Review #1,341: 'The Godfather Part III' (1990)

The status of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II as two of the greatest movies ever made meant that Part III, made 16 years after the previous instalment, was always going to be in for a rough ride if it turned out to be anything other than perfection. Of course, it wasn't, and the film has since been considered as something of the deformed runt of the litter ever since. 28 years have now passed since director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo drew the curtains on the Corleone family legacy, which is ample time to set aside the anger and frustration generated after the original viewing and reevaluate it objectively. Is it anything near as bad as the film's reputation would suggest? No, not at all.

The story picks up in 1979, with Don Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seeking legitimacy for his family business and moving out of the murky criminal underworld he has spent most of his adult life dwelling in. To do this, he strikes a deal with Archbishop Gilday (Donal Donnelly) to pay off his astronomic debt in exchange for shares in an international real estate company, making him the largest shareholder as a result. Meanwhile, the bastard son of Michael's brother Sonny, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), has returned home to offer his services, and to justify his beef with the ambitious boss of the Corleone's New York operations, Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna). Michael agrees to take the young hot-head under his wing, but Vincent starts to develop feelings for his cousin - and Michael's daughter - Mary (Sofia Coppola).

Many of the complaints aimed at the film usually involve the overly bleak tone, a confusing and slow-moving plot, and the performance of Sofia Coppola, and these are all completely justified. Coppola and Puzo's decision to move the main action away from the mob's dirty dealings and their individual attempts to grab power to rambling conversations and business speak with the Catholic Church understandably isolated a huge chunk of the core fan-base. An already-dull story isn't helped when it's difficult to grasp exactly what's going on. And Sofia Coppola really is terrible. Her decision to make the switch from actor to director was the best decision she could have made, and we've had the pleasures of The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation as a result. Her relationship with Vincent is key to the movie's themes, but their scenes play out in spectacularly bland fashion.

Yet there is still plenty to savour in The Godfather Part III.  Where it fails in the quieter moments to make its central story involving corruption within the Church remotely engaging, the set-pieces are still immaculately crafted, something of a Godfather staple. The climax gradually builds the tension to an unbearable level, and there's a nice moment during a crowded street festival involving Vincent and Joey. There's also the other performances, with Pacino delivering one of finest of his career, and Talia Shire and Diane Keaton injecting real emotion in their roles of sister and ex-wife, respectively. This is Michael at his most guilt-ridden and tortured, as he reflects on a life built on the blood of others during his savage quest for power, including of course, his own brother Fredo. Pacino really excels here, as he portrays a man distracted by melancholia and seeking any kind of redemption for his past actions. This will always be the unwanted stepchild of The Godfather trilogy, but go into it with an open mind and you may find that it's much better than you remembered.


Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Sofia Coppola, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #371: 'Somewhere' (2010)

Perhaps a comment on celebrity culture, and particularly the intangible gloss as presented by celebrity gossip magazines and television shows, Sofia Coppola has produced a sombre, sparse and vapid portrait of a movie star, Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff), focusing initially on his vacuous life of parties, women and strange and sycophantic encounters with the media and empty women who probably make a career out of shagging celebrities. The only problem with the character initially is that he is blissfully unaware at how empty his life truly is. That is until his ex-wife informs him that she has to go away, and has to leave their daughter, Clio (Elle Fanning), in the responsibility of him.

The films early scenes function is to present Marco in almost exclusive isolation. He is visited by women, including twins who seem to visit him for a pole-dancing act. He is constantly framed alone, in regular protracted shots: in one he is left seated upright with Plaster-of-Paris covering his head (he is having a cast made for a movie role), the camera slowly pans in, his breathing (through nose only) becoming the only audio, as it increases in intensity.

The time spent with his daughter becomes a clearly revolutionary event in the mans life, and he becomes increasingly dependant on the company. This is not in any way the best that Coppola has produced in her (so far) good directing career. The fact that she grew up with a famous father more than likely gives this film some realism. However, it seems to me to be a bit pretentious. Are we really supposed to care about this guy? Perhaps the Coppola woman should try living a regular life, and perhaps produce a film that doesn't centre on privilege.


Directed by: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Michelle Monaghan, Chris Pontius
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Marc Ivamy