You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in 2025 who doesn’t consider Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather to be one of the greatest movies ever made. The 1972 film changed the nature of the silver screen, elevating the gangster genre to the heights of Shakespearean tragedy with a star-studded cast including the likes of Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and the magnificent Marlon Brando, whom Coppola fought tooth and nail to cast as Don Corleone instead of 11 other actors.

However, Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name isn’t held in quite the same regard among critics. That’s not to say that Puzo was a bad author; after all, the Hell’s Kitchen native co-wrote the film’s script (which The Offer on Paramount+ explores with a few changes), which eventually went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1973 Oscars. Instead, Coppola’s film adaptation strips away much of the novel’s fat and focuses on the crux of the story— Michael’s transformation into the ruthless Don of the Corleone family.

The Godfather’s Book Includes A Lot Of Material The Movie Doesn’t Cover (Not All Of It Good)

The Film Benefits From Cutting Some Of The Novel’s Edgier Plot Points

One of the pitfalls of Mario Puzo’s novel is its obsession with Johnny Fontane, a minor character in the film played by Al Martino. When it came time to write the script for The Godfather, Fontane’s drunken Hollywood escapades were rightfully left on the cutting room floor (which is just one of several differences between the film and the book). Much like Tom Bombadil’s adventures in The Lord of the Rings, Fontane’s L.A. subplot arrives within the first half of the novel and brings the story to a screeching halt, leaving readers eager to return to Don Corleone and Michael.

Another plot point that the film avoids covering at length is Sonny Corleone’s (James Caan) affair with Lucy Mancini (Jeannie Linero). To say it mildly, the book goes into elaborate detail when discussing the ins and outs of their relationship. There’s even a whole subplot in the latter half of the novel in which Lucy undergoes an operation to correct a “pelvic malformation” that prevented her from enjoying Sєx with any other man besides Sonny. It’s understandable why Puzo and Coppola felt this storyline was better suited for print.

Mario Puzo’s The Godfather Is Good, But The Movie Version Is Much Better

Puzo Turned A Good Book Into A Masterpiece

One of the greatest strengths of The Godfather is that it so perfectly translates the essence of Puzo’s characters directly to the screen. It’s a surreal, almost sublime experience that’s only enhanced by the film’s streamlined narrative, which is free of several unnecessary plot points, such as the backgrounds of supporting characters like Luca Brasi (Lenny Montanta) and Captain Mark McCluskey (Sterling Hayden).

Ultimately, The Godfather provided Puzo with the perfect opportunity to refine his best-selling novel and translate it into the cinematic marvel that still draws in new fans today. By cutting the book’s adjacent plot lines and focusing on the heart of the Corleone tragedy, Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola set the stage for The Godfather‘s stratospheric success. It’s no wonder this film sits comfortably at the top of so many greatest movie lists.