u/Pale-Syrup5842

I run a movie club in my group of friends, and we just watched THE GODFATHER (1972) as our latest installment. It was my first time ever watching it... I thought it was a good/great movie, but won't lie it definitely fell short of the "transformative, one of the best movies of all time" it is usually regarded as.

In doing some research, I think I understand why it was regarded as such when it released. So... I am looking for examples of films that came before THE GODFATHER (1972) that I can compare it to? What is an example of a highly regarded gangster/mafia/crime movie that came out before 1972?