It’s been 50 years since Francis Ford Coppola gave moviegoers an offer they couldn’t refuse: an iconic, essential masterpiece of cinema which explored the meaning of family and the American dream in the guise of an operatic gangster epic. Ask any movie buff to come up with a list of the greatest films of all time, and The Godfather is almost guaranteed to be on there.

Based on Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name, the film follows aging patriarch Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) as he makes preparations to cede control of his organised crime empire to his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino). Initially reluctant, Michael soon finds himself drawn deeper into the family business – and the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal that follows.

More than 5,000 hours of work was undertaken to meticulously restore the film under Coppola’s direction in time for this milestone anniversary, and it has never looked better.