The Godfather: Part III
for violence and language.
| Moral Rating: | |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
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| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Crime Drama Sequel |
| Length: | 2 hr. 42 min. |
| Year of Release: | 1990 |
| USA Release: |
December 25, 1990 (wide release) |
American mafia / Gangsters / organized crime / Mafiosi / Cosa Nostra
Mafia don / crime boss
Gang wars
Sicily, Sicilians
Italian Americans
Criminal family
Catholic church
An open letter to Roman Catholics
What issues often separate Roman Catholics from God? Answer
Are all Catholics going to Heaven? Examine crucial problem areas in light of the Bible.
Personal testimonies of former devout Roman Catholics: Former priest, Richard Bennett / Former nun, Mary Ann Pakiz / Former altar boy, Stan Weber (“Falling In Love with the Biblical Jesus”)
Betrayal
Guilt
Incest
Revenge
FILM VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer
Mob hits / hitman / assassination
About murder
About death
About the fall of mankind to worldwide depravity
What is SIN AND WICKEDNESS? Answer
| Featuring |
Al Pacino … Michael Corleone Diane Keaton … Kay Adams Talia Shire … Connie Corleone Rizzi Andy Garcia … Vincent Mancini Eli Wallach … Don Altobello Joe Mantegna … Joey Zasa George Hamilton … B.J. Harrison Bridget Fonda … Grace Hamilton Sofia Coppola … Mary Corleone Raf Vallone … Cardinal Lamberto Franc D'Ambrosio … Anthony Corleone Donal Donnelly … Archbishop Gilday Richard Bright … Al Neri Helmut Berger … Frederick Keinszig Don Novello … Dominic Abbandando John Savage … Andrew Hagen See all » |
| Director |
Francis Ford Coppola |
| Producer |
Zoetrope Studios Paramount Pictures See all » |
| Distributor |
 Paramount Pictures Corporation, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS |
Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “It is 1979, about 22 years since the events of The Godfather II. For Michael Corleoune, the move to legitimacy is complete: the New York crime business has been handed over to Joey Zasa and all elements of the Corleone business empire are legal, non-criminal enterprises. Michael, approaching 60, is now thinking about his legacy. His charity, run by his daughter Mary, has just handed over $100 million to the Catholic Church. Michael also intends buying a large stake in International Immobiliari, a Vatican-run property company. Things are peaceful and stable but then Vincent Mancini, Sonny Corleone's illegitimate son, starts a feud with Joey Zasa. This has far-reaching, deadly consequences, including for Michael's deal with the Vatican.”
Prequel: “The Godfather” (1972)
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.
Initially, I found Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather Part III” to be very confusing on account of Paramount giving Coppola and Puzo only six weeks to write an acceptable first draft instead of the six months they requested… all so the studio could have a picture in cinemas by Christmas. However, I still liked it. Sofia Coppola was gorgeous, and did an excellent job in the picture. Long story short, Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death Of Michael Corleone fixes the structure so that the story flows better. Sadly, some lines and one alternate scene in the theatrical trailer are nowhere to be found in either version.
Having seen Coppola’s definitive cut thrice now, I can appreciate the Final Director’s Cut included in “The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration” DVD set (which I ordered on the fiftieth anniversary of Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather”). I like the former version, but I prefer the latter one, since it has the title Coppola and Puzo wanted all along, and Pacino and Diane Keaton approve of this new edit, citing it as an improvement over Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather Part III.”
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
The second sequel, or Coda if you prefer, was necessary, not only to show Michael finally fulfill his promise to Kay which he made in the first photo play (“In five years, the Corleone Family will be completely legitimate”), but also to have him and Kay pay for their sins (Michael for killing Sollozo and Captain McCluskey, orchestrating the massacre of the heads of the Five Families in the brilliant baptism sequence, framing Senator Geary for murder, ordering the murders of Hyman Roth and Fredo, and Kay for murdering her unborn son). Michael and Kay lose Mary, and Michael either dies alone or lives a long life depending on which version you prefer.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5