Fifty years of ‘The Godfather’ at Oscars 2022: Coppola says ‘Viva Ukraine’

‘The Godfather’ was honoured at Oscars 2022 since it’s been fifty years of the mob classic. Director Francis Ford Coppola took the opportunity to show solidarity by saying ‘Viva Ukraine’. The war-torn nation is facing a Russian invasion, and the Oscars acknowledged that with a moment of silence and show of solidarity using ribbons. 

A clip montage of ‘The Godfather’ trilogy was shown until the curtain lifted and the director appeared, flanked by his actors from the movie. Robert De Niro, who plays a young Vito Corleone, the mob family patriarch, and Al Pacino, who plays Michael, the reticent son who joins the family business. 

When the trio took the stage, they received an ovation from all at the award ceremony. Coppola first took the chance to thank Mario Puzo, with whom he shared a great collaborative effort before the movie was made. He also thanked Robert Evans, the film producer, who’s worked on projects like Roman Polanski’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, apart from the Coppola-helmed movie. 

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‘The Godfather’, based on Puzo’s novel, focuses on the five crime families in New York. The Corleones are well respected, but find themselves warring with the Barzinis and Tattaglias when they refuse to go into the drug business with Turk Solozzo. At the same time, the family drama plays out as Don Corleone – played by Marlon Brando in the character’s old age – tries to find an apt replacement. 

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Since its release, ‘The Godfather’ has cemented its place in pop culture with several unforgettable quotes and iconic scenes. From Khartoum, the horse’s head at movie producer Jack Soltz’s house to Michael quoting how revenge is a dish best served cold, the film has been remembered. However, at the time of being made, ‘The Godfather’ had drawn some ire from the Italian community, for apparent misrepresentation. Filmed primarily in and around New York, the movie also had interesting mob involvement with a real-life mafia member playing the role of Corleone family enforcer, Luca Brasi.