The Godfather: Part III (1990)

Genre

Crime | Drama

Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Country

USA

Cast

Al Pacino, Andy García, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Sofia Coppola, Eli Wallach, George Hamilton, Joe Mantegna, Richard Bright, Bridget Fonda, Raf Vallone, Franc D'Ambrosio, Donal Donnelly, Helmut Berger, Don Novello, John Savage, Mario Donatone, Vittorio Duse, Enzo Robutti, Al Martino, Jessica DiCiccio

Storyline

In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in New York and Italy in 1979, aging mafia don Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seeks to vow for his sins while taking a young protégé (Andy García) under his wing.

Opinion

Many years - and films - later, Francis Ford Coppola returns with the third, final, and not needed chapter of the saga featuring the Corleone family. 

Notwithstanding doesn't achieve the greatness of its two predecessors, The Godfather: Part III works quite good as a standalone film, and is still a quite respectable sequel, though a little slow and not much involving in some parts.

Still written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, the story is way too detached from the first two films. The religious background, and the business with the Vatican are way out of place, as the disjointed scene of the death of Michael Corleone, or the romance between Michael's daughter Mary, and Michael's nephew Vincent Mancini - Sonny's illegitimate son. Still it has a certain moral improvement, violence is no longer celebrated, and there is even the repentance of Michael, that confesses his sins nearly in tears.

Following the "Never change a winning team" proverb, Coppola recollaborates with cinematographer Gordon Willis, and the result is an outstanding photography.

The acting is so-so. On the one hand we have a still brilliant Al Pacino - though I didn't really like Michael's new personality -, and a great support given by Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García and an outstanding Eli Wallach, who plays Don Altobello. On the other hand we have the director's real-life-daughter Sofia Coppola. She has the same strange expression for most of the film, she acts like a spoil girl, and she constantly speaks in the same tone.

Quotes

Michael Corleone: Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.

Michael Corleone: Never let anyone know what you are thinking.