1969. In 1972 Francis Ford Coppola teamed up with Marlon Brando and Al Pacino to bring this great work of literature to life. Now don't get me wrong, The Godfather is one of the greatest movies ever made. But, as it usually goes, the book was better.
 When I first found this book it was by accident. I was in the school library looking for a book to read when I stumbled upon a huge, ancient looking, dust covered volume in the fiction section. Intrigued, I withdrew it from the shelf. The first thing I noticed was the worn but still visible hand-and-puppet logo embossed in silver on the front cover. At that time, I had not yet seen the movie, but I recognized the symbol for what it was. Immensely interested, I immediately checked it out and took it home.
  It did not take me long to find out that I had discovered one of he greatest books ever written. If you have not read this book, read it. Even if you have already seen the movie and know how it ends, read it anyway.
 Going from the book to the film, it is probably the best adaptation I have ever seen. Marlon Brando, as usual, was unforgettable. But the real surprise came out of Al Pacino. At the time, he was a rookie, fresh out of acting school, and had never had a major role in a movie. Francis Ford Coppola decided to take him on, and the result was that he far exceeded everyone's expectations. This movie really made Al Pacino what he is today. Robert Duvall was also good in it.

2 comments:

  1. Francisco, I agree; the Godfather is a classic. I nevere read the book, but it doesn't get any better than a movie with DeNiro and Pacino. Awesome!

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