The Godfather (1972) is nearly universally considered one of the finest and most influential pictures in cinematic history – yet not every member of the cast shared that view while cameras were rolling.
The American crime drama was helmed by Francis Ford Coppola, who collaborated with Mario Puzo on the screenplay, adapting Puzo's bestselling 1969 novel.
The picture boasted an ensemble cast featuring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte and Diane Keaton. Pacino has confessed that during the initial stages of production, he believed The Godfather would be the 'worst movie ever made' and feared it would destroy his career.
The US actor, who celebrates his 86th birthday on Saturday (April 25), found his misgivings sparked by the turbulent experience of shooting the opening wedding sequence alongside co-star Diane Keaton.
As detailed in his memoir Sonny Boy (2024) and at various public appearances, following the filming of that scene, Pacino and Keaton were so certain the production was doomed that they returned to Manhattan and proceeded to get drunk.
During that period, Paramount executives were openly questioning his casting and contemplating his dismissal, believing his performance lacked the requisite intensity for the part of Michael Corleone.
Pacino's outlook, along with the studio's, shifted dramatically after he shot the Italian restaurant sequence in which Michael murders Sollozzo and McCluskey. The raw power of his performance in that moment persuaded the studio to retain him, ultimately transforming the production into a cinematic triumph.
Paradoxically, far from destroying his career, the film elevated him to Hollywood legend status and secured him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Notwithstanding Pacino's early reservations, The Godfather currently holds the position of number one best film of all time on Rotten Tomatoes as of 2026 and occupies second place on IMDb's Top 250 list.
The American Film Institute has also placed it as the second-greatest American film, second only to Citizen Kane.
Critics laud its "perfect" execution of storytelling, cinematography, and direction. It is celebrated for its rich, atmospheric lighting by Gordon Willis and an iconic score by Nino Rota.
It secured three Academy Awards at the 45th Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Despite this, some film enthusiasts still regard it as the 'worst' picture, as one person wrote on Reddit: "The Godfather is the WORST film ever made, and don't get me started on the second one. Just watched it for the hype and people have the WORST TATSTE, WTF was that."
Another person admitted: "I think that The Godfather is long, hard to follow, often boring and ultimately overrated."
A third also chimed in: "The Godfather wasn't all that great, honestly." Yet many others rushed to defend the film, with one writing: "Al Pacino gives one of the greatest acting performances of all time. That alone makes it not the worst, even though this is clearly rage bait, what are your top films if your taste is clearly so superior to us mere mortals."
Another added: "Assuming this isn't trolling, I think you're very lucky if you think The Godfather is the worst film ever made."
