The Godfather: Part III

There’s no way anyone who consumes any form of media can escape the comments directed at “The Godfather Part iii”. For years, all I heard was that the first one was good, the second was even better and the third was an embarrassment. To everyone who’s been tossing unapologetic slander towards this film I say calm down. True, “The Godfather Part iii” is not a film that stands on the same level as the first two, but honestly, how many do? That does not make it bad.

As Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) approaches 60, he finds himself with a life full of regrets. While he attempts to amend for his sins through philanthropy, his history slowly starts seeping into his life once again. As he so wonderfully comments, “Just when I thought I was out, it pulls me back in”

I’m going to get the biggest flaw in this film out of the way right now. It’s Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone. Director Francis For Coppola has cast his daughter in the important role of Michael’s beloved and innocent daughter. I don’t want to be mean but I wonder if her relationship with the director didn’t allow her to get by with a less than stellar (sometimes even wooden) performance. It wouldn’t be so glaring if she wasn’t next to a colossus of a cast at all times, but she is.

Stylistically, “Part iii” is a very different film from the first two. That’s ok, variety is good. You’ll notice that the criminal aspects of it are quite different from what they were in Part 1 & 2. That’s because this is a series in which the characters are allowed to evolve. People die and as the years pass, their actions have consequences. The story is much more linear this time around. A big reason for this is the fact that Michael wants to be a legitimate businessman and that’s a compelling idea. As far as I’m concerned, he’s never been wickeder. He puts on this mask to try and convince others (or maybe himself) that he’s a benefactor to mankind, but it only proves more than ever that he’ll never find true redemption. This change (or attempt at a change) means there are far fewer characters and less typical gangster moments throughout (plus a lot of them have met with untimely demises by now) What I came to like about the first two parts was that nothing was spoon-fed. You felt like a fly on the wall, piecing together all of the information about who was whom, what place they held in the crime family and there was no way you could fathom where it was going to go. This film isn’t predictable, but that atmosphere is not here. I’m not saying that’s bad. It’s just an observation.

“The Godfather” trilogy is a great one, among the finest you can find and I believe this third film helps paint a complete picture of Michael Corleone. We’ve seen his descent into darkness. Now, we see the hope that he might redeem himself. In a way, he’s more interesting now than he’s ever been. Do you cheer for him to find peace? Do you want him to fail and face some kind of justice? How will he atone for his crimes, if at all? You don’t get those kinds of questions for a film that’s mediocre, or just good. I have some reservations about certain aspects of the film (I think the plot points concerning whether or not the Pope will pass away or not gets a little too “Da Vinci Code”) To shine a spotlight on those and risk being blinded to everything the film does well would be a mistake.

You’re not going to like “The Godfather Part iii” nearly as much as the first two films. I say acknowledge the flaws and move on. Pay attention to what works here, the exciting developments, the twists, the character arcs, the perfect conclusion to a saga that features fully realized characters. “The Godfather Part iii” has too often been unjustly dismissed. (On Blu-ray, June 3, 2016)