» » Крестный отец: Часть III (1990)

Крестный отец: Часть III (1990) Online

Крестный отец: Часть III (1990) Online
Original Title :
The Godfather: Part III
Genre :
Movie / Crime / Drama
Year :
1990
Directror :
Francis Ford Coppola
Cast :
Al Pacino,Diane Keaton,Andy Garcia
Writer :
Mario Puzo,Francis Ford Coppola
Budget :
$54,000,000
Type :
Movie
Time :
2h 42min
Rating :
7.6/10

In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in New York City and Italy in 1979, aging Mafia Don Michael Corleone seeks to avow for his sins, while taking his nephew Vincent Mancini under his wing.

Крестный отец: Часть III (1990) Online

In the final installment of the Godfather Trilogy, an aging Don Michael Corleone seeks to legitimize his crime family's interests and remove himself from the violent underworld but is kept back by the ambitions of the young. While he attempts to link the Corleone's finances with the Vatican, Michael must deal with the machinations of a hungrier gangster seeking to upset the existing Mafioso order and a young protege's love affair with his daughter.
Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino Al Pacino - Don Michael Corleone
Diane Keaton Diane Keaton - Kay Adams Michelson
Talia Shire Talia Shire - Connie Corleone Rizzi
Andy Garcia Andy Garcia - Vincent Mancini
Eli Wallach Eli Wallach - Don Altobello
Joe Mantegna Joe Mantegna - Joey Zasa
George Hamilton George Hamilton - B.J. Harrison
Bridget Fonda Bridget Fonda - Grace Hamilton
Sofia Coppola Sofia Coppola - Mary Corleone
Raf Vallone Raf Vallone - Cardinal Lamberto
Franc D'Ambrosio Franc D'Ambrosio - Anthony Vito Corleone
Donal Donnelly Donal Donnelly - Archbishop Gilday
Richard Bright Richard Bright - Al Neri
Helmut Berger Helmut Berger - Frederick Keinszig
Don Novello Don Novello - Dominic Abbandando

Al Pacino was offered $5 million, but wanted $7 million plus a percentage of the gross to reprise his role as Michael. Francis Ford Coppola refused, and threatened to re-write the script by starting off with Michael's funeral sequence instead of the film's introduction. Pacino agreed to the $5 million offer.

Al Pacino stated that he did not agree with the portrayal of Michael in the film. He didn't believe that Michael would ever feel regret or remorse for his actions, especially the murder of his brother.

Robert Duvall turned down the $1 million the studio offered to re-create his role of Tom Hagen. Duvall did not feel that his proposed salary was commensurate with what Al Pacino and Diane Keaton were getting ($5 million and $1.5 million, respectively). The character was subsequently written out. Duvall later defended his position on the grounds that the only reason why anyone wanted to make another Godfather movie after so many years was to make money.

Coincidentally, the Vatican Bank once owned Paramount Pictures.

Francis Ford Coppola once admitted that he was still unhappy over the final result, because of lack of time on working with the script. According to him, he wanted $6 million for the writer, producer, and director fee with six months work on the scriptwriting. The studio instead gave him only $1 million in fees and six weeks to work on the script, in order to meet the Christmas 1990 release. He also regretted that the character of Tom Hagen had to be written out of the script because the studio refused to meet Robert Duvall's financial demands. According to Coppola, with Hagen gone, an essential character and counterpart for Michael Corleone was missing from the movie.

Mary Corleone's (Sofia Coppola's) aunt is played by Sofia's real-life aunt, Talia Shire.

The first of only two trilogies to have all three films nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. The other is Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Sofia Coppola had to redub about twenty percent of her original dialogue for the final cut after a disastrous early screening for the New York press on December 12, 1990, where many of the critics acrimoniously singled out her performance. According to an interview in Entertainment Weekly the following month, she said her greatest vocal challenges for the role were eschewing her "Valley Girl" accent, and correctly pronouncing the name "Corleone".

Sofia Coppola (daughter of Francis Ford Coppola), played Michael Corleone's daughter, despite playing his nephew as an infant in Der Pate (1972), and an unnamed child on the ship In Der Pate 2 (1974). Winona Ryder was originally cast, but she withdrew so that she could appear in Edward mit den Scherenhänden (1990).

Vincent's mother, Lucy Mancini, is the bridesmaid with whom Sonny had an affair in Der Pate (1972).

Because of the popularity of the two earlier Godfather movies, Frank Sinatra reversed his anti-Godfather stance and expressed interest in playing Don Altobello. He lost interest because of the size of the paycheck for the role, and it went to Eli Wallach. Sinatra got his role in Verdammt in alle Ewigkeit (1953) when Wallach backed out because of the low pay for that movie.

Catherine Scorsese, Martin Scorsese's mother, is one of the women who stops Vincent to complain about the poor care of the neighborhood.

Robert De Niro lobbied for the role of Vincent Mancini. Francis Ford Coppola considered it, which would have included aging Al Pacino's Michael Corleone even more, but eventually decided against the idea.

Francis Ford Coppola had only a year to write, direct and edit the film.

Rebecca Schaeffer was in the running to play Mary Corleone, but she was tragically murdered on the morning of her audition. Winona Ryder was later cast in the part, which she was ultimately replaced by Sofia Coppola.

Every movie from The Godfather trilogy begins with a lavish celebration of some kind, with the first one being Connie's wedding, the second for Anthony's First Communion, this one in honor of Michael's award from Pope Paul VI.

Francis Ford Coppola was interested in making Michael Corleone pay for his sins in this third chapter.

Al Pacino and Diane Keaton had dated on and off for several years after making the first film together, ultimately breaking up for good when Keaton wanted a serious long-term relationship, and Pacino did not. This led to some friction when they first arrived on the set. Like their characters, they were able to get past the issues in their past. In real life, however, it involved Keaton travelling back to New York City with Pacino for the funeral of his grandmother, who had died during production.

When Andy Garcia filmed his fight scene, he insisted on beating the stuntman with a real pistol instead of a prop pistol. This resulted in the stuntman suffering a cut that required stitches.

This was the only film in the trilogy not to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, nor to be selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.

For her widely panned performance in this film, Sofia Coppola not only "won" two Razzie Awards (for Worst Supporting Actress and Worst New Star) but also set a new record for the percentage of votes received by any actor or actress up to that point in Golden Raspberry Awards history. In a field of five contenders, she took over 65% of Razzie members' votes in both categories.

At the reception, after the opening ceremony, Vincent bites Zasa's ear. Much later, in the opera house, during Anthony's performance (in "Cavalleria Rusticana" by Pietro Mascagni), he is very amused to see the scene with Turiddu biting Alfio's ear. It is not random: biting ear and drawing blood stands for fighting to the death, according to Sicillian custom.

When the movie was first released on VHS in 1991, the tapes were colored gold.

Paramount Pictures tried to go ahead with the film for many years without Francis Ford Coppola, who had refused to make another sequel. About twelve scripts were written. Most of the scripts included the Corleone family being led by Michael's son Anthony, battling the CIA, Fidel Castro's Cuban government, or South American drug cartels. A 1978 draft by Mario Puzo dealt with Anthony Corleone being recruited by the CIA to assassinate a Latin American dictator. Dean Riesner also wrote a draft based on Puzo's ideas. Drafts were also written by Paramount Pictures producers Michael Eisner and Don Simpson. The film was scheduled for a Christmas 1980 release date. These scripts were discarded when Coppola decided to work on the script with Puzo. But Coppola eventually abandoned the project. Puzo wrote another script in 1986 with producer Nicholas Gage that featured Sonny Corleone's illegitimate son Vincent Mancini, while showing the early life of the young Sonny Corleone. Paramount Pictures considered Sidney Lumet, Costa-Gavras, Alan J. Pakula, Robert Benton, Michael Cimino, and Michael Mann to direct. At one point, they were even close to signing Sylvester Stallone to direct and star in the film.

Despite bearing the title "Part III", Francis Ford Coppola considers this film to be the epilogue of the franchise.

After the argument between Michael Corleone and the members of the Vatican, he leaves the building, saying, "We're back with the Borgias". Mario Puzo, author of Der Pate (1972), later wrote a book about the Borgias called "The Family". It was later revealed, during the broadcast of the television series Die Borgias - Sex. Macht. Mord. Amen. (2011), that the Borgias were the original inspiration for the Corleones. Vito was based on Rodrigo Borgia, a.k.a. Pope Alexander VI. Michael was based on Cesare Borgia, Santino on Juan Borgia, Fredo on Gioffre Borgia, and Connie on Lucrezia Borgia.

The initial draft for this film had Tom Hagen in it. Robert Duvall wanted $5 million to reprise this role. Paramount Pictures turned him down, and the part was re-cast and altered for George Hamilton to play the new Hagen-like character, lawyer B.J. Harrison. A line of dialogue was inserted that explained Hagen had died several years before.

Early in the film, Joey Zasa presents Michael Corleone with the "Italian of the Year" award, for which he personally recommended him. This was in reference to James Caan, who is Jewish, receiving the award in 1973 for his portrayal of Santino "Sonny" Corleone in the original film.

The Vatican refused entry to the film crew.

Francis Ford Coppola did this movie as part of dealing with his personal and studio financial problems. Paramount Pictures approved this film with a $56 million budget under strict conditions that he was given $1 million for writing, producing, and directing; the final cut of the film must not be less than two hours and twenty minutes, and any additional expenses would not be covered by the studio.

The only film in the trilogy not to secure Al Pacino an Oscar or BAFTA nomination. Pacino did, however, receive Golden Globe nominations for his performances in all three films.

Winona Ryder's departure of the film created a major fuss on set and in the media. Ryder did actually arrive on set to perform the part of Mary Corleone, but ultimately backed out. She arrived on set in Rome, two days after completing work on Meerjungfrauen küssen besser (1990) in Massachusetts, but passed out immediately in her hotel room upon arrival, and was eventually examined with over-exhaustion. Following her departure of the film, several headlines were created about the exit, either claiming that she was pregnant, that she had a nervous breakdown, that drugs were involved, that her then-boyfriend Johnny Depp was having an affair and making her crazy, or that Depp talked her out of doing the film so that she could appear in Edward mit den Scherenhänden (1990). On-set, Ryder's replacement of the untested Sofia Coppola was a divisive choice among the cast of the film, and more than one name player reportedly threatened to quit the movie. Meanwhile, Ryder, still recovering from exhaustion, was threatened with lawsuits from several parties, such as Paramount Pictures. However, Ryder met a lot of support and empathy from the cast, including Diane Keaton and Al Pacino, who checked in on her well-being many times throughout several weeks.

Joe Spinell, who played Willi Cicci in Der Pate (1972) and Der Pate 2 (1974), was to have reprised his role, but died before production was to begin. An earlier version of the script had Cicci working for new characters, the Russo Brothers. The three characters were eventually combined into Joey Zasa.

When Winona Ryder withdrew from the film, Laura San Giacomo and Linda Fiorentino were considered for the role of Mary Corleone, before Francis Ford Coppola decided his daughter Sofia should play the part, even re-writing the script for the part to match Sofia's age (in the original draft, the character was more than five years older). Sofia Coppola, only nineteen, expressed apprehension at playing the role, as she was attending college at the time, and had only limited experience as an actress, but nonetheless bowed to her father's request, as production was already falling behind schedule.

According to Peter Biskind's book "The Godfather Companion", a 1985 script co-written by Thomas Lee Wright and Nick Marino, included a character based on drug lord Leroy 'Nicky' Barnes. When the script was briefly considered, Wright persuaded Eddie Murphy to take the role. Murphy reportedly said, "I would act in The Godfather for nothing."

The twin girls with long dark hair at Michael's party are Sonny's daughters, Kathryn and Francesca. They were also depicted in Der Pate (1972) and Der Pate 2 (1974).

Sofia Coppola is in fact the third member of Francis Ford Coppola's family to play a part in the franchise. Each time Coppola has done this, the cast member has had the same relationship to Michael on-screen as they have to Coppola off-screen. Talia Shire, Francis' sister, played Michael's sister. Italia Coppola, Francis' mother, played Mama Corleone during the funeral scene in Der Pate 2 (1974). Sofia Coppola played Michael's daughter. In addition, Diane Keaton has said that she based her performance as Kay on Eleanor Coppola, since they are both Protestants who married into a large Italian-Catholic family.

The music that's played during the closing scene and credits is Pietro Mascagni's Intermezzo Sinfonico from "Cavalleria Rusticana". It is also known for its appearance in Wie ein wilder Stier (1980).

The part of Anthony, Michael and Kay's opera-singing son, went to Franc D'Ambrosio after a worldwide search of over two hundred actors and tenors.

Madonna lobbied for the role of Mary Corleone, even meeting with Francis Ford Coppola and Robert De Niro. It was decided that she was too old for the role. She was offered the role of Grace Hamilton, but she wanted too much money for such a small part.

The opening shots of the Corleone compound were originally filmed for Der Pate 2 (1974) but were deleted from the final film. They were first used in the opening credits for Der Pate - Die Saga (1977).

Michael tells Vincent to "never let anyone know what you're thinking." His father Vito told Vincent's father Sonny the same thing in Der Pate (1972). In that case, though, the positions are reversed: Sonny wanted to do business with Sollozzo, which Vito refused to do. Vincent wants to strike back against Joey Zaza, while Michael encourages diplomacy.

The film is partly based on the findings of David Yallop's book "In God's name" first published 1984. The book is about the "30-day pope" Pope John Paul I, who is also depicted in the film.

This film takes place from 1979 to 1997.

Earlier drafts of the script included the character of Rocco Lampone showing that he survived his shooting at the end of Der Pate 2 (1974).

The film was made in part to address the financial problems that Zoetrope Studios had incurred as a result of the failure of One From the Heart (1982).

Talia Shire based her make-up and character thrust on Gloria Swanson's performance as Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder's Boulevard der Dämmerung (1950).

Even during filming, Sofia Coppola was acutely aware of the battering she was getting in the press for being the director's daughter in a choice part. She found it to be very distracting and upsetting when she was trying hard to concentrate on acting.

Actors competing for the role of Vincent Mancini, according to Francis Ford Coppola, included Alec Baldwin, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Val Kilmer, Charlie Sheen, Vincent Spano, and Billy Zane.

Bridget Fonda auditioned for the role of Mary Corleone before being cast as Grace Hamilton instead.

Joe Mantegna also voices the character Fat Tony in Die Simpsons (1989). Die Simpsons: Moe Baby Blues (2003) has Fat Tony crying, "I haven't cried this much since I paid to see Godfather III", in addition to other references to the franchise.

Julia Roberts turned down the role of Mary Corleone in order to star in Pretty Woman (1990).

Joey Zasa, who takes over the Corleone Family's New York City operations, was modeled after Gambino Family boss John Gotti. In real life, Gotti lead the coup against the previous boss, Paul Castellano, the real-life uncle of Der Pate (1972) cast member Richard Castellano. In the story, Clemenza's character, Pete Clemenza, is the first heir to the Corleone operations in New York City.

Dyeing George Hamilton's hair proved to be problematic, as it invariably came out orange.

Annabella Sciorra was considered for the role of Mary Corleone after Winona Ryder dropped out.

John Savage plays the son of Robert Duvall's character from the previous films. Savage's sister, Gail Young, is Duvall's ex-wife.

Eccentric character actor Timothy Carey (who had turned down roles in both of the previous films) desired to play the role of Don Altobello. Coppola, however, was skeptical, convinced that Carey was too young-looking to play the part. Carey, undaunted, had an elaborate screentest filmed, in which he had colored his hair white and powdered his face to appear older, and had even gotten access to the Hilton Hotel. Coppola was apparently impressed and considered Carey for the part, but shortly thereafter, Carey suffered a serious stroke that put him out of the running.

Joey Zasa is named after Francis Ford Coppola's maternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Zasa. Lou Pennino is named after Coppola's grandfather, Francesco Pennino.

Corrado Gaipa, who played Don Tommasino, was to reprise his role, but died before production began. Coppola, working on the assumption that no one would remember Gaipa's character, hired Vittorio Duse to play Don Tommasino.

Unlike the previous two films, Al Pacino was not nominated for an Oscar for his performance in this one. However, as with the first film, he found himself competing with a cast mate at Oscar time. Previously, he was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, as were Robert Duvall and James Caan. For this film, Andy Garcia was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, just as his on-screen father James Caan had been. Pacino was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Dick Tracy (1990), a role which reunited him with James Caan.

Contrary to some advertisements, this is the only film in the trilogy that did not receive an extensive remaster as part of American Zoetrope's "Francis Ford Coppola Restoration" in 2008. Instead, a more traditional remaster was performed; most likely due to the film's then-recent vintage not requiring meticulous effort.

Charlie Bluhdorn, to whom the movie is dedicated, was the founder of Gulf+Western, which had acquired Paramount Pictures in 1966. He tried to keep the studio afloat after the disastrous failure of Darling Lili (1970) by making some shady transactions with the Italian firm Societa Generale Immobiliare International (SGI).

During shooting, George Lucas spent one day at the Atlantic City set, part of visiting his friend, Francis Ford Coppola.

The movie unites Al Pacino and Joe Mantegna, who share a role in common. Both have played Ricky Roma in different versions of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross. Mantegna originated the role in the Broadway play (1984) while Pacino played the role in the film version Glengarry Glen Ross (1992).

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Sofia Coppola; and two Oscar nominees: Andy Garcia and Talia Shire.

Donal Donnelly, who plays the corrupt cardinal here, was long known to Francis Ford Coppola, as he had originally wanted to cast him as the leprechaun in Der goldene Regenbogen (1968).

Three years before the film was released, the title was used for an episode of Prost Helmut! (1982): Prost Helmut!: The Godfather: Part 3 (1987).

Mickey Rourke was a candidate for Joey Zasa, but was deemed "not Italian enough". Dennis Farina and John Turturro were also considered. Sylvester Stallone was offered the role, but passed on it.

The opening shot of the Sicilian section bearing the caption "Bagheria, Sicily" was shot on the road below the temple at Segesta, thirty-seven miles (sixty kilometers), away from Bagheria, and on no possible approach route. In the intervening twenty-five years, the area has been fenced, and the verges are grown, but it is still possible to stand on the side of the road exactly where the camera's point of view would have been.

Andy Garcia was widely felt to look too Cuban to play Vincent.

The movie would originally open with the scene of Michael talking business with the Vatican cardinal. It eventually opened with a Michael voice-over, and the original opening scene was pushed back to much later in the movie. The unedited version (where the two characters discuss Emperor Constantine) is seen on a DVD extra.

Francis Ford Coppola wanted Gastone Moschin, who played Don Fanucci in Der Pate 2 (1974), to play a different role in this film, but Moschin was unavailable.

The first song played by the band at Michael Corleone's party following the church ceremony is "Cuban Rhapsody", the same melody sung by "Yolanda", the entertainer in the New Year's Eve nightclub scene in Der Pate 2 (1974).

Madeleine Stowe was one of many actresses that Paramount Pictures proposed for Mary Corleone after Winona Ryder's sudden departure. Francis Ford Coppola, however, wanted to cast someone still in her teens.

Along with Rocky V (1990), this is one of two 1990 sequels to a Best Picture Academy Award winner to star Talia Shire (Connie Corleone).

Luke Perry auditioned for the role of Vincent Mancini.

Eli Wallach was previously considered for the part of Maggio in Verdammt in alle Ewigkeit (1953), but turned it down, leading to the part going to Frank Sinatra. Legend has it that Sinatra used mob ties to get the part, which inspired the Johnny Fontaine subplot in Der Pate (1972).

The license plate on the Cadillac Joey Zasa is auctioning away is "MEUCCI".

Many fans of the film were upset that the song "Brucia La Terra", which Anthony sang to Michael early in the film, was omitted from the soundtrack CD.

Richard Brooks, Alexander Jacobs, and Vincent Patrick are also among the writers who wrote rejected scripts for the film.

The shortest movie in The Godfather trilogy.

The M38 Carcano carbine used at the Opera by Mosca for his failed assassination attempt is a variant of the same rifle that was used in the assassination of President Kennedy.

Albert Finney, Marcello Mastroianni, Philippe Noiret, and Gian Maria Volontè were considered for the role of Archbishop Liam Francis Gilday.

This film is one of Walter Murch's four Academy Award nominations for editing to be edited in a different editing format, in this instance the KEM flatbed machine.

This movie was escorted by a handcuffed FBI agent to each movie theater first run prints, as it was shown that fear of theft of the completed film was quite justified, as recent films were on the black market the time the first showing was viewed by a paying customer.

Alec Baldwin was the original choice to play Vincent Mancini.

This was the first and only Godfather chapter to be shot in the Super 35 format.

Vittorio Gassman, Yves Montand, and Michel Piccoli were considered to play The Pope.

The first time a second sequel in a film series has been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It is also the only time an actor has been nominated for a role in the third film of a film series, with Andy Garcia being nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Diane Lane and Virginia Madsen were considered for the role of Grace Hamilton.

The only Godfather film in the series to not have multiple acting nominations at the Academy Awards, and to not win any awards in the acting categories.

The only Best Picture nominee that year to be also nominated for Best Song.

Willie Brown: The former Mayor appears as the black man who manages to have a word with Michael in the party sequence. He appeared as a personal invitation by Francis Ford Coppola.

Sonny Grosso: The man who rudely interrupts the New York City stockholders press conference.

In a March 2010 interview, Andy Garcia revealed that Francis Ford Coppola had informally planned a fourth Godfather film. Much like Der Pate 2 (1974), the film would follow a parallel narrative in different eras, with one story focusing on Garcia's character, Vincent, leading the Family into the modern era, and the other story following the youth of Vincent's father, Sonny, with Leonardo DiCaprio tipped as Coppola's first choice for the role. Coppola, along with Mario Puzo, began working on the story, though Puzo's death cut short the development. Coppola didn't wish to continue without Puzo's involvement, so the project was abandoned. Paramount Pictures, however, has considered proceeding with a fourth film without Puzo, or even Coppola's involvement (possibly based on the Godfather novels by Mark Winegardner), though as of 2010, no official plans for a fourth film exist.

According to Francis Ford Coppola, in the final sequence, Michael's outcry was almost completely cut out, due to its agonizing sound.

A Corleone brother dies in every Godfather movie. Sonny was assassinated in Der Pate (1972), Fredo was murdered in Der Pate 2 (1974), and Michael dies at the end of this movie.

The presence of oranges in all three movies indicates that a death or an assassination attempt will soon happen: Don Vito places a slice of orange peel over his teeth to frighten young Anthony in The Godfather (1972). Michael sucks on an orange in The Godfather: Part II (1974) while planning Hyman Roth's assassination. Don Altobello tosses a kid an orange just before ordering Michael's assassination. An orange rolls over the table just before the helicopter attack. Michael and Altobello are seen drinking orange juice. Michael Corleone dies with an orange in his hand.

According to Francis Ford Coppola, the original script had a different ending, in which Michael and Kay reconciled together after the opera sequence. It dissolves to a church service sequence, in which a gunman guns down Michael before getting shot, and it ends with Michael lying to Kay for the last time before he dies. Coppola decided against that, and opted for the ending in the film with the gunman element from the original ending retained. The ending which was filmed, was inspired by a real-life incident in which Sound Designer Richard Beggs lost his daughter to that similar circumstance.

Originally, the script was to center around Tom and Michael. Tom was going to be an informant. When Robert Duvall got the script he realized his character was the second lead, yet the studio was offering the same amount of money as he received for the last film (around 1/9th the money all the other principals received). Duvall counteroffered through Francis Ford Coppola to Paramount Pictures. Paramount denied offering more money, and told Coppola to re-write the script without Tom. This version was the only one to feature Michael dying in a car accident at the end of the film.

The final sequence (Mary's death) was inspired by a real-life murder by stray shot of sound designer Richard Beggs' daughter.

Although the year Michael Corleone dies is never mentioned, the DVD's "Family Tree" feature confirms Michael died peacefully in 1997. Thus this scene took place seven years in the "future" during filming.

Writer-director Francis Ford Coppola lobbied intensely for the film to be called "The Death of Michael Corleone" rather than "The Godfather: Part III", but in the end, was overruled by the studio. However, when the film was released on DVD, the penultimate chapter was called "The Death of Michael Corleone".

Originally, Calo was to kill Don Lucchesi by snapping his neck and this was filmed. However, Francis Ford Coppola did not like how it looked, and decided to change it to a very bloody death, inspired by Akira Kurosawa's films. The blood spurt from Lucchesi's neck originally earned the film an NC-17 rating from the MPAA, so a few seconds were deleted in order to garner an R-rating. Although unused in the film, a clip of Calo snapping Lucchesi's neck was included in the film's official trailer.

Michael Corleone's funeral was written and rehearsed, but not shot.

Most of the rogue characters are based on the key players of the 30-Day Pope conspiracy during Pope John Paul I's brief reign. Kenzig the banker was based on Roberto Calvi, managing director of the Bank of Milan, who was found hanged in London in June 19, 1982. He was accused by Italian authorities of being involved in the disappearance of Vatican funds amounting to $1.25 billion. Lucchesi was based on Giulio Andreotti, an Italian politician and former Prime Minister. Gilday was based on Paul Marcinkus, a one-time Director of the Vatican Bank, who to this day has remained silent about the conspiracy.

The character of Joey Zasa was based on two mob kingpins of the 1960s and early 1970s. One was Joe Columbo, who organized the Italian-American Civil Rights League, which was supposedly a civil rights organization, but was actually intended to stop FBI investigations into mob activities. Colombo embarrassed others in the Cosa Nostra by keeping a high public profile, and enraged Mafia bigwigs when they discovered he was making a fortune from the organization, and not sharing any of the money with them. He was shot in New York City's Columbus Circle (though he didn't die until several years later) during a rally by his organization. The hitman, a black gangster, was immediately shot and killed by "person or persons unknown", according to police reports. The other is Joe Gallo, who organized the hit on Colombo, was known (and reviled by other mobsters) for recruiting blacks and Hispanics into his crew, and hung out with several Hollywood and Broadway celebrities, including Jerry Orbach.

The movie provides a fictional explanation for several events surrounding the real-life scandals of the Vatican Bank, from 1978 to 1982. Most notably, the film depicts the alleged murder of Pope John Paul I, who was found dead sitting up in his bed on September 29, 1978, only thirty-three days after assuming the papacy. Journalist David Yallop has speculated that John Paul I died after drinking poisoned tea (as depicted in the film), the victim of a conspiracy by archbishops and cardinals who were fearful of the new pope's planned reforms for the Vatican Bank (the character of Archbishop Gilday is based on Paul Marcinkus, a Chicago-born archbishop who was the head of the Vatican Bank at the time). Also in the film, the murder of the Swiss banker Frederick Keinszig mirrors the real-life death of Italian banker Roberto Calvi, President of the Banco Ambrosiano. In 1982 the bank--which had strong ties to both the Vatican Bank and the Sicilian Mafia--collapsed largely due to Calvi's shady international money exchanges. On June 18, 1982, Calvi (who had fled Italy to escape indictment) was found hanging from the Blackfriar's Bridge in London, with $15,000 in various currencies in his pocket. His death was first ruled a suicide, then later a murder. In 2005 five people, including two Sicilian gangsters--were indicted for Calvi's murder, but all were acquitted in 2007. Additionally in the film, the Sicilian Don Licio Lucchesi is a loose caricature of former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who had ties to the Sicilian Mafia early in his career, but who later turned on them. With Lucchesi's thick glasses and ever-present bodyguard, the caricature of Andreotti would be very recognizable to Italian audiences.

A Corleone brother dies in every film in the trilogy. Sonny (The Godfather), Fredo (The Godfather: Part II), and Michael (The Godfather: Part III).

Although being credited as one of the three editors, Lisa Fruchtman worked only on the final five minutes of the film, from Mary's murder until Michael's death.

When Michael and the rest of the family arrive in Sicily, a group of local citizens is holding up a banner greeting "Commendatore Michael Corleone", and the hammer and sickle of the Italian Communist Party appears on either side of the name.

During the parade scene, Joey Zasa says, "We got Don Ameche, who played the guy that invented the telephone." This is a reference to Liebe und Leben des Telefonbauers A. Bell (1939), in which Bridget Fonda's grandfather Henry Fonda played Thomas Watson. Furthermore, Ameche was considered for the role of Don Vito Corleone in Der Pate (1972) before Marlon Brando was cast. Joe Mantegna, who plays Zasa, co-starred with Ameche as a small-time gangster in Wo bitte geht's zum Knast (1988).

Although Altobello's first name is not revealed here, in the book "The Godfather Returns" by Mark Winegardner, his first name is Oswaldo.

When Michael and his daughter, Mary, pick up Kay, Mary turns around to take a picture of her parents, facing the camera, and says "Hey Dad, smile!", meaning, of course, Michael. Behind the camera is Francis Ford Coppola, the director, who is the father of the actress Sofia Coppola, playing Mary.

Although it is not explicitly stated, fan theory speculates that in the scene with Mary's murder, Michael went blind due to his extreme emotional grief and rage (which was aggravated by his diabetic condition, blindness being a possible effect of diabetes in some cases). The final scene with his death has him wearing dark glasses and keeping a cane nearby, both usual visual indications that a character is blind. However, this isn't actually confirmed or denied by either Al Pacino or Francis Ford Coppola.

The original script, with Tom Hagen, for this film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola was very different from the final version seen on the film. In the original script, there was no Joey Zasa and no B.J Harrison. In the end, Mosca shoots Michael to his death. Michael dies on Tom's arms and Tom weeps over him bitterly. In the original script, Mary is alive and attends Michael's funeral with others.

As Vincent shoots and kills the two apartment intruders, over his left shoulder is a sepia colored photograph of his father Sonny Coleone.


User reviews

Mightsinger

Mightsinger

Many believed that the series was complete in 1974. Even Francis Ford Coppola thought that another installment was unlikely. However in 1990, some 16 years later, "The Godfather, Part III" was released with results that few could have perceived. The film was not very successful at the box office and many who did see the movie said "ho-hum". The critics were also indifferent to an extent. A Christmas release would create enough steam for the film to achieve a best picture nomination and seven nominations in all from the Academy (it failed to win any though). Of course "Dances With Wolves" dominated the night and that film along with "GoodFellas" are considered the class acts of that year. Why has "The Godfather, Part III" failed to achieve a following like its two predecessors (parts I & II)? I am not sure I can answer that question. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is becoming an old man and his health is slowly worsening. He wants the family to become 100% legitimate and even makes a deal to link his finances to the Vatican. However Michael has become a bit naive and everyone double-crosses him. Now it appears that the only answer is to get back to the old ways. Younger sister Connie (Talia Shire) believes that Michael has grown soft and that Santino's (James Caan from the first film) illegitimate son should take control (Andy Garcia, in his Oscar-nominated performanece). He is ambitious and has the short fuse that his late father had and this is going to lead to fireworks for the family. He also starts seeing Michael's teenaged daughter (Sofia Coppola, Francis Ford's real-life daughter) and a romance blossoms. Meanwhile crime bosses Eli Wallach and Joe Mantegna pose threats to the Corleones. Kaye (Diane Keaton) has divorced herself from Michael and their son (Franc D'Ambrosio) has somewhat sided with her. Michael's health takes a turn for the worse as he actually goes into a diabetic coma for a time during the film and when he does recover (not completely though) he starts to reflect on a life of loss. The ordering of Fredo's death (John Cazale) in the second installment and his Sicilian wife's murder in the original haunt Michael and he tries to come to terms with his life, but learns from a Catholic cardinal while in Sicily that he deserves all the suffering he experiences and realizes that his suffering will be even greater in the future. In fact there will be a finale that will be the "fatal nail in the coffin" for Michael. "The Godfather, Part III" is focused on Michael and that is why it is unique to the series. The first two sported so many rich characters that it was impossible to focus on just one. This film could be best described as "Reflections of a Life of Loss". The film is excellent and even though it is likely the weakest of the three when you compare them, it is somewhat unfair to put the three "Godfather" movies together because they can all stand on their own. Great movies stand on their own and "The Godfather, Part III" does just that. 5 stars out of 5.
Ylonean

Ylonean

Having heard the endless amount of critique and insults that the last part of the Godfather saga carries.. I have to disagree. Although people seem to love to hate Sophie Coppola and say she ruined the film, I think her part alone wasn't that frail it'd ruin the entire cinematic experience. Saying that is just humorous. Also, the absence of Tom Hagen played by Robert Duvall is really a loss and even I think this film would've been a lot better if there was him in it.. but he got too greedy and couldn't make it into the movie, and that's that. I'm not going to judge a movie by what it could have been, but what it is and how good it ends up being.

Despite some shortcomings, Godfather Part 3 is a decent ending to the trilogy. While it may have been an attempt to cash off the audience, they still have Coppola bring us his finest directing. I found Al Pacino's performance extremely satisfying and even terrifyingly so. He embodies the mistakes and losses of his life with excellent skill, showing us a don that has lost his health, the loved ones of his life and even the respect for himself. While I never found Diane Keaton's performances in the saga that good, she still fills the spot required, same goes for Talia Shire, whose role in the ending finale of the film really came as a surprise to me - which was a good thing. I didn't find her role in Part 2 too appealing but in this one she has more character, more importance. Sophie Coppola was OK, like I said a lot of people have complained about her acting skills and I gotta admit she was a little "stiff" or sorts in some scenes but it's not notable all the time and it didn't spoil any moods for me. Andy Carcia was just excellent, my favorite add to the saga cast, playing the son of his father with excellence.

So, umm.. this film is perfectly fine. The ending finale was tremendously well shot and very climatic, filled with a lot of excitement. I'm telling you this movie is a great ending to the saga even because of that one particular scene so just go see it, despite what a lot of people have said about, badmouthing it for faulty reasons.. it brought a tear into my eye. It did.
DEAD-SHOT

DEAD-SHOT

I finally saw it ! As a total devotee of the two previous installments, I avoided seeing the third one, on purpose, people I respect had told me about the disappointment and, quite honestly, I didn't go there. Last night I did and surprise, surprise, it moved me no end. Maybe because I haven't seen the other two in four years. Yes at times is more Ken Russell than Francis Ford Coppola and in my book that's not a bad thing. I was, however, a bit taken aback by the healing in Pacino's Michael as far as Keaton's Kay is concerned. As it nothing had ever happened, while in Diane Keaton the memory of that pain is always present. Talia Shire is a lot of fun as a sort of Madame Sin. Raf Vallone, superb as the doomed Pope John Paul I and then a bit puzzling casting choices that I think they me code for something. George Hamilton, for instance, takes over from where Rubert Duvall left off. Helmut Berger plays the head of the Vatican Bank. Helmut Berger! Just as curious as to find Troy Donahue in The Godfather Part II - All in all, I'm really glad I've seen it and I'm sure I'll see it again.
Saithinin

Saithinin

I stayed away from this film for a long time, doing a dumb thing: listening to the well-known film critics.

When I finally got around to it, I was very surprised. It was a good film. Not great, not intense as the first two Godfather flicks, but definitely a lot better than advertised.

Many people said this was filled with anti-Roman Catholic propaganda, but I didn't it find that way. Yes, the "Vatican bank," whatever that is, was portrayed as not on the up-and-up, but it was a little confusing to follow, maybe too confusing to get offended! Actually, there were some positive things, religious-wise, with Al Pacino's character, who sought forgiveness for his past sins and made a few very profound statements such as, "What good is confession if it isn't followed by repentance?"

Anyway, Pacino's acting talents are the main attraction in the lower-key, more cerebral Godfather film. There isn't that much action but when it occurs, it's pretty violent. As with the other two films in the series, it's nicely photographed with a lot of nice brown tints.

Finally, director-writer Francis Ford Coppola took a lot of flak for putting his daughter in such an important role but I thought she (Sofia Coppola) was fine and - like this film - unfairly criticized.
Anardred

Anardred

"The Godfather III" is a beautiful film, visually wonderful, and of great importance, completing the tragic saga of the Corleone family... They are so tempting these Byzantine intrigues: Alliances betrayed with violence; assassins dressing up as priests; knives and poison invading the opera house; someone, in the deepest shadows, always whispering devious means...

Coppola's intention was clearly aimed at offering a story of redemption... Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, the motion picture reflects Coppola's masterful film-making...

Fascinating threads of continuity support this illusion: The bridesmaid (Jeannie Linero) who had a hurried meeting with Sonny in the first film, now makes a significant appearance as the mother of a vibrant new character, a suitable successor of Michael, the Godfather of the future Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia).

Vincent, strong, focused and loyal, shares his father's hot temper... He is the most suitable heir to the family business... His desire for a life of crime is driven by his greater desire to destroy a vile thug named Joey Zasa beautifully played by Joe Mantegna...

Connie (Talia Shire), tries to push her brother to take Vincent under his tutelage... Eventually Michael—a man haunted by the death of Fredo, his separation from his wife, his estrangement from his children—realizes that he can never truly leave his life of crime... We feel his frustration when he says, "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in."

Worried about his children and the fate of his empire, Michael is torn between two characters: his warm-hearted daughter Mary (Sophia Coppola), whom he loves very much, and Vincent, who sees the death of his enemies as the only answer to every question...

There is also Kay (Diana Keaton), still the woman he loves, and the mother of his dear children... Family is crucial to Michael... His children are his reason for living... In his words: "The only wealth in this word is children... They are my treasure."

Michael wants Anthony to be a lawyer... Kay defends their son's aspiration to be an opera singer... The best scenes in the movie are between this lovely couple, passionately fastened in a struggle that started a time ago at that wedding party where an innocent officer and a gentleman told his non Italian girlfriend, he was not part of his family business...

The film has a great ensemble of supporting actors: Talia Shire, deliciously evil, and always counseling her nephew on how to get in Michael's good graces; Eli Wallach, the talented peacemaker with a stone in his shoe; Raf Vallone, the wise true priest; Franc D'Ambrosio, the artist, the voice in "Cavalleria Rusticana;" Donal Donnelly, the fallen archbishop; George Hamilton, the family attorney; Helmut Berger, the missing God's Banker; Richard Bright who heads to Rome to "light a candle for the archbishop;" Franco Citti, the old bodyguard; Mario Donatone, the "Ace in the hole;" Bridget Fonda, the sexy reporter; Al Martino, the Hollywood singing idol; and John Savage, the priest with an assignment in Italy...

Brilliant shots and unforgettable sequences:

  • The opening sequence in which the camera travels over the wreckage of the Corleone's vacation house by the lake...


  • The helicopter attack upon Michael and a group of old dons through the skylight of a hotel banquet room in Atlantic City, New Jersey..


  • The trap and killing of a "small-time enforcer" on the streets of 'Little Italy' by a fake cop...


  • The beautiful scene in which a kindly cardinal hears the confession of a penitent, desperate for absolution...


  • Anthony dedicating a sweet song to his father ("Brucia La Terra"), and while Michael was listening to the melody, he was remembering his first beautiful and wonderful bride...


  • The natural scenery of Sicily...


  • The spectacular opera house finale that turns Michael's expectations into an inferno of mob violence...


  • The cry that lets out that night on the stairway...


  • The penalty... The terrible sentence...


Coppola's first two Godfather-films are a work of art... More famous for their superb acting and deep character studies, beautiful photography and choreography, authentic recreation of the period, and rich score...

"The Godfather III" is a mesmerizing film worthy to be taken on its own terms... It lays the seeds for a complex financial scandal involving the Vatican Bank as well as the mysterious death of Pope John Paul I in 1978...
Mikarr

Mikarr

Michael Corleone has sold his illegal business in an attempt to win back his family. However he must still contend with up and coming mobsters such as Vincent, who wants to work for him and Joey Zasa, who wants to fully take over the Corleone family's territory. When the Corleone family begin to deal with the Vatican and plan to buy out their share of an multinational corporation he finds that the Vatican is just as corrupt as his illegal operations were. Despite his best efforts he finds himself sucked back into the world he has tried to leave behind.

Easily one of the most hated films ever made – or at least you'd think it was by the critical mauling it got for a raft of reasons. However watching it now it isn't that bad and really it only suffers from comparison with the two films before it. But lets be fair, Coppola has made 3 or 4 of the best films ever made – did we really expect another one from him?

The film has a reasonable plot and brings the trilogy to a logical end. The plot however does have it's weaknesses – for example it starts well with Michael's attempt to `get out' being hampered by other families on their way up. But when it starts to get involved with money laundering through the Vatican and the corruption therein, it starts to lose it's way and it's focus on Michael.

The main weakness comes in the characters. Would Michael really go straight just to get his family back – and how come he managed to do it so easily up till the time of the film? Worse still is Connie who seems to have become some sort of Mafia widow when that was not part of her character in the previous films – would she really have got that twisted or influential? Little problems like these just bugged me and they also fed into the performances.

For such a great cast the acting was very average. Pacino is good but I sensed he didn't see Michael turning out this way and he didn't convince occasionally. Keaton has little to do and again I felt that her approach to Michael was too forgiving, although maybe I'm not allowing for time. As I Siad before Shire was doing some sort of `Bride of Frankenstein' act as Connie and I didn't buy it for a moment. Garcia was OK and faces like Wallach, Hamilton and the like helped. The two worst performances were sadly two of the main ones. First Joe Mantegna…..now it wasn't that it was bad – it was more that I've seen him do so much better. Here all I could think of when I watched him was how his character and his acting was very like his Simpsons' character of ` Fat Tony'. Bare in mind Fat Tony is meant to be a spoof of the Mafioso characters and you'll see why I didn't like it.

The worse performance was Sofia Coppola. Now she was vilified at the time for her role – a bit unfairly and cruelly but she was still bad. She has this strange scowl on her face for most of the film and she acts like a spoil little girl. She also has no realism in her voice and speaks in the same constant tone – that Vincent would fall for her was just a leap of faith too far to accept. The cast does have others who are unused or underused – Fonda being the best example. Why did she bother with that role!?

Overall, this is miles behind the other two Godfathers and it has plenty of weaknesses. However at it's heart it's a good try as the concluding part and the story is watchable. It's not bad, it just is average and it feels like the director and large sections of the cast felt they just had to turn up to make a third classic film.
Jack

Jack

The Godfather Part three is a great movie but many would contest. This final installment of the greatest trilogy ever made is misunderstood by most because they do not see what this film is really about. G3 is not about hits and gangland killings, but rather, G3 is about the end of Michael Corleone's legacy of crime in America. This movie shows him stepping out of the gambling and the other rackets because they have hurt him so badly. This movie is a masterpiece because it shows the conclusion to an incredible story. There had to be an end to this trilogy and this thoughtful way to do it exemplified the trilogy as an unbeatable one. Just because it doesn't end with a violent scene like the murder of the heads of the 5 families does not make it a bad movie, but in this case, a beautiful one. Please, don't feel you have to agree with the common view by proxy, but think on your own about what this movie really means and how it concludes and consequences the first two.
Ndyardin

Ndyardin

Series note: It is almost unthinkable to watch this film without having seen The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather, Part II (1974) first. This is a direct continuation of that story.

I suppose that if I do not love being a contrarian, I do not love anything, but it's not that I set out to be contrarian for its own sake. It just happens when I'm honest about my tastes and views. My latest flourish of contrarianism is that I think The Godfather, Part III is just as good as The Godfather, Part II, even though it's a quite different film, loaded with conspicuously different messages. And although most of Part III's scenes, except the extended climax, never quite reach the sublime excellence of much of Part II, Part III doesn't have near the flaws, either. Both films ended up being a 9 out of 10 for me, or a low "A".

Part III is all about Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seeking redemption and forgiveness. We see him haunted by one of the stronger, more shocking moments from Part II. And so he has decided to sincerely go "legit", while getting back to his roots, trying to regain what he has lost and maybe even "redo" the mistakes he has made. Thus he heads back to New York and eventually back to Sicily. In the opening party scene we see him even trying to make amends with his ex-wife Kay (Diane Keaton). The most important plot points all have to do with Michael learning to compromise and even let go of some control. The most tragic elements of the film are rooted in the things for which he has difficulty relinquishing control, and we feel a much more "real" threat to Michael's safety because of the unintentional losses of control that he experiences.

Of course, the irony ends up being that the "legit" world is just as corrupt, if not more so, as the world he's trying to redeem himself from. Michael is "forced" to resort to his old modus operandi if he wants to participate, survive and succeed. Coppola and co-writer Mario Puzo thus create something of a classical tragedy, with a pessimistic message about human relations; one that also suggests a reinterpretation of the previous two Godfather films as metaphors for socio-economic machinations in general--not just a soap-operatic tale of a powerful Mafia family.

Unlike The Godfather and Part II, Coppola remains tightly focused on his principal themes here. Even though the film seems almost as sprawling as the previous two on first glance, and it suffers slightly from also having a bloated cast, in retrospect, there is nothing present in Part III that isn't meant to be tied in with the subtexts. Even seemingly inconsequential scenes, such as Michael and Kay encountering the marionette show, provide artistic, literary connections to significant plot points. In this case the scene provides both foreshadowing and metaphor for the most substantial element of the climax.

By the way, it's interesting to note that Coppola introduces somewhat erotic (though very tame) scenes for the first time here (that's not to say that past Godfather films didn't suggest romances or sex, but they weren't really erotic). Surprisingly, perhaps, the chief erotic scenes involve his daughter, Sofia, who is shown in a relationship as close to incestuous as possible without being incestuous, and who also has an unpleasant fate in the film. When we also remind ourselves of the filmic treatment that director Dario Argento subjected his daughter, Asia, and his significant other, Daria Nicolodi, to over the years, it might make us want to psychoanalyze Italian filmmakers, but it's helpful to remember that initially, Sofia Coppola's role was to be played by Winona Ryder, who was too sick at the time to begin shooting.

The cast in Part III is sometimes cited as one of the reasons for its inferiority, but despite the relative shortage of megastars, I think the cast, including Sofia, is fantastic here. Godfather newcomer Andy Garcia was particularly impressive.

Coppola again uses Part I for a structural template, just as he did in Part II, but he tries to throw in subtle variations and even red herrings. Like its predecessors, Part III begins with a party celebrating an important familial event related to religious ceremonies wherein we meet the principal players, the middle section deals with similar business dilemmas mixed with betrayals, double crossings and their consequences, and the ending parallels a major shakedown involving multiple parties with some other important familial event imbued with ritual/ceremony (the parallel was slightly different in Part II).

The subtle variations here involve what could be called "tags". For example, the beginning puts us in a more formal religious ceremony before we move to the party, and the ending has a tag that could be one of the most ingenious transitions/scenes that Coppola has written. We move from a profoundly tragic event to a point much later in time. Not one word of dialogue is spoken. Through mere appearance of character and setting, plus the final, sad event, there is as much "said" or implied in one elegant minute as there was in the entire film up to that point--although what preceded was necessary for the pithy implicature.

The technical elements, though good here, cannot quite match those of Parts I and II. This may be more surprising when we realize that the same people worked on both films in many capacities, but it just underscores that elements such as the intense, unusual, deeply lit scenes of Part II, for example, happened as much by a "magic" confluence of events as they happened intentionally, which may be why no one has quite been able to capture that look again, including here. On the other hand, even though the music is excellent in all three films, for my money, it might be best integrated in Part III, especially the melancholy theme that periodically recurs.
Road.to sliver

Road.to sliver

Near the beginning of "The Godfather: Part III," Michael Corleone's son wants to drop out of law school and become a musician. Michael Corleone does not want this. But his estranged ex-wife, Kay, manages to convince him to let Anthony Corleone pursue music as he wishes. So he does.

That seems like an odd way to start a review, as it is a minor plot point and has nothing really to do with the major action. Just bear with me here; you'll see where I'm going with this eventually. Now let me tell you about the major plot. It is about Michael Corleone wanting to quit crime for good (he has largely abandoned all criminal elements in his family business). But then along comes Vincent Mancini, an illegitimate nephew, who is involved in a feud. So of course Michael must endure yet another brush with criminality and gun violence and all that good gangster stuff. Meanwhile, Vincent has a semi-incestuous affair with Michael's daughter Mary. Oh, and Michael and Kay are trying to patch up all the horrid things that happened at the end of Part II.

It is like a soap opera. One horrid, awful, 169-minute soap opera. Gone is any sort of the sophistication, romance, and emotional relevance that made the first two movies hit home so hard. After a 16-year break in the franchise, Francis Ford Coppola delivered a mess of sop and pretentiousness entirely incongruous with the first two films, once again proving his last great work was "Apocalypse Now" back in the 1970's.

What's worse, "The Godfather: Part III" isn't even a logical follow-up of "The Godfather: Part II." Michael is a completely different person. He hasn't just gone to seed (which might be legitimate, even if it'd be no fun to watch). He's become a goody-goody that's trying to fix all the tragedy that made Part II such a devastating masterpiece. His confession to the priest was bad enough, but that little diabetes attack in the middle pushed it over to nauseating. He also gets back together with Kay! For heaven's sakes, there is absolutely no way that should happen, as the 2nd movie made abundantly clear! She aborted his baby, and his Sicilian upbringing made him despise her for it. Didn't Francis Ford Coppola even think of these things?

And don't even get me started on Mary and Vincent's affair! For a romance so forbidden, it was shockingly unengaging. Sofia Coppola's acting did nothing to help. She made the smartest move of her life when she switched from in front of the camera to behind it, because she was possibly THE worst actress I have ever seen in a Best Picture nominee. Every line she delivered was painfully memorized, and every time the drama rested on her acting abilities, all she elicited was inappropriate giggles. In the climactic scene--I won't go into detail, but you'll know which scene I'm talking about when/if you watch it--she looks at Michael and says, "......Daddy?" I think I was meant to cry, but the line was delivered so poorly I burst out into long, loud laughter!

Now we get to the climax, and now you will also realize why I took time to start the review with a description of Anthony Corleone's musical ambitions. After 140 minutes of petty drama and irrelevant happenstances, Anthony Corleone returns... with an opera! So Michael, Kay, Mary, and Vincent go to see it, and for about 10-15 minutes a couple killers walk around trying to assassinate Michael. About this climactic sequence, I must say one thing: It was really good! But not because of the killers--they were pretty boring. I just really liked the opera. It had some great music and real great set pieces. And, from what little it showed us, it seemed that the story had echoes of the Corleone family's origin. I'll bet it was one swell opera, and I'll bet Michael Corleone was glad he let his son switch from law school to music.

My biggest wish is this: that Francis Ford Coppola had merely filmed Anthony Corleone's opera for 169 minutes and ditched the rest of the soggy melodrama. Better yet, I wish he hadn't made "The Godfather: Part III" at all. Part II gave us the perfect ending. This spin off was self-indulgent and unnecessary.

P.S. This is not a gut reaction to the film. I watched all 3 Godfather films over a month ago (though I was rewatching the first one). Not only does this mean that my expectations for Part III weren't screwed (in fact, I had set the bar rather low for it after what I heard), but it also means I've had a good time to think about all three films. While I was a bit disappointed with Part II at first, the more I thought about it, the better it seemed. But with Part III, it was bad to begin with, then got worse the more I thought about it. The sad thing is that many people will stop with Part I, but if they watch Part II as well, they will most likely go on to Part III. If you have the will, watch Parts I & II and pretend like Part III never existed.
virus

virus

Many of the reviews of this seem too positive. The movie was deeply flawed and love for the early Godfather films should not blind us to the fiasco that was number 3.

Casting problems: Diane Keaton said all she needed to say in part 2. Her presence in the part 3 added nothing whatsoever. We learn from her dialog that she will always love Michael but that she will never accept his gangster ways. Yeah. We learned that in part 2. George Hamilton as the lawyer/confident. Lame. Sophia Coppola as Mary. She comes across like a dull-witted 16-year-old that doesn't know a thing about acting but thinks it is fun to be able to stand in front of a camera. (spoiler alert) the primary dramatic event of the movie involved her death. By that time I was hoping that she would be killed off (or at least get no more screen time), so my ability to feel any emotional impact at the death of this air-headed monstrosity.

Dialog problems: The dialog in Michael's study in the initial scene is painful to hear. The movie gets better, but very awkward dialog pops up every 20 minutes or so throughout the movie. Part of the problem is the screen play and part of the problem is that at times the actors don't know how to effectively deliver their lines.

Plot problems: Awkward casting & dialog aside, I think this is the biggest problem. when you get to be one of the wealthiest business men in the world, wacking people no longer makes any sense. When you have untold millions at your disposal, you find that you a wide range of tools to accomplish your aims, and most of these tools work better than bullets (anyone remember the last time a Fortune 500 CEO was taken out in a mob hit?). (spoiler alert) There is a scene in which one of the baddies flies a helicopter outside a penthouse ballroom in a high rise building and then occupants of the helicopter riddle the ballroom with machine gun fire killing dozens of wealthy business men. This would be par for the course in the Matrix, or True Lies, or Commando, but this type of violence is not part of the real world we live in. It's cartoonishness is at odds with the other Godfather films and makes it difficult to take this film seriously. As well paced and tense as the final opera house scene was, it was also in the category of cartooney violence. Did the best assassin in all of Italy really think the cleverest way to kill one of the richest men on the planet was to slip into a well guarded public place, kill off a bunch of hired body guards and then shoot a man in front of 1000 witnesses? Well, I guess the screenwriter thought so. The end result was a complete mess. The narrative flow of the final film was a train wreck. The plot elements went back from somewhat believable to overblown Hollywood insanity and back again.
Adoraris

Adoraris

"The Godfather Part III" isn't really a necessary sequel, and to be truthful it's not really one of the best sequels in recent memory, but is it a bad film? No. In fact, had it not been for the extraordinary first two films, I firmly believe this movie would have been hailed as an epic; but due to such a broad expanse of years from the second film (1974) to this one (1990), audiences were given too much time to work up extreme expectations, especially with the major success of the first sequel. Many people just expected another equal sequel. It's just a good sequel.

Al Pacino returns to his role of Don Michael Corleone, much older since we last saw him and with a daughter (Sofia Coppola, Francis' daughter). He is still split from his (ex)-wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), and Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) has since passed to the other side, though rumors have it his character was originally in Ford and Mario Puzo's script, only to be dumped when Duvall turned down the script because he believed Pacino was getting too much attention. (Though I have my doubts over the accuracy of that rumor.)

Michael wants out of the Mafia. He wants to work legitimate. He's been trying to turn his business into legit dealings for a while now, and he realizes that the sins of his past will never completely go away. He decides to hand the reigns of power over to his ex-brother Fredo's son (Andy Garcia), a young, eager soul with energy and excitement. But things do not go so well. Michael tries to be a mentor to his trainee but it is a difficult task. Michael goes through turbulent times, not to mention that he must deal with his daughter falling in love with the future head of the family (they're cousins, which, when you think about it, is just plain nasty).

Michael tries to get his son interested in becoming the head of the family, but he will have no part of it. He is bent on becoming an opera singer, to turn from his family's past and ignore his father's pleads. Michael is left with some difficult choices, and we see that all the power in the world can't control the inevitable.

"The Godfather Part III" has its flaws. One of them is the casting of Michael's daughter with Coppola's daughter - she has, one might say, no acting ability whatsoever. Garcia is bright and talented, and fits the part he is playing. Pacino isn't quite as energetic and powerful as he was in the first two films, in fact he looks pretty tired here, but I believe that's the point.

Some people really hate this film. I thought it was quite good. It's a good continuation, though I do not hesitate to admit it could have been much better. The film seems a bit corny at times, and there are some bad casting choices, one of which I have already mentioned above. But it is an entertaining film, one that no "Godfather" fan should go without seeing. It's a worthy (hopefully) last installment, one that gives more of the same but still manages to hold the audience's interest.

There are rumors flying everywhere of yet another "Godfather" entry, but quite honestly I think it's a bad decision. They should leave the series as it is and move on to other projects. Puzo is dead. Coppola hasn't made a good film in years - heck, he hasn't even produced a good film in years. Al Pacino's character would be hard to bring back, and if you've seen this film you know what I'm talking about. A prequel would just be messy and unexplained, not to mention confusing. To follow Andy Garcia's character would seem pointless - some things should be left to our imagination. I doubt as to the importance of another sequel, as it would, at this point, just be a cash-in.

The script by Coppola and Puzo is interesting, but it seems too try a bit too hard to be an epic at times. It just serves as a reminder that this film was not needed as an intallment in the series. "The Godfather Part" was great, "The Godfather Part II" was superb, "The Godfather Part III" is probably the best film of 1990. Which, looking back at twenty years from now, probably won't amount to a hill of beans. But it's a start.

4.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer
Unsoo

Unsoo

Coppola really didn't want to make this movie but the studio prodded him and provided a lavish budget so he took another stab at it. However, he was now unable to get the cast he wanted. Duvall asked for too much money, so the role of consiglieri was reduced to that of George Hamilton's infrequent appearance as a plain legal adviser. Coppola could now shoot on various locations without fear of being fired but it was no longer The Family he'd been so proud of.

I don't really have too much to say about this venture. It's a little sad. Coppola is a sensitive family man. He loves babies. And he blames critics for condemning the movie because he cast his daughter. I don't know whether he's right or not. She looks proper for the part of the virginal Italian girl, not exotic or spectacularly beautiful but innocent. Her performance is hard to judge from one role. She comes across as natural rather than as a seasoned actress. It fits her role but it's hard to tell what her range might be. Diane Keaton was available, probably because not many parts were coming her way, but there is no spark between her and Pacino, just a wan regret without moment.

But Coppola is wrong in believing that the movie failed because of Sofia. The movie failed because it was a watered-down and meandering story that seemed without point. The material -- Al Pacino, his family relationships and his intrigues -- is no longer fresh. There is no novelty in it.

And sometimes it seems as if the elements that are important to the director are more personal than portentous. He may find it shocking that a newly elected Pope could be assassinated. I doubt that most people care as much as he does, especially since we hardly get to know Raf Vallone. The whole Vatican provides not much more than a backdrop for colorfully robed figures having business meetings and enacting rituals.

I'm happy for Coppola that he was able to cast his father as the local band leader in Sicily. And I like Coppola's personality. He's growing wine now in Napa or somewhere. And when I lived in San Francisco he owned a small underground restaurant, Tomasso's, where the customers waiting for a table could tap the wine barrel in the dark, tiny room as often as they liked and get half lit during their wait. The wait was worth while. The clams cuscus were a rarely encountered treat.

I wish I could recommend the movie as highly as the restaurant.
Winn

Winn

Godfather III is generally underrated because because it is more intellectual, subtle, and psychological than the first two. There's lots more Italian language, operatic venues, references to subtleties like the P2 masonic lodge, and there is the inner revelation of Michael Corleone's soul. Pacino should have won an Oscar for his performance. The movie would be a good staging point for a Godfather IV, with "Vincenzo Corleone" and Connie Corleone running things, while developing further the relationship between Michael, and his wife and son.
Nidora

Nidora

A story that has nothing to do with anything. Interminable wedding and opera scenes with no dramatic progression. Al Pacino doesn't seem like a mob boss. The first movie was based on the book (and so well done). The second movie was half based on the book. This movie seems to have been based on what actors were available. By the end I was wishing Mary Corleone had been killed at the beginning.

Suggestion for those who loved the first movie: read the book and then go watch the first movie again. It's like putting on 3d glasses or switching from a black-and-white to color TV. But save yourself the anger of being duped and avoid GF3.
Gaua

Gaua

Being an optimistic fellow I wanted to enjoy The Godfather Part III the first time I saw it - this was easy, since its a competent piece of film making, generally well paced, acted, it's coherent, Al Pacino's in it, Coppola has made this film from A to Z and on its own terms the film doesn't have any inexcusable flaws. (Not even, I might add, the notorious Sofia Coppola; she's bad, but her performance is benefited by the character she's playing, which is also weak). So for a long time I was one of those guys going "Hey, Godfather part III isn't as bad as everyone says. Sure, its not as good as the first two but not many movies are!" Later in life, presumably with heightened standards and a better sense of criticism, I started to suspect that the opposite could be true - that part III was really nowhere near as good as I'd recall - and after seeing all three films pretty much back to back I have to be honest (an approach I think wouldn't hurt the more enthusiastic defenders of this film) and conclude that The Godfather Part III, despite certain qualities, simply doesn't work.

(Excluded passage due to word limit; concerning how Coppola did the film for the money, and that it actually makes the film a little easier to appreciate)

I think the film really, on a whole, is perhaps not 'bad', certainly not horrible, but definitely a failure. The plot is underdeveloped and not engaging - Michael Corleone suffers from guilt. Its not unreasonable to say he did that at the end of Part II already. Where does his search for redemption lead him? Do "they" really pull him in again? Does his character do or say anything really memorable? Once or twice. But the script really is a long filler-session. And while everybody seems to just automatically praise Pacino because, well, he's Pacino I don't think his performance in this film is particularly good either, at least not by his merits. He's a great actor, and this is as fine a performance as any other he's made, but when you consider how truly versatile Pacino can be (compare Godfather part II with Scarface, with Serpico, Devil's Advocate, you name it, he's right there in character) its a disappointment that the aged Michael Corleone has turned into... well, Al Pacino. Obviously the character is not the same man that he used to be, but I never once really believed that I was watching Michael Corleone. He looked, and acted, too much like Al Pacino.

Not to mention Andy Garcia being nothing more than Andy Garcia, Joe Pantanglio, Eli Wallach, Talia Shire in a strangely awful performance (she's not a bad actress at all, but whatever happened here?). And of course Sofia Coppola; she isn't the crucial problem, but in the end she does become responsible for a lot of misfiring. The only one still doing a prime job is Diane Keaton as Kay - truly an unsung hero in these films, and to me one of the main reasons the drama work - and the film's best scenes were the one's she shared with Pacino. Why? Because then I felt like I was even watching a Godfather movie.

Much of everything else simply doesn't work. Whereas the original films were subtle and ambiguous, part III filters the story with melodramatic punches that are un-inspired and obvious. Michael's son, played by Franc D'Ambrosio, seems taken from Days of Our Lives and so many of the questions we ask ourselves - what does he remember from his childhood? What does any of the characters feel about Michael's marriage in Sicily? Did Tom Hagen ever move to Las Vegas? etc - are left completely by the road, as if Coppola truly isn't interested in telling this story. There are instead near-insulting reminders to the audience that the other two movies still exist (like the pointless scene where Michael have kept the drawing Anthony left at his pillow when he was nine or so; "I remember this" he smiles, though I'm not sure if we are to understand this as "I also remember they shot up the bedroom that same night"; once again, it seems Coppola simply forgets his own story). There are also awkward attempts at creating dramatic highlights in line with the horse-head scene and that very shooting in the beginning of Part II, involving a shooting during a parade in Little Italy and a stupid and ugly scene involving a helicopter. Making a Godfather sequel formulaic is truly a depressing insult to the originality of the first two films. The attempts Coppola takes on the Vatican are also pretty flat when you think about how Italian cinema has been doing this for half a century.

There's no reason to watch this film have you not seen the first two. And there's really no reason to watch it if you have seen them either. When you think about it, I don't see why the film's few merits are worth talking about. Movie newbies having seen Part I and II will naturally see III too, and I think many of them will come to the same conclusion. It's not all bad, but so what. It simply doesn't work very well.
Chinon

Chinon

The Godfather Trilogy may have reached its end with The Godfather: Part III. But was there enough room to allow for yet another film based on another generation of the Corleones? Time and public demand will only tell.

I liked The Godfather: Part III right up to and including Sofia Coppola's much maligned performance as Mary Corleone daughter of Don Michael Corleone, the one and only Al Pacino. I think she was unjustly criticized. In her performance she set out to play one of the innocent children of Al Pacino.

There's a moving scene in The Godfather where we saw Al Pacino and Marlon Brando talking for the last time. Brando's hopes were for his son to become Governor Corleone, Senator Corleone to attain that level of respectability that was out of the Don's reach. Pacino tells him, maybe the next generation.

Flash forward to the late seventies where Pacino has slowly divested himself of the illegal interests of the Corleone family. But the other crime bosses don't like the idea of him going completely legitimate. He also has some opposition within his own family. His surviving sibling Talia Shire thinks he ought to keep a hand in and his illegitimate nephew, Andy Garcia is having a running feud with another family head, Joe Mantegna.

Andy Garcia got the only acting nomination for The Godfather: Part III as Sonny's son out of wedlock. And he's every bit as wild and hot tempered as Sonny was from The Godfather. Garcia brings a lot of passion to the part. But he does prove able to learn from his uncle and eventually not repeat the mistakes of his father. Garcia lost to another hoodlum portrayal, Joe Pesci for Goodfellas for Best Suppporting Actor.

Probably Al Pacino has gotten all he could out of the character of Michael Corleone. He's gotten real respectability now, he's been conferred with a Papal Knightship for the good works of the Corleone Foundation now. He's high up the criminal world too. But people and circumstances won't let those worlds mix and as he ruefully remarks, "just when I think I'm out, they drag me back in again."

Only four characters made it through the three Godfather films, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Richard Bright as Al Neri. All except Neri seem to grow in character, Neri is still button man in chief since Lucabrazzi started sleeping with the fishes in The Godfather. Keaton's character is still the outsider. Separated from Pacino in The Godfather: Part II, she still loves him and regrets as much as he has the outside forces that caused their separation.

Although Talia Shire got an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in The Godfather: Part II, I think she really comes into her own in this one. Had it not been for male chauvinism implicit in the Sicilian culture, she'd be taking over the family business from Pacino. She's changed so dramatically over the course of the three films. In The Godfather she's the innocent daughter about to embark on marriage to a wife beater. In The Godfather: Part II, she's now entering middle age, overindulging in excesses, unhappy as a many time married widow, her first husband being killed in the original Godfather. She lives on the sufferance and tolerance of her brother. Now in The Godfather: Part III she takes an active interest in the family business and the family legacy. She realizes more than Pacino there's no escaping the Corleone roots. She champions Garcia as the new Don, she knows he's got the chops for the job, she hopes he can develop the smarts as does Pacino.

Eli Wallach contributes a fine performance as another aging crime Don who's got a lot more to him than when we first meet him. Raf Vallone plays Pope John Paul I and the urban legend of his sudden demise after a one month papacy is woven into the Corleone story. As is Joe Mantegna who plays an undisguised version of Brooklyn mob boss Joe Columbo.

I'm sure if the money's right and a workable screenplay is developed we may not have seen the last of the Corleones. There was one talked about a few years ago. Still if it never develops, The Godfather: Part III is a fine film to end the saga.
Small Black

Small Black

The Godfather Part I was a stunning look inside the fictional Corleone family and how an innocent young man was all but forced into circumstances he never wanted to have a part of. The Godfather Part II shows that young man's acceptance of his new role, his desensitization of character, as well as his complete loss of all innocence as he dives deeper and deeper into a life of crime. The first two parts of this saga of this transformation of Michael Corleone make for one of the greatest tragedies in cinematic history.

Then, along came The Godfather Part III. Michael Corleone is now the aging Don of the Corleone family. He shows remorse for his previous actions not through subtle behaviors, but by trying to use his powers for good and admitting all his wrongdoings and regrets to others. Very cliche and uncharacteristic of the complex character that is Michael Corleone. Michael's plans to use his powers for good are derailed by an ambitious young disciple and his enemies. Michael's daughter is eventually a casualty of the ongoing mob wars and her death predictably leads to Michael realizing that his entire life as Don has been worthless for he has failed in the one thing that was the reason for putting himself into the position he was in: protecting his family.

The Godfather Part II ends with Michael Corleone reaching the lowest of the lows: having his own brother killed. Before Part III was made, the Godfather saga was an emotionally riveting tale of an innocent young man's journey into darkness with the unbelievably tragic end of Michael forgetting his roots and abandoning the one thing that has always mattered most to him and those around him: family loyalty. Part III paints the picture of Michael as a man who is and always has been just a victim of circumstance. This greatly corrupts the meaning of the first two films.

The Godfather Part III is a horrible mess of a film that never should have been made. The only solution to the problem that is this final installment of The Godfather movies is to pretend that it does not exist and that the saga actually ends with Michael's shockingly horrible act of having a member of his own family killed.
lolike

lolike

I was so excited to watch the third installment of The Godfather after watching the first two. I was horribly disappointed. The first two Godfathers were truly works of art. The acting and directing were excellent. Pacino and DeNiro were wonderful. The writers and directors wisely kept Keaton to a minimum in the first two. The first two were intriguing and really told the story of the Corleone family well. However, The Godfather III should not have been made. The acting was terrible. Even Pacino (i am a huge fan) came off as forced acting. Sofia Coppola was absolutely awful. Keaton was such a drag throughout the entire movie. The plot was weak and did not hold my attention. It also seemed like such a "recycled" movie from material from the first two. The first 15 minutes of the movie were clips from the first two (and definitely the highlight of III). There was too much Italian opera singing and repetition of the first soundtrack of The Godfather. This movie reminded me of the new Star Wars movies that came out in the 90's and later. Both The Godfather and Star Wars were created in the 1970's were classics and should not have sequels or prequels added to them. Really, if you enjoyed the first two Godfathers, don't watch the third one...it will spoil the experience for you.
Akinohn

Akinohn

This is my third time watching GF3, with about 8-9 years between each viewing. I probably won't watch it again. It's not just that it pales in comparison to the first two movies. Watching it now, completely separated from its predecessors, makes that clear. In fact, for a while I was thinking "eh, this isn't so bad". But it really is. Slow and boring, with a complicated web of Vatican blah blah that is too hard to follow, and yet all the major emotional themes are presented in a wretchedly blunt fashion. Everyone pretty much blurts out exactly what they're feeling. I think Eli Wallach and Talia Shire might be the only decent performances in the movie. And speaking of performances... you know where I'm going with this. Sofia Coppola has taken a lot of crap for her role in this film (and Francis for casting her), and deserves every bit of it. She's awful, awful, awful. There are a few lyrical sequences and intriguing elements, but overall it's a dull, muddled, heavy-handed mess.
Marilore

Marilore

No, it's not as good as the other two by any stretch, and some scenes are downright strange. It suffers seriously from a lack of DUvall/Hagen. Why it's about accounting in the Vatican I really don't know. But the relationships between the core characters and young lovers feel like a natural evolution from where we left them, and that quotable line, "JUST WHEN I THINK IM OUT, THEY PULL ME BACK IN" is from this one, and don't you forget it. Coppola wanted to call this "the death of michael corleone" and sell it as an EPILOGUE to the first two masterpieces. Viewed with that understanding, its faults are much more forgivable and its pace appropriate. And listen, I am just not here for Sofia-bashing. She was young and inexperienced. She gave a somewhat stiff but in many scenes quite lovely performance. She talks and acts like a real rich teenager, not like a trained actress. And she never did anything to hurt you, so don't be mean.
Framokay

Framokay

I recently watched all three Godfather films again in sequence and was surprised at how bad GF III is when closely compared to the other two fims. There are characters in the film whose presence is never made clear (i.e. George Hamilton, Brigette Fonda and Don Novello - Father Guido Sarducci??) The major characters bear little resemblance to themselves from the previous films. Connie Corleone is now a major supporter of Michael even though she knows he had her husband killed? Michael now has a change of heart and tries to go "legit" even though he so eagerly immersed himself into the power and control of the Corleone family. And Kay continues to "hang around" even though she dreads Michael and all that he stands for. Why?? The movie drags on in parts and never really gains it's true identity untill the end of the film during the opera scene. Not even Winona Ryder who was scheduled to be cast in the part of Mary could have helped. It only serves to give us an appetite for the earlier two films. Both of which I consider masterpieces.
Malien

Malien

It's funny how some personal circumstances are the key elements that influence our judgment. In my case, "The Godfather Part III", was not the last opus of a magnificent saga, but the first film I watched from the trilogy, my first encounter with the Corleone Family, a cinematic love story that would never end.

Speaking of love, I always wondered how a movie like "The Godfather Part III" had crystallized so much hatred and disdain. The unforgettable "Never hate your enemies, because it clouds your judgment" is like a self-defense cry, from a film that wanted so much to be respected like its glorious predecessors, but apparently failed to, for even the fans will always concede after they say how the movie is great … "but not as great as the two others"

So, as a fourteen-year old kid, I loved "The Godfather Part III", I couldn't complain about the absence of Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen. I wasn't mature enough to judge Sofia Coppola's acting abilities though I found something physically odd in her. From Michael's relationship with Kay to his haircut, "Part III" was my reference. And I guess I loved the movie for what it was: a great story with an unforgettable climax.

Till now, I can't watch the ending, even the clip, without crying, it broke my heart the first time, and it always does, even after so many viewings. It was like I felt the devastation of a man whose life's only meaning was incarnated by his children, his only inspiration in his quest of redemption. And it's ironically the very part that kind of redeems the film, even for the non fans. The others deserving to be mentioned are Michael Corleone's sadness while hearing the 'Brucia La Terra' song played by his son, and his heart-breaking confession of Fredo's murder …

The film is about the redemption of a man who sinned so many times. Many would argue that his sins were necessary because they were the only ways to maintain the interests of his family, but hell is paved with many good intentions, and the way Michael ended at "The Godfather Part II", a ruthless cold-blooded zombie-like figure was demanding a sequel. The last shot of him, sitting alone in the park plunged viewers in a lot of interrogations and interpretations. What was he thinking? Probably, how he got in such a situation, and how this would end. And it's like Coppola, tortured by his own demons, felt there was more to do with Michael Corleone.

And the character's arc was concluded, with nothing I would reproach in Michael's portrayal, he's tired, sick as he had carried the weight of a lifelong guilt that ravaged his soul. He may be too pathetic, too different from the Michael we know,his use of profanity was quite out-of character, but who knows how killing his own brother could affect someone. Michael is still respected and feared, but is more melancholic, explaining how the movie needed to be driven by more active supporting characters. And after I finally watched the two other films, one year later … my opinions were mixed.

First, I was fascinated by the sight of young War hero, Michael Corleone, in Connie's wedding, it was so contrasting with the pitiful diabetic Mike of the third opus, watching Part I was an extraordinary discovery, a refreshing experience. Besides, the gallery of new characters, Sonny, Tom, Clemenza, Tessio, enriched the film and made it even more entertaining, Part II confirmed my fascination. And step by step, when I started to watch the first two a little more and while I was sharing my opinions on the Net and learning about Part III's reputation, flaws were becoming more visible: Sofia, Duvall's absence and replacement by that Hamilton guy who was certainly not to Hagen what Pentangelli was to Clemenza, the helicopter scene etc. And the reading of the book made me wonder why they chose as the successor, Sonny's illegitimate son.

But if the film could have been better, it also could have been worse. And when I watch it, I'm more generous, as I see the tragic ending of one of the most fascinating character's story, a man who's always been "pulled back in". The movie respects the spirit of Part I, with a succession on the Corleone's throne, true historical events as back-stories, and so many unforgettable lines. In fact, we can make a parallel between the trilogy and the Corleone brothers:

  • The Godfather is like Sonny : fierce, brutal, yet tender and good-hearted, it's entertaining and deep in the same time. And we all just love 'Sonny' ...


  • The Godfather Part II is Michael : deeper, darker, smoother, yes, even 'boring' sometimes, but it's more implacable and ruthless ... we can't love it with the same intensity as the first opus, but we respect the cinematic achievement, and it leaves us with an extraordinary feeling. It's not the most entertaining, but certainly the most fascinating.


And of course ...

  • The Godfather Part III is Fredo : it tries too much, it has a good heart but it's weak and even sometimes 'stupid' but hey, it's still a blood brother of the first two films, we still feel Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola's touch and it features some heartbreaking moments, like Michael's silent scream that will haunt me forever. Some magnetism was lacking from the very start, but can we really hate 'Fredo'?


I'm sure those who prefer the first film also appreciate the last one and those who love the second film and think it's the best one, identify so much with Michael that they hate "Part III", with the same intensity and severity Michael expressed towards Fredo. They don't forgive any mistake ... and consider the last film a disgrace for the trilogy, and symbolically disown it.
Nettale

Nettale

This movie is Rated a 7.2 here by IMDb voters; I feel it should be rated higher. Perhaps a 7.9, which might move it into the top 250 of all, and perhaps it deserves that.

The ending of this movie is sterling, of the highest quality. Pacino really lets rip.

The other actors? Sofia Coppola is, as others have pointed out, not all that great. Talia Shire? She was never that good, and she does an "OK" job here. Both of those actresses got into movies via their relative, Francis Ford Coppola, who directed this film. Nepotism....it shows. How Talia Shire ever got as much work as she has, I will never know....

Keaton is held back a bit in this movie, perhaps so as not to overshadow Pacino. Not one of her best performances.

Andy Garcia? I am not all that big a fan. I think his performance here is overrated a little bit. He is a ham. And Pacino is, too. But he has something Garcia will never have.

But many other rather good roles for a lot of great character actors, who perform well. Those character actors, along with Pacino, are the heart of this movie. That, and a very good script and production values and direction. Seamless direction!

A high quality film. Almost as good a script as parts 1 and 2.

I give it a 7.9.
Kifer

Kifer

On its own, this film would be merely mediocre. But in contrast to Godfather I and II, and as a film marketed as part of a trilogy, it is a travesty. From the vanity casting of Sophia Coppola, to the stupefyingly boring subplot of the Vatican banking scandal, to the all-sunshiney cinematography, to the sophomoric references to King Lear, it is on a much lower plane than Coppola's earlier films. The boxed set is like getting Citizen Kane, Chinatown and Porky's III as a trilogy. Not to mention the fact that the beginning of Godfather III is inconsistent with the ending of Godfather II. The recent news story that a Godfather IV is in the offing is, after the invasion of Kosovo, the worst news I've heard this year.