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Michael Corleone and the Economics of ‘The Godfather’

The Mafia family heir had a college education. Did it pay off?

By , a deputy editor at Foreign Policy.
The Godfather 50th anniversary screening event in Los Angeles
The Godfather 50th anniversary screening event in Los Angeles
The Godfather 50th anniversary premiere screening event in Los Angeles on Feb. 22. CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images

A portion of this year’s Oscars ceremony on March 27 will be devoted to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of The Godfather—the saga of an Italian American Mafia family that’s widely considered among the best movies of all time. It has been interpreted by critics as a story about the pitfalls of American culture, family loyalty, and ambition.

Cameron Abadi is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @CameronAbadi

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