Why Steven Spielberg Calls The Godfather the Greatest American Film Ever Made

If there is anyone in Hollywood whose opinion on film actually matters, it’s Steven Spielberg. The guy might as well have an honorary seat in the Film Pantheon. And when Spielberg decides to call a movie 'the greatest American film ever made,' you should probably pay attention… even if you already suspected what was coming.

Spielberg Goes All-In on The Godfather

At the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony on April 26, 2025, Spielberg took the stage with fellow legend George Lucas to celebrate their old friend—and major New Hollywood MVP—Francis Ford Coppola. The pair spent the night singing Coppola’s praises, but Spielberg didn’t hold back when it came to discussing The Godfather: he flat-out called it 'the greatest thing to ever come out of Hollywood.' That’s not hyperbole. That’s Spielberg fanboying, and honestly, he isn’t wrong.

'The Godfather, for me, is the greatest American film ever made… You, sir, are peerless. 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.'

Spielberg and Coppola: Peer Pressure—But the Good Kind

Spielberg and Coppola go way back—two guys at the ground floor of 'New Hollywood' (a.k.a. the era when studios nervously handed the keys to young, film-obsessed directors in the ‘70s). Their bond solidified in 1971, when a nervous Spielberg hosted a screening of his TV movie Duel at Coppola’s house. Mutual respect ever since, apparently.

But here’s the interesting part: for all his success, Spielberg has admitted that watching The Godfather nearly broke him—artistically speaking, at least. During the DVD restoration release for the film, he recalled the experience of seeing The Godfather when he was just starting out (his own Duel had just debuted, literally a year earlier):

'I was pulverized by the story and by the effect it had on me, and I also felt that I should quit. There was no reason to continue directing because I would never achieve that level of confidence in the ability to tell a story such as the one I had just experienced. So, in a way, it shattered my confidence.'

Imagine being Spielberg and thinking you’ll never be good enough. That’s the kind of power The Godfather had, even on a young filmmaker who’d go on to define blockbuster movies as we know them.

Still Untouchable, Decades Later

Here's my personal beef: Coppola should have made a dozen more gangster movies and called it a career. Instead, after The Godfather trilogy, he switched genres, and the magic mostly evaporated—except for a war movie or two (Apocalypse Now, obviously). Even if his later years have been a mixed bag, Coppola always has The Godfather in his corner, and to this day, that’s an unbeatable hand.

• The Godfather crushed the box office in its year, naturally.
• Scooped up Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (no one beats Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
• Was instantly thrown into the U.S. National Film Registry for preservation—because, yes, it’s that big of a deal.
• And by the way: If you avoid this movie because someone called it 'slow' or said it glamorizes crime, you’ve been lied to. The only crime is missing out on it.

There’s just nothing else like it: Clemenza’s 'Leave the gun, take the cannoli' right after a hit. Sonny brutally gunned down at the causeway. Brando mumbling his way into cinematic legend. Nino Rota’s haunting score. Gordon Willis’s iconic shadow-soaked cinematography. Flawless storytelling.

Basically, everything about The Godfather has been analyzed, canonized, and parodied for a reason. You finish it, and it’s obvious why Spielberg—after all his own box office domination and awards—would still look up to Coppola for making something so untouchable at the start of his career. And yes, once you’re done, watch The Godfather: Part II. It’s every bit as good.