A Ritz celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ‘The Godfather’ is appropriate for one of the greatest and most influential American films ever. Since its premiere in 1972, this film spectacle seeped into America’s collective consciousness, and stayed. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and based on the epic gangster novel by

Mario Puzo, ‘The Godfather’ sits comfortably in the pantheon of great American film making. Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, it won the 1973 Oscar for Best Motion Picture and, for decades, was the top grossing film of all time. Marlon Brando, one of the most acclaimed American actors of the 20th century, won the Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable performance of the title character Vito Corleone.