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View The Godfather Part II film page

Poster artwork for The Godfather Part II — Original poster artwork · Great Cinema Master List

Spoiler-free premise

In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York.

Read expanded premiseLonger, still spoiler-free

Michael Corleone governs the family business in the late 1950s while investigating betrayal inside his circle. Parallel chapters follow his father Vito from childhood in Sicily through immigration, poverty, and the beginnings of his influence in early-twentieth-century New York.

Why it belongs

In The Godfather Part II, parallel rises and falls trace tragedy through family inheritance, with Michael's isolation answering the immigrant promise embodied by young Vito.

Read expanded why it belongsThe fuller editorial case

Coppola braids Michael's consolidation of power with Vito's immigrant beginnings, deploying Gordon Willis's shadowed images, Nino Rota's recurring themes, and mirrored family choices until chronology itself becomes a tragic argument about inheritance.

Major award record

Metadata only · zero points in 40/40/20

Academy Awards6 wins1975 · official ceremony record ↗

Best Picture1975 · Francis Ford Coppola, Producer; Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos, Co-Producersofficial ceremony record ↗Directing1975 · Francis Ford Coppolaofficial ceremony record ↗Writing (Screenplay Adapted from Other Material)1975 · Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzoofficial ceremony record ↗Actor in a Supporting Role1975 · Robert De Niroofficial ceremony record ↗

Plus 2 additional wins

BAFTA1 win1976 · official BAFTA 1976 Film Awards results ↗

Best Actor1976 · Al Pacinoofficial BAFTA 1976 Film Awards results ↗

Totals include every recorded competitive win. Only Picture or top-film honors, Direction, Screenplay, and lead or supporting performances are named.

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Film Club

Descriptive guidance derived from rating, genre, runtime, mood, and GCML scores.

Institutional reference ranks

Sight & Sound104IMDb Top 2504AFI 10032

Reference metadata only · not part of the 40/40/20 score

Great Cinema Master List scores

Greatness9.9

Engagement9.5

Ease8.2

English · R
Narrative Feature
Mood: Tense & Absorbing