The Godfather: A Novel for Television (1977) User Reviews

The Best Version of the First Two Films

[Sober-Friend · 10/10 · 25 February 2018]

This has been released on home video as "The Godfather Epic". It took the first 2 films and reditied them in chronological order. It also added over an hour worth of footage that was never seen theatrically.

The resulting film was in chronological order. The Godfather Part II had cut back and forth between scenes in the early 1900s and contemporary scenes, and was therefore both a prequel and a sequel to The Godfather.

This is my preferred version to watch because it thrown all the Robert Derio scenes in the first hour.

This Epic version is a total of seven hours but it a great way to spend 2 two night watching television.

Movies do not get better than this!!!

godfather, a novel for television

[vinceharris-1 · 8/10 · 18 December 2007]

I found this version extremely enjoyable. It ties the two movies together so smoothly and we also get to see what happens to characters whose fates were not determined in previous versions. For instance,one of Michael's body guards in Italy, who blew up his car, killing Appolonia.

When Michael goes back to the states, the Corleone's financial resources seek him out and find him and kill him.

There is also a great scene where the under taker, whom we saw in the original as just a humble, frustrated man who begs Don Corleone to kill the men who raped his daughter and got away with it, reveal himself to be just the opposite. He is a constant complainer and is horribly ungrateful. We never would have seen that in the uncut version.

To end, this edited for television version that combines parts 1 and 2 is such a joy to watch because of the superb story telling that weaves the two tales together masterfully.

A testament to Puzo and Coppola

[jamiecurry-1 · 10/10 · 14 April 2018]

If you keep in mind that Mario Puzo's The Godfather novel had no literary sequel, I find it astonishing that within the span of less than two years later both he and Francis Coppola were able to produce such a feat!

Nevermind the fact that the idea of cherry picking backstory from Vito Corleone's and forecasting into Michael and the Corleone family future and fates is something to approach with great trepidation for an author and filmmaker. But they pulled it off!

Then they had the audacity and inventiveness to introduce a flashback structure into the film. Coppola told editor Walter Murch if he had only had a little more time editing it before its release that "it might've been great". The resulting 1977 "Novel for Television and its uncensored 1981 Godfather Saga (released only on VHS) is the fulfillment of that wish and evidence of its greatness.

If two great films can be intercut together, reordered (and even have plot lines expanded upon) and still remain seamlessly coherent, that alone is a testament to the genius of both story(s), direction and author(s).

Imagine if you will, a director producing a sequel of the same power a year or two later to any classic work like Stephen King's "Shawshank" or Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind". Couldn't be done and hasn't. Except in Godfather's case. (Coppola even managed to direct and write "The Conversation" in between).

Unsurpassed!

The longest, yet best version of the story

[akabasak · 10/10 · 17 May 2022]

The Godfather saga is the combined version of The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part 2 (1974), recut into chronological order by director Coppola and Barry Malkin, with deleted scenes. This version contains a near 8-hour story from the rise of the Corleone empire to the corruption of Michael Corleone. The long length is daunting, but it feels less than half that. The smallest shots removed from the theatrical versions are beautifully restored and included. However, if you watch this version before watching the first two movies prior, you may not have a great time, as this "film" is a celebration of the films, and cannot be fully enjoyed if not deviously understood the meaning if the scenes.

I actually love this version.

[ChipBach · 10/10 · 7 May 2023]

I understand that this version runs contrary to the vision of the writers, director, and producers.

However, for these movies, the format also works well. It is admittedly a less sophisticated way to absorb the story, but some of us are fine with the give and take to see it chronologically.

I wish the option was available for seeing both versions.

I also prefer seeing the deleted scenes. I know they had been deleted by the film makers for a reason, but who didn't love seeing some of the villains get their comeuppance?

The story is unbelievable, the vision was unprecedented, however, I would love to have the option to stream this version.

The Best Version yet!

[Connie-Bunny · 10/10 · 1 November 2012]

YES! I loved watching this version on TV several years ago. We got to see added footage of characters that we thought should have been taken care of like the body guard of Michael while he was in Italy. I always thought in the movie versions that should have been left in. My only complaint is I have hunted for it on VHS and DVD for years! I personally think it should be added to one's shelf. We have several versions of other movies. I bought the Godfather Trilogy blindly thinking it was this version and very upset when I discovered it wasn't. If I hadn't opened the package I could have gotten my money back.

Francis - Please consider this version. I know you'll make your money on it.

Loved it!

[hjwellsiii · 10/10 · 26 March 2022]

Wish I could buy it on DVD! I have watched the original movies 100's of times over many years. Really enjoy seeing the deleted footage and the movie played in chronological order.

Please release on DVD or streaming-or both!

[gina-reino · 10/10 · 28 April 2024]

I no longer have a DVD player but will gladly purchase one to watch this epic! I recall watching it years ago and loving it. Wasn't it released onVHS? If yes, then why not DVD?

I don't mind watching these classic films in chronological order. I know some don't care for this but when you have watched GF1 & 2 as often as I have, it is enjoyable watching. The added footage is great too. (Especially Michael's revenge scene.) I now appreciate knowing that Mario Puzo had a hand in the writing and production.

After reading "The Family Corleone," the prequel to The Godfather, (If you are a GF/Mario Puzo fan, go get the audio book now! It is read by Bobby Canavale.) I would like to see this movie made and I don't care if it's 4 hours long!

A Travesty

[bob-717 · 6/10 · 12 November 2007]

This thing is just ridiculous; saw it on home video as my first Godfather experience and couldn't figure out why it was so plodding. Turns out it edits everything into chronological order, so you start with all the De Niro scenes from G-2, then see G-1 (minus some R-stuff but plus some deleted scenes), and then get the rest of G-2. The De Niro scenes, out of context, are just repetitive and make little sense. The one bonus was getting to see the deleteds back when such opportunities were rare. It's not quite BAD, because the underlying material is still beautiful, but it could easily lead one to go through life thinking The Godfater was No Big Deal because you'd endured or walked out on this.

There are films I'd be interested to to see a chronological cut of (Pulp Fiction, Memento). Godfather 2 is not one of them.