The Rebirth of Coppola's "Godfather III"

The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II are rightfully celebrated as two of the greatest films of all time by both critics and cinema fans. Director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo's epic story of the Corleone family is masterful movie-making, brought to life by a superb cast including Marlon Brando, James Caan, Talia Shire, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, whose rise to power as the head of the family, and eventual fall from grace, is charted across both films. For a long time, it seemed like that was the end of the Godfather saga. Despite Coppola's reluctance to do another sequel, rumors had circulated for years that there might be a third chapter in the series. Then in 1990, Coppola and Puzo returned to the story with The Godfather, Part III. Reportedly, Coppola decided to move forward with the film due to financial troubles with his Zoetrope Studios, and the failure of a few high-profile projects like One From The Heart.

Coppola was able to sign Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and several other members of the original cast to reprise their roles, but Robert Duvall declined to return when he and Paramount couldn't come to an agreement over his salary for the film. Duvall felt he should be paid something closer to what Pacino was receiving to return to his role, as he was an integral part of the cast. Winona Ryder was set to play Mary Corleone, but she dropped out prior to the start of filming due to illness, and was replaced by Coppola's daughter Sofia. Andy Garcia was cast as Vincent Mancini, the illegitimate son of Michael's brother Sonny, played by James Caan in the original film. When the film was released in 1990, it was successful at the box office, but critical reaction was mixed, and many reviews slammed the performance of Sofia Coppola, the film's serpentine plot, and the addition of actors such as George Hamilton, who played the family's new lawyer, replacing Duvall.

Coppola recently released a new edit of the film, now titled The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. He has cut a few scenes from the movie, shifted some around, and trimmed a few others. The running time of the film is now about five minutes shorter. The restructuring by Coppola allows the story to flow a bit more smoothly. The plot line regarding Michael's quest for redemption, and the resulting fallout to his family due to his sins of the past, takes center stage. There's also a smoother resolution to the story arc for Vincent, Andy Garcia's character. Of course, there are some issues with the labyrinthine plot that can't be fixed even with a re-cut of the movie. As for the casting, George Hamilton certainly can't hold a candle to Robert Duvall, who's definitely missed in the role of Tom Hagen. I was never as bothered by Sofia Coppola's acting as some critics and fans were when the film was originally released. It's an unpolished and inexperienced performance, to be sure, but it's hard for her to compete with the likes of Pacino and Garcia. She's okay in the part, and has gone on to become a talented director in her own right.

Pacino and Keaton are terrific in their roles, and their scenes together are some of the best in the film. Garcia shows flashes of James Caan's manic energy as Vincent, and Talia Shire ups the ante in her role as Michael's sister Connie, who clearly has no problems taking action against the family's enemies when necessary. Eli Wallach and Joe Mantegna are effective in minor roles, and it's nice to see supporting players such as Richard Bright, who returns as Michael's bodyguard Al Neri. Ace cinematographer Gordon Willis shot the first two films, and he does another wonderful job here, adding to the movie's melancholy tone with his beautiful imagery. Coppola's direction is solid, and the film is undeniably well-made, but it never quite hits the heights of the first two movies in the series. The character arcs seen here were already explored to some degree in Parts I and II, so in some ways the story covers familiar ground.

The Godfather III: The Death of Michael Corleone may not be quite as good as it's predecessors in the series, but it's still an involving, emotional and often powerful film. Coppola has said in interviews he considers the film a coda or epilogue to the story of the Corleones. That's an apt description, as the movie is one of the last entries in an old-style, romanticized view of the gangster as an anti-hero and tragic figure. The year that Godfather III was originally released was also the time that Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas hit cinemas, and that film helped re-define the style, pace and look of gangster movies for a new generation of filmmakers. If you're a fan of the Corleone saga, this new cut of the third film in the series is worth a look. The Godfather III: The Death of Michael Corleone is now available on Blu-ray and for digital download. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=relO5a2wzsI.