Francis Ford Coppola Reveals Why Al Pacino’s The Godfather Was So Successful: ‘No Other Gangster Movie Ever…’

Francis Ford Coppola has made many influential films in his career. However, his 1972 gangster epic The Godfather remains one of his most successful projects. Director Coppola recently opened up about how the success of his groundbreaking film changed his career and revealed why it was such a huge hit when it was released. After the original film, Coppola made two more installments in the series: The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone , Francis Ford Coppola discussed his career accomplishments and shared his thoughts on his upcoming film Megalopolis . He also reflected on his iconic 1972 gangster epic, which has stood the test of time. Even decades later, the film remains a beloved classic and continues to captivate audiences. Coppola told the publication that The Godfather was “the right movie at the right time, with the right cast, with the right performers.”

The director did reveal that he has a theory as to why the film was so successful. He noted that one major difference was that “no other gangster movie ever did that, it featured gangster kids.” He added that another reason the film stood out from other gangster movies and resonated with audiences was that it showed the actions of these men and their families and what life was like in the Italian U.S. at the time.

READ ALSO: Francis Ford Coppola says he cast ‘cancelled’ actors in Megalopolis because he didn’t want the film to be seen as ‘a woke Hollywood production’

He said at the time that he was “broke” before making The Godfather. After its release, however, he went from being a “struggling filmmaker” to a widely recognized director, admitting, “It’s like a million-dollar shot how that happened. It’s caused some problems, too.”

The Megalopolis director was asked if he ever felt like the success of The Godfather became a burden, to which he replied “No,” explaining that it opened a lot of doors for him and allowed him to connect with people, which was a “gift” to him. Coppola added that he only wanted to get out of the film industry to be part of the “group.”

READ ALSO: Top 10 Al Pacino Movies You Must See: From The Godfather to The Irishman

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather tells the story of a fictional New York mafia family and their patriarch, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). In addition to Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone, the film also stars James Caan, Sterling Hayden, Talia Shire, Johnny Martino and Vito Scotti, among others.