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There are few, if any, American filmmakers who are more famous or revered than Steven Spielberg. That makes the Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park creator more qualified than just about anyone else to determine what he believes is the greatest American film ever made. But when Spielberg made his pick at a tribute to director Francis Ford Coppola held by the American Film Institute, the choice didn’t exactly sit well with everyone.
Now, this may well have been because the event itself was a tribute to Coppola. But Spielberg stated that Coppola’s 1927 mafia epic The Godfather is the greatest American film ever made. He went on to explain the choice in detail.
“Many artists can and do take a bow from their work on a page, on a canvas, on a screen, but our applause for you Francis, is from a different kind of audience. When we’re young, it’s our parents we want to make proud, and then it’s our friends, and then it’s our colleagues, and finally, it’s our peers, but you, sir, are peerless.” Spielberg said, according to Variety. “You have taken what came before and redefined the canon of American film, and in so doing, you’ve inspired a generation of storytellers who want to make you proud of their work, proud of our work, and I always want to make you proud of my work.”
Movie Fans Disagree With Steven Spielberg Over High Praise For ‘The Godfather’
Now, The Godfather is one of the most popular and most critically acclaimed films of all time. So it’s not exactly a controversial choice or one that is particularly surprising. But Spielberg still received plenty of backlash for his selection.
Don’t make me tap the sign https://t.co/zZVnHwvYmE pic.twitter.com/63CZmLJsAW
— crítica da razão pós-moderna (@bazinrebelde) April 29, 2025
The Godfather is so overhyped by men, when in reality, all the films are a snooze. It’s a male power fantasy that hasn’t aged with the times. https://t.co/SrHEw7RZgr pic.twitter.com/PVbBm4FiL6
— Lukas (@Lukascain95) April 29, 2025
It’s not even the best Godfather movie, nor is it the best mafia movie. https://t.co/bMj0vkchCH
— YC (@samsarasurf3r) April 29, 2025
Several movie buffs suggested that The Godfather is not even the best mafia movie of all time. Others claimed that it’s not the best movie in its own trilogy. But Spielberg did have plenty of folks in agreement with his take. One thing is certain: everyone who has seen The Godfather seemingly has a strong opinion of the film one way or another, and by that measure, Coppola undeniably did his job.
Content shared from brobible.com.