"The Godfather"

This is a study in the "BFI Film Classics" series of Francis Ford Coppola's auteurist masterpiece, which reinvented the gangster movie and came to represent a high point of the 'New Hollywood'. This is the first single-authored study of this key film, widely acknowledged as one of the best films of all time. The author has carried out archival research into the film's development and production history. It is richly illustrated with stills from the BFI collection and screengrabs from the film. It is suitable for fans of the film; followers of Coppola/Brando/Pacino; Students of American Studies and Film Studies: Courses on Hollywood Cinema, the 'New Hollywood', and, Gangster and Crime Movies. "The Godfather" marked a transition in American filmmaking, and its success, as a work of art, as a creative 'property', as a model for other filmmakers, changed Hollywood forever. Jon Lewis places the film in the context of 1970s Hollywood and the gangster film genre, examining its status as a critique of the American dream.