Although the casual way it has been titled leaves it with plenty to answer for, 'Godfather II' rightly remains the only sequel ever to win an Oscar for Best Picture of the year.

With Brando out of the picture the focus has shifted to Michael and much more money was obviously available to spend on the movie itself (with plush production design and cool fifties cars gliding across the screen a recurrent motif).

Robert De Niro as the young Don Corleone brings a lean and hungry look to the part by then completely beyond Brando (by comparison Al Pacino looks much older).

The film is far more ambitious, both technically and thematically, addressing America's changing role in the world rather than just the activities of one family.