Al Pacino ‘career-ending’ confession about ‘worst film’ The Godfather | Films | Entertainment | EUROtoday

The Godfather (1972) is sort of universally thought of one of many best and most influential photos in cinematic historical past – but not each member of the forged shared that view whereas cameras had been 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 image boasted an ensemble forged that includes Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte and Diane Keaton. Pacino has confessed that through the preliminary levels of manufacturing, he believed The Godfather could be the ‘worst film ever made’ and feared it might destroy his profession.

The US actor, who celebrates his 86th birthday on Saturday (April 25), discovered his misgivings sparked by the turbulent expertise of capturing the opening wedding ceremony sequence alongside co-star Diane Keaton.

As detailed in his memoir Sonny Boy (2024) and at numerous public appearances, following the filming of that scene, Pacino and Keaton had been so sure the manufacturing was doomed that they returned to Manhattan and proceeded to get drunk.

During that interval, Paramount executives had been overtly questioning his casting and considering his dismissal, believing his efficiency lacked the requisite depth for the a part of Michael Corleone.

Pacino’s outlook, together with the studio’s, shifted dramatically after he shot the Italian restaurant sequence through which Michael murders Sollozzo and McCluskey. The uncooked energy of his efficiency in that second persuaded the studio to retain him, in the end reworking the manufacturing right into a cinematic triumph.

Paradoxically, removed from destroying his profession, the movie elevated him to Hollywood legend standing and secured him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Notwithstanding Pacino’s early reservations, The Godfather at the moment holds the place of primary greatest movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes as of 2026 and occupies second place on IMDb’s Top 250 listing.

The American Film Institute has additionally positioned it because the second-greatest American movie, second solely to Citizen Kane.

Critics laud its “perfect” execution of storytelling, cinematography, and course. It is widely known for its wealthy, atmospheric lighting by Gordon Willis and an iconic rating by Nino Rota.

It secured three Academy Awards on the forty fifth Oscars, together with Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Despite this, some movie lovers nonetheless regard it because the ‘worst’ image, as one individual 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 individual admitted: “I think that The Godfather is long, hard to follow, often boring and ultimately overrated.”

A 3rd additionally chimed in: “The Godfather wasn’t all that great, honestly.” Yet many others rushed to defend the movie, 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.”