THE GODFATHER CODA: THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CORLEONE

The good news is that this film isn't quite as unwieldy as the title.

It's a re-edited version of the theatrical release version of ‘The Godfather Part III’, which I may or may not have seen, I really can't remember.  So I can't speak to the changes, but the consensus is that Coppola's edits make for a tighter narrative (thank goodness).

But of course he can't do anything about the film's two main problems: the presence of Sofia Coppola and the absence of Robert Duvall.

Although Sofia's performance was savaged by the critics it is not her fault that the subplot of the romance between her character (Mary, Michael's daughter) and her cousin Vincent (played by Andy Garcia) is so poorly written and dull.  If it could have been removed in its entirety we would have been spared several excruciating scenes.

It would also have cut down the running time, which wouldn’t have gone amiss.

On the subject of plots that don’t add a lot, I couldn’t raise much interest in the Vatican Bank stuff.  Not that it matters - all we need to understand is that Michael is trying to leave his criminal past behind and become respectable.

That he is bound to fail is the main (only?) theme on offer. I t is summed up by one of the most memorable lines from the entire trilogy, when he cries out “Just when I was getting out, they pull me back in”. 

Although it is a memorable line it is rather on the nose, which exemplifies one of the film’s problems - making things too explicit.

Another problem is the feeling throughout that we’ve seen a lot of this before, only this time maybe not done quite as well.

Even the best part of the film, the climactic sequence at the opera, cross-cut with the elimination of three different characters in three different locations (oh, and the murder of the Pope as well!), does seem a rather pointless retread of the climax of the first Godfather film.

I did enjoy the scenes between Michael and his ex-wife Kay (Diane Keaton), which show us a gentler side to his character, and give a hint of what might have been if his life had followed a different path.

Of the new characters only Don Altobello, wonderfully played by Eli Wallach, made an impression on me.

The new title indicates that this film, if it has any point at all, should bring Michael's story to some sort of satisfying (but never happy) ending. 

This version ends at a different point to that in the theatrical release, so clearly Coppola felt that the original ending wasn't successful.

Sadly I don't think the new ending works either. 

That this film isn't a satisfactory conclusion to the trilogy has led to some interest in a Godfather IV, centred on Vincent.  Whilst it might be fun to see Andy Garcia in the role (he shows some potential here) I for one wouldn't be unhappy to let the Corleones rest in peace.

RATING: x Find Something Better To Do