Steven Spielberg says ‘The Godfather’ the ‘greatest American film ever made’

Los Angeles: Francis Ford Coppola, a Hollywood great, was just awarded the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, the American Film Institute's highest distinction.

Many notable Hollywood filmmakers attended to celebrate Coppola's award. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas presented Coppola with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award, reports ‘Variety’.

Spielberg called Coppola “fearless”. Spielberg, who first met Coppola in 1967, said, “On one hand, you are a warrior for independent artists, you always champion their causes, but also, and always, you’re fearless in how open you are to ideas, opinions and inspiration”, IANS reported.

As per ‘Variety’, he recalled watching an early cut of “Apocalypse Now,” which was five hours long, with other filmmakers.

“When the film ended, you asked us to tell you what we saw, how we felt. You invited all of us in, so one by one, we told you where we were lost and where we were found, and I sat there in awe, learning that leaving yourself open and searching was, in fact, your superpower”, he said, IANS reported.

Spielberg went on to say, “‘The Godfather,’ for me, is the greatest American film ever made. Many artists can and do take a bow from their work on a page, on a canvas, on a screen, but our applause for you Francis, is from a different kind of audience. When we’re young, it’s our parents we want to make proud, and then it’s our friends, and then it’s our colleagues, and finally, it’s our peers, but you, sir, are peerless”.

“Spielberg said, “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 of their work, proud of our work, and I always want to make you proud of my work”, he added.