The Godfather Part II
Updated: 12/30/2025, 12:46:57 PM Wikipedia source
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American epic gangster film 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 other 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 first film's success, 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 Vito's rise and Michael's fall. 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. 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. The Godfather Part II 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. Like its predecessor, Part II remains a highly influential film, especially in the gangster genre. 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 US National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1993, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Pauline Kael wrote: "The Godfather was the greatest gangster picture ever made, and had metaphorical overtones that took it far beyond the gangster genre. In Part II, the wider themes are no longer merely implied. The second film shows the consequences of the actions in the first; it’s all one movie, in two great big pieces, and it comes together in your head while you watch." The Godfather Part III, the final installment in the trilogy, was released 16 years later in 1990.
Infobox
Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by
mw- Francis Ford Coppola Mario Puzo
Based on
The Godfatherby Mario Puzo
Produced by
Francis Ford Coppola
Starring
Al Pacino Robert Duvall Diane Keaton Robert De Niro Talia Shire Morgana King John Cazale Mariana Hill Lee Strasberg
Cinematography
Gordon Willis
Edited by
Peter Zinner Barry Malkin Richard Marks
Music by
Nino Rota
Productioncompanies
Paramount Pictures The Coppola Company
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Release dates
December 12, 1974 (1974-12-12) (Loew's Astor Plaza Theatre) December 20, 1974 (1974-12-20) (United States)
Running time
200 minutes
Country
United States
Languages
English Sicilian
Budget
$13 million
Box office
$93 million[N 1]
Tables
· Accolades
47th Academy Awards
47th Academy Awards
Award
47th Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee
Francis Ford Coppola, Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Francis Ford Coppola
Nominee
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Al Pacino
Nominee
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Robert De Niro
Nominee
Won
Michael V. Gazzo
Michael V. Gazzo
Award
Michael V. Gazzo
Category
Nominated
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg
Award
Lee Strasberg
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Talia Shire
Nominee
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Category
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo
Nominee
Won
Best Art Direction
Best Art Direction
Award
Best Art Direction
Category
Dean Tavoularis, Angelo P. Graham and George R. Nelson
Nominee
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Theadora Van Runkle
Nominee
Nominated
Best Original Dramatic Score
Best Original Dramatic Score
Award
Best Original Dramatic Score
Category
Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola
Nominee
Won
29th British Academy Film Awards
29th British Academy Film Awards
Award
29th British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Actor
Nominee
Al Pacino (Also for Dog Day Afternoon)
Result
Won
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Award
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Category
Robert De Niro
Nominee
Nominated
Best Film Music
Best Film Music
Award
Best Film Music
Category
Nino Rota
Nominee
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Peter Zinner, Barry Malkin, and Richard Marks
Nominee
Nominated
27th Directors Guild of America Awards
27th Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
27th Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee
Francis Ford Coppola
Result
Won
32nd Golden Globe Awards
32nd Golden Globe Awards
Award
32nd Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee
Nominated
Best Director – Motion Picture
Best Director – Motion Picture
Award
Best Director – Motion Picture
Category
Francis Ford Coppola
Nominee
Nominated
Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama
Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama
Award
Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama
Category
Al Pacino
Nominee
Nominated
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Award
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Category
Lee Strasberg
Nominee
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Award
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Category
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo
Nominee
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
Nino Rota
Nominee
Nominated
9th National Society of Film Critics Awards
9th National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
9th National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Director
Nominee
Francis Ford Coppola
Result
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Gordon Willis (Also for The Parallax View)
Nominee
Won
27th Writers Guild of America Awards
27th Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
27th Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Nominee
Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo
Result
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 47th Academy Awards | Best Picture | Francis Ford Coppola, Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos | Won |
| Best Director | Francis Ford Coppola | Won | |
| Best Actor | Al Pacino | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Robert De Niro | Won | |
| Michael V. Gazzo | Nominated | ||
| Lee Strasberg | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Talia Shire | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo | Won | |
| Best Art Direction | Dean Tavoularis, Angelo P. Graham and George R. Nelson | Won | |
| Best Costume Design | Theadora Van Runkle | Nominated | |
| Best Original Dramatic Score | Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola | Won | |
| 29th British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor | Al Pacino (Also for Dog Day Afternoon) | Won |
| Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Robert De Niro | Nominated | |
| Best Film Music | Nino Rota | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Peter Zinner, Barry Malkin, and Richard Marks | Nominated | |
| 27th Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Francis Ford Coppola | Won |
| 32nd Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Francis Ford Coppola | Nominated | |
| Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama | Al Pacino | Nominated | |
| Most Promising Newcomer – Male | Lee Strasberg | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | Nino Rota | Nominated | |
| 9th National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Director | Francis Ford Coppola | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Gordon Willis (Also for The Parallax View) | Won | |
| 27th Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium | Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo | Won |
References
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- A nod to Donahue's real name, Merle Johnson Jr.
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