The Godfather: Part III (1990)
December 15, 2019 1:23 AM - Subscribe
A Shakespearean tragedy. In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don, Michael Corleone seeks forgiveness for his sins while taking a young protege under his wing.
This movie is certainly not the best Godfather movie. It's not anyone's best work. In fact, some of the portrayals are just plain wrong based on what we know of the characters (notably Kay).
However, despite its reputation, it's not horrifically bad and it has parts that shine. The dramatization of the conspiracy theories around the pope's death is pretty good. Andy Garcia as the young up-and-coming crime boss is pretty good too. My brother and I hold out hope that someday there will be a Godfather 4 with Andy as Don Corleone. As much as I sympathize with Robert Duvall in not being offered what he was worth and not doing the movie, I love George Hamilton as Michael's lawyer.
As for Sofia Coppola, she wasn't the greatest, but I have never gotten the hostility towards her.
posted by Fukiyama at 9:47 AM on December 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
However, despite its reputation, it's not horrifically bad and it has parts that shine. The dramatization of the conspiracy theories around the pope's death is pretty good. Andy Garcia as the young up-and-coming crime boss is pretty good too. My brother and I hold out hope that someday there will be a Godfather 4 with Andy as Don Corleone. As much as I sympathize with Robert Duvall in not being offered what he was worth and not doing the movie, I love George Hamilton as Michael's lawyer.
As for Sofia Coppola, she wasn't the greatest, but I have never gotten the hostility towards her.
posted by Fukiyama at 9:47 AM on December 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
I went to see it when it came out, before the narrative about Sofia Coppola had really got started, and her performance really did disrupt the movie. I'd never seen anything quite like it before - inadvertent Brechtian Alienation in action.
It wasn't as if Coppola was unused to taking punts on relatives - Talia Shire is his sister and he regularly hired his father Carmine to do the music for his films (checking this comment out on Wikipedia I found that he definitely didn't want to hire his nephew Nicolas Coppola, which is why Nicolas took the stage name Nicolas Cage). Acting isn't Sofia's forte, but she switched disciplines and turned out OK, didn't she? But she is definitely a drag on this movie.
It would have been interesting to see the version where Winona Ryder or Julia Roberts were available to do it.
I don't know that it's Shakesperian Tragedy so much as Italian Opera - think Rigoletto.
posted by Grangousier at 10:43 AM on December 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
It wasn't as if Coppola was unused to taking punts on relatives - Talia Shire is his sister and he regularly hired his father Carmine to do the music for his films (checking this comment out on Wikipedia I found that he definitely didn't want to hire his nephew Nicolas Coppola, which is why Nicolas took the stage name Nicolas Cage). Acting isn't Sofia's forte, but she switched disciplines and turned out OK, didn't she? But she is definitely a drag on this movie.
It would have been interesting to see the version where Winona Ryder or Julia Roberts were available to do it.
I don't know that it's Shakesperian Tragedy so much as Italian Opera - think Rigoletto.
posted by Grangousier at 10:43 AM on December 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
I never quite understood making Michael diabetic in this movie. It’s the focus of a single scene, and then it’s gone, never to be heard of again (as far as I can recall, of course) It never serves a purpose outside of that scene, which seems to be written just to make Michael a diabetic.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:22 PM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 7:22 PM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
I never quite understood making Michael diabetic in this movie. It’s the focus of a single scene, and then it’s gone, never to be heard of again (as far as I can recall, of course) It never serves a purpose outside of that scene, which seems to be written just to make Michael a diabetic.
There are instances where it is portrayed on screen. For instance, Connie gives Michael a shot later in the movie. When Michael goes to meet the cardinal who will be pope, he has low sugar and needs a glass of OJ and some candy. When he takes Kay for their drive around Sicily, she has to drive them home because he can't see anything. And he ends up surrendering power to Vincent because he is old and sick.
posted by Fukiyama at 8:32 AM on December 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
There are instances where it is portrayed on screen. For instance, Connie gives Michael a shot later in the movie. When Michael goes to meet the cardinal who will be pope, he has low sugar and needs a glass of OJ and some candy. When he takes Kay for their drive around Sicily, she has to drive them home because he can't see anything. And he ends up surrendering power to Vincent because he is old and sick.
posted by Fukiyama at 8:32 AM on December 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by growabrain at 4:48 AM on December 15, 2019