The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American epic crime film. The film is produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, loosely based on the 1969 novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. It is both a sequel and a prequel to the 1972 film The Godfather, presenting parallel dramas: one picks up the 1958 story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), the new Don of the Corleone family, protecting the family business in the aftermath of an attempt on his life; the prequel covers the journey of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro), from his Sicilian childhood to the founding of his family enterprise in New York City. The ensemble cast also features Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Marianna Hill, and Lee Strasberg. Following the success of the first film, Paramount Pictures began developing a follow-up, with many of the cast and crew returning. Coppola, who was given more creative control, had wanted to make both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather that would tell the story of the rise of Vito and the fall of Michael. Principal photography began in October 1973 and wrapped up in June 1974. The Godfather Part II premiered in New York City on December 12, 1974, and was released in the United States on December 20, 1974, receiving divisive reviews from critics; its reputation, however, improved rapidly, and it soon became the subject of critical re-appraisal. It grossed $48 million in the United States and Canada and up to $93 million worldwide on a $13 million budget. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and became the first sequel to win Best Picture. Its six Oscar wins also included Best Director for Coppola, Best Supporting Actor for De Niro and Best Adapted Screenplay for Coppola and Puzo. Pacino won Best Actor at the BAFTAs and was nominated at the Oscars. Like its predecessor, Part II remains a highly influential film, especially in the gangster genre. It is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, as well as a rare example of a sequel that rivals its predecessor. In 1997, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 32nd-greatest film in American film history and it retained this position 10 years later. It was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The Godfather Part III, the final installment in the trilogy, was released 16 years later in 1990.
-Here I am. -Constanzia, after one week? I sent the car to the airport last week to pick you up. It was chaos. Anyway, here I am, just one week late. This is for my mama! -What is this? -You remember Merle? Hello. How are you? Thank you. Where's Michael? I've got to talk to him and I can't wait on line. You go see your children first. Then you worry about waiting on line to see your brother. Like everybody else.
The Godfather Part II
I trust these men with my life, Senator. To ask them to leave would be an insult. Well, it's perfectly all right with me but I am a blunt man and I intend to speak very frankly to you. Maybe more frankly than anyone in my position has ever talked to you before. The Corleone family has done well in Nevada. You own, or control, two major hotels in Vegas and one in Reno. The licenses were grandfathered in so there was no problem with the Gaming Commission.
The Godfather Part II