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Hello, Movie Buffs!
It is 1979 and it has been about 22 years since the events of The Godfather Part II (1974) After legitimizing his business dealings in the U.S. and Italy, the New York crime business has been handed over to Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna) and all dealings are now legal and non-criminal. At the same time, his daughter Mary (Sofia Coppola) runs his charity and has just handed over $100 million to the Catholic Church. Now aging Mafia Don, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seeks to atone for his sins and intends to buy a large stake at the International Immobiliari, a Vatican-run property company. While attempting to link the Corleone's finances with the Vatican, Michael’s nephew Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone (James Caan), comes under his wing and starts a feud with Joey Zasa that has far-reaching and deadly consequences that will change the Corleone family forever. Can deal with both the schemes of a gangster seeking to upset the existing Mafia order and a young protege's love affair with his daughter? Or will he be forced to watch as the decades of hard work to legitimize his empire crumble underneath him and destroy his family?
Director/co-writer Francis Coppola and co-writer/author Mario Puzo return for The Godfather Part III (1990), the third and final installment in The Godfather trilogy. Despite being nominated for 7 Academy Awards and raking in a modest $136.8 million at the Box Office, Part III managed to successfully divide fans and critics alike. Some felt that the film was bad and should have never been made, while others believed the exact opposite. I am of the opinion that Part III is a fantastic and stylish film that is the most underrated and overlooked film in the trilogy.
Director Coppola was not trying to top the previous two films but rather he was just wanted to make a satisfying conclusion to an incredible series, it was the epilogue. In Part I & Part II, the audience got to see the fates of some of the characters. So in Part III, we see how these characters are still haunted by their past demons which adds sadness, tragedy, and a sense of doom to this film. As a result, these tones give the audience the feeling that there can be no happy ending and director Coppola does not shy away from presenting these tones in a stylish and unforgettable way.
In the first two films, there are heavy themes of violence, betrayal, and death but in contrast, Part III also serves as a reminder that while a person can leave the Mafia world, no one ever truly leaves despite their best efforts in trying to separate themselves from it. We see this with Michael throughout the series. In Part I, he made it clear in the beginning that he didn’t want anything to do with his family business but after the threat that was made on his father he had no choice but to get revenge and then ultimately take on the mantle of Don Corleone. In Part II, we seem him try to legitimize his business dealings but because of his family’s reputation and the tradition of fellow Mafia members, it proves to be harder than he thought and he ultimately has to compromise for the sake of everyone. In Part III, we see an aged Michael that has experienced both a mental and a physical toll, is haunted by his past deeds and has come to realize that he never wanted to be Don if it meant being alone for the rest of his life. This gives the audience the chance to feel sympathy for Michael in a way that was not allowed in the first two films and throughout the film, we see him try to atone for his sins and bring just a small measure of hope and goodness back into his life.
The ending of Part III is incredible, memorable, and one of the most heartbreaking endings not only in the trilogy but throughout cinematic history. No matter what the characters do to themselves and those around them, we still find ourselves rooting for their happy ending, even though we know that happy endings for these characters are something straight out of a fairytale; impossible to achieve. As a whole, The Godfather Trilogy tells a tale of morality, it shows how the actions of people can have unfortunate consequences that will affect them and those around them in unimaginable ways. And The Godfather Part III (1990) was a fitting and powerful ending to one of the greatest trilogies/sagas of all time.
Now the cast delivered unforgettable performances. Al Pacino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) brought even more power, emotion, and depth to his performance. Diane Keaton (Poms) and Talia Shire (Rocky films) are great in their respective roles as Kay Adams (Michael’s ex-wife) and Connie Corleone (Michael’s sister). Andy García (The Mule) has always been a favorite of mine and here he is outstanding as Vincent Mancini. Eli Wallach (The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. the 1960s The Magnificent Seven) is amazing as old-time Gangster, Don Altobello. Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds, Rolling Thunder) was the perfect choice as Michael’s heir, the clever and smooth-talking Gangster, Joey Zasa. Sofia Coppola (director of Lost in Translation, Beguiled), director Coppola’s daughter, does a good job as Michael’s daughter, Mary Corleone. Similarly to Simonetta Stefanelli as Appolonia in The Godfather (1972), Sofia was strikingly beautiful and charming but I do wish that I could have gotten more from her performances.
Overall, The Godfather Part III (1990) was a powerful, emotional, and stylish film and was the perfect ending to an incredible trilogy. The Godfather Trilogy tells a tale of morality, it shows how the actions of people can have unfortunate consequences that will affect them and those around them in unimaginable ways. The film serves as the trilogy’s epilogue by tying up loose ends and give the main characters a final bow. The cast performances were raw, emotional, and unforgettable. If you have not seen this film or the trilogy in its entirety then I highly suggest that you check them out because you will not be disappointed.
Final Vote --- 10 of 10 stars
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