The Academy Awards have extended considering that been a distinguished celebration of filmmakers, actors, editors, and the beloved motion pictures that have shaped the market considering that 1929. With strict criteria and a meticulous voting approach, nominations for an Oscar are really hard to come by as only Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members can nominate and vote. This ceremonial, artistic, and technical merit represents the most effective of the most effective inside the film market nonetheless, this award show has been met with its fair share of shocking moments and controversy.

Throughout the history of the Academy Awards, only nine nominations have been revoked, a single of them becoming a single of the greatest and most influential films ever created. The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and primarily based on Mario Puzo‘s novel, was a important cinematic achievement and received widespread acclaim. During the 45th Oscar Awards in 1973, the epic gangster film was nominated eleven instances, but the Academy’s guidelines detail incredibly fine print that triggered The Godfather to shed a single nomination for its iconic “Love Theme.”

The Godfather (1972)

Don Vito Corleone, head of a mafia loved ones, decides to hand more than his empire to his youngest son, Michael. However, his choice unintentionally puts the lives of his loved ones in grave danger.

Release Date

March 14, 1972

Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Runtime

175 minutes

Writers

Mario Puzo , Francis Ford Coppola

Studio

Paramount Pictures

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‘The Godfather’s Score Elevates Francis Ford Coppola’s Masterpiece

According to the biography Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola, considering that The Godfather was such a dark film, Coppola strove to bring an air of romance to the film to blend with the bloody mayhem of the Corleone loved ones. In 1971, the director flew to Italy to employ classical maestro Nino Rota, whose performs have been notably recognized in the films of the legendary Italian director Federico Fellini. Coppola gave the composer an earlier copy of the gangster film, enabling him to visualize the mood and atmosphere of the film and its characters. When generating the soundtrack, Rota crafted original melodies for The Godfather, nonetheless, he borrowed musical components from his previous scoring perform in Eduardo De Filippo‘s 1958 Italian comedy Fortunella, as pointed out in the book The Godfather Legacy by Harlan Lebo.

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What Nino Rota developed was a haunting score that effortlessly captures the legacy of the Corleone loved ones with its authenticity to Italian American culture mixed in with dramatic tension. The principal theme, “The Godfather Waltz,” is an instrumental piece representing Marlon Brando‘s character, Don Vito Corleone, and his authoritative power in a time of corruption and betrayal. Yet, the most iconic song in The Godfather is the “Love Theme”, otherwise known as “Speak Softly, Love.” This song is played through the movie’s second act and is a poignant and emotional piece that reflects the inner struggle and newly identified enjoy of Al Pacino‘s character, Michael Corleone. Undoubtedly the crucial to the film’s achievement, Nino Rota’s score was the cherry on leading of Coppola’s masterpiece. The score expertly embodied the theme of loved ones, energy, loyalty, and violence and went on to be regarded as a cinematic, musical landmark. Despite its reputation and influence, nonetheless, it triggered a stir when it was nominated for an Oscar.

Why Was ‘The Godfather’s Score a Problem?

In 1973, The Godfather was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, like a nomination for Best Original Score by Nino Rota. When the nominations have been announced, Rota’s score came beneath fire for making use of components of the composition he had previously created for Fortunella. This discovery led to controversy mainly because the Academy’s guidelines stipulate that a score should be completely original to qualify for the Best Original Score category.

Consequently, Nino Rota’s nomination for Best Original Score was deemed ineligible and was disqualified from the category. This choice was a important occasion, as it is uncommon for the Academy to withdraw a nomination soon after it has been announced. The controversy led to a re-balloting exactly where the Academy members had to choose from the other shortlisted films that have been nominated for the award but have been not selected. The vote replaced Rota’s Godfather nomination with John Addison‘s score for the mystery thriller film Sleuth.

Despite this setback, The Godfather nevertheless had a profitable evening at the Oscars. The film won 3 main awards: Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brando — who did not show up to acquire the prize — and Best Adapted Screenplay. Still, Sleuth did not win the Best Original Score, as that honor rather went to Charlie Chaplin’s 1952 film Limelight, which was eligible mainly because of its delayed release in Los Angeles in 1972. Composer Nino Rota later redeemed himself at the Academy Awards when he won the Oscar for Best Original Score for <em>The Godfather Part II</em> in 1975. In 2021, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences changed the criteria for the Best Original Score award, stating that, for a score to be eligible, it should comprise a minimum of 35% of the total music in the film, lowered from 60%. The incident with The Godfather and its revoked nomination remains a notable instance of the Academy’s strict adherence to its guidelines with regards to original compositions and the complexities involved in film scoring and eligibility.

The Godfather is accessible to watch on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+