Gangster film Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" was released. The epic story of the Corleone family, its generational transition from post-prohibition to post-war, its fratricidal intrigues, and its tapestry of mid-century America's criminal underworld became a huge critical and commercial success. It accounted for nearly 10% of gross proceeds for all films for the entire year. It won the Oscar for Best Picture, as well as the award for Best Actor for Marlon Brando and is widely considered one of the greatest American films of all time. Two years later, "The Godfather Part II" became the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year and garnered
Alain Delon "Borsalino & Co." (1974), a sequel to his earlier hit. After another gangster thriller, "Icy Breasts" (1974), Delon returned to his first swashbuckler since "The Black Tulip", playing the title character in the 1975 Italian-French film "Zorro". He made some more crime filmes: "The Gypsy" (1975), "Flic Story" (1975) (with Jean Louis Triginant), "Boomerang" (1976) and "Armaguedon" (1976). In 1976, Delon starred in "Monsieur Klein", which won him the César Award (French equivalent of the Oscar). It was back to crime for another series of thrillers in which he starred as well as produced: "Man in a Hurry" (1976), "Death