Released in 1972, The Godfather became an instant classic from a novel wrote by Mario Puzo in the late 1960s. The musical score still remains one of the most memorable themes ever composed. The Godfather showed a series of family related stories directed by motion picture visionary Francis Ford Coppola. The Godfather's focus was concerning the realities of the American dream towards an Italian family. The Godfather won three Academy Awards, Best writing, best actor for Brando, and Best Picture of 1972. It spawned two other popular sequels.