March 15, 1972: The Godfather opens On this day in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather — a three-hour epic chronicling the lives of the Corleones, an Italian-American crime family led by the powerful Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is released in theaters. Photo: Talia Shire (Talia Rose Coppola) and Marlon Brando dance in the wedding scene. (Mondadori Portfolio by Getty)