Yes, this movie, does in fact beat The Godfather (maybe not Godfather II, but definitely I. I will spare all the embarrsassment and deftly skip over the sack of skittles known as Godfather III). What plot thread jumps? My wife, who never read the books, thought it was the most intriguing and developed plot she had seen on film in years. Citizen Kane is the jumpy movie, if ever there was one. I agree with the first comments: LOTR is, in fact, better than The Godfather and Citizen Kane. Incidentally, it is better than Star Wars, also. The acting is more refined, the plot is deeper, and the relationships are more touching. While I'm throwing gas on a fire, I may as well add that LOTR is better than Raging Bull, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Sophie's Choice, Titanic, Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, The Bicycle Thief, Il Postino, Cinema Paradiso, and all three Die Hards. 