The Godfather is a timeless cinematic masterpiece, but the original novel is not so perfect.
It’s hard to find a film lover who wouldn’t rank The Godfather among the greatest films of all time. Released in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece not only revolutionized storytelling on the big screen but also elevated the gangster genre – once considered valor – to the level of Shakespearean tragedies.
With a legendary cast including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall, the film is a rare convergence of artistry, psychological depth, and commercial success. But to reach that level, The Godfather had to… say goodbye to quite a few elements of the original literary work.
The novel “The Godfather” has too many stories.
Author Mario Puzo was no ordinary writer. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film, which won the prestigious Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1973. However, his 1969 novel, The Godfather , despite being a bestseller, was not highly regarded as a literary work.
Why? Simply because it… has too many plot points. And not all of them are good.
In the book, the character of Johnny Fontane – a Hollywood singer and actor – is described with many convoluted details, from parties to love scandals, causing the narrative to deviate from the focus on the Corleone family. If you ever saw Fontane in the film as just a fleeting guest, that’s thanks to the skillful restraint of Coppola and Puzo in the adaptation.
And that’s not all; one of the most “confusing” storylines in the book is the romance between Sonny Corleone and Lucy Mancini. The novel goes so far as to dedicate an entire section to describing a pelvic surgery… that allows Lucy to have relationships with someone else after Sonny. The film completely removed this storyline – and thanks to Coppola for that.
The movie is better than the original novel.
No one denies the importance of The Godfather novel . But it is through careful selection and refinement that Coppola and Puzo have transformed a “tangled but captivating” novel into a tightly structured, emotionally rich, and darkly poetic film.
They omitted unnecessary details to focus on Michael’s transformation – from an outsider to a cold-blooded crime boss inheriting the family legacy. Supporting characters like Luca Brasi and Captain McCluskey were kept just in time, enough to create atmosphere without diluting the main storyline.
That makes the film timeless – not just a story about the mafia, but a tragedy about power, family, honor, and sacrifice. A tragedy that even Shakespeare would have nodded in agreement with.
If you want to read a book – save it for after the movie.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the book. But if you’ve never seen The Godfather , don’t let the novel spoil your first full cinematic experience. Let yourself be drawn into the eerie mist, the dim yellow lights, Michael’s cold gaze, and Don Corleone’s infamous whispers.
Then, when the movie ends, while you’re still sitting there, still reeling from the perfect twist, open the book and read. You won’t be disappointed. But you’ll also understand why sometimes, the movie is a better version.