Godfather, The (1972)

An original 1972 British Quad from the first release, professionally linen-backed and ready to frame.

When The Godfather opened in 1972, it changed how audiences saw organised crime on screen. Gangsters were no longer cartoon villains but fathers, sons and businessmen, and the film asked uncomfortable questions about power and the American Dream that still resonate today. It broke box-office records and won Best Picture.

The Quad was the workhorse of British cinema advertising, hung outside picture houses up and down the country to pull in the queues. Once the film had played, Quads were usually folded away or simply thrown out, so first-release examples of a title this important are increasingly hard to find.

This one carries the "red face" artwork, the design that defined the film's look around the world and the one collectors want most. It sells The Godfather with no scenes and no stars, just mood: exactly what great key art should do.

• Year: 1972
• Nationality: United Kingdom
• Type: Original British Quad
• Condition: Linen-backed
• Size: 30 x 40 inches
• Product Code: W5180