The Godfather (1972)

Original Paramount Pictures photo still for ‘The Godfather’.

This shot of Marlon Brando is a rare peek behind the curtain of a cinematic revolution. The Godfather ditched flashy, romanticised mobster tropes for a gritty, lived-in tragedy, with Brando’s transformation into Vito Corleone serving as the gold standard for character acting. 
 
Behind the scenes, makeup artist Dick Smith is meticulously working his magic on Marlon Brando. To turn the 47-year-old actor into the elderly patriarch, the team used custom dental appliances and heavy prosthetics to create that iconic, jowly silhouette. It is a quiet moment of focus and prep work that eventually birthed one of the most recognisable faces in movie history.
 
Quick Trivia: Brando actually wanted the Don to look "like a bulldog," so he famously stuffed his cheeks with cotton wool for his initial screen test before the makeup team created a more permanent dental prosthetic.

• Year: 1972
  
• Size: 8 X 10 Inches
• Condition: Unframed
  
• Product Code: T6520