Tagarchief: The Godfather Part III

The Godfather: Part III (1990)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘All the power on earth can’t change destiny.’

Directed by:
Francis Ford Coppola

Written by:
Mario Puzo (screenplay)
Francis Ford Coppola (screenplay)

Cast:
Al Pacino (Don Michael Corleone), Diane Keaton (Kay Adams Michelson), 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)

Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in! 18 years after the original masterpiece, Francis Ford Coppola and many of his old collaborators return for the finale of the Godfather saga. The studio was screaming for a sequel for years, but Coppola waited until he had a story he really wanted to tell. Originally he wanted to call this story; ‘The Death of Michael Corleone’.

Part III is the story of an old Don looking for redemption. Michael Corleone is no longer a gangster; he is the chairman of a corporation. He has finally achieved legitimacy, but his heart is ever heavy. This is a man getting ready for death, but he wonders if he made the right decisions in life. In Part II he had his brother Fredo killed. Now, he wants to make things right with his ex-wife Kay, his children and with God.

Redemption does not come cheap. In the deal of his lifetime, Michael wants to purchase shares in a large real estate company, owned by the Vatican, for the sum of 600 million dollars. But he soon learns that the higher he gets, the dirtier it gets. In The Godfather: Part III, the hypocrisy of the mob, the Catholic Church and big business mix perfectly. Michael feels like he can’t deal with these snakes anymore; he needs a successor. His own son Anthony won’t have anything to do with his business, but perhaps his nephew Vincent (Andy Garcia) could be the one. Or is he too much of a hothead like his father Sonny?

Like the previous Godfather films, The Godfather: Part III opens with a lavish celebration – a fitting introduction that reintroduces familiar faces while showcasing new ones. It’s a promising start, but it also highlights the film’s most significant flaw. Francis Ford Coppola cast his daughter, Sofia Coppola, as Mary, Michael Corleone’s daughter. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite fit the role. It’s not that her acting is utterly terrible, but she lacks the presence and nuance needed for such a pivotal character. Her on-screen romance with Vincent, in particular, feels forced and unconvincing, weakening an already delicate subplot.

Despite its flaws, Coppola demonstrates once again that he knows how to craft a compelling narrative. While Sofia Coppola’s performance may undercut the impact of some key scenes, they are still powerful scenes. The beloved characters we’ve followed throughout the saga each receive fitting and meaningful conclusions. The strong sense of family – a hallmark of the series – endures, lending the film its emotional core. The cast, for the most part, is outstanding. Al Pacino brings a Shakespearean weight to Michael, portraying him as a deeply tragic figure. Andy Garcia proves to be as fierce and magnetic a presence as James Caan was in the first film. Meanwhile, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, and Eli Wallach all deliver touching and memorable performances in their supporting roles.

The final act that plays at an opera house is one of cinematic excellence. The combination of classic Sicilian opera, the traditional bloody settling of the Corleone affairs and the ultimate tragedy that unfolds is a sequence worthy of comparison to earlier Godfather-endings. The final frames are, as always in Godfather movies, beautiful. It is hard not to shed a few tears as Michael looks back on the women of his life and then dies.

Rating:

Quote:

KAY ADAMS: I came here to protect my son. I didn’t come here to see you disguised by your church. I thought that was a shameful ceremony.

Trivia:

Catherine Scorsese, Director Martin Scorsese’s mother, is one of the women that complains to Vincent in the street about the poor care of the neighbourhood. In the same year, she also appeared in her own son’s gangster film GoodFellas.

Wise Guys (1986)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘What kind of guys gamble with the boss’s money, swipe a killer’s Cadillac, and party on the mob’s credit card?’

Directed by:
Brian De Palma

Written by:
George Gallo
Norman Steinberg

Cast:
Danny DeVito (Harry Valentini), Joe Piscopo (Moe Dickstein), Harvey Keitel (Bobby DiLea), Ray Sharkey (Marco), Dan Hedaya (Anthony Castello), Lou Allano (Frank ‘The Fixer’ Acavano), Julie Bovasso (Lil Dickstein), Patti LuPone (Wanda Valentini), Antonia Rey (Aunt Sadie), Mimi Cecchini (Grandma Valentini)

The reason GoodFellas isn’t titled Wise Guy – after the book it’s based on – is that this film, a mob comedy by none other than Brian De Palma, got there first. It starts with Harry Valentini (Danny DeVito) doing a Travis Bickle impression in front of the mirror. This tells us everything we need to know about his character: he tries to act tough but is really just an errand boy for the local New Jersey mafia, alongside his friend and next-door neighbor, the Jewish Moe Dickstein (Joe Piscopo).

These two are the laughingstock of the crew led by Anthony Castello (Dan Hedaya). They’re stuck with humiliating tasks: doing groceries, testing a new bulletproof vest, and starting the car rigged with explosives.

When they’re forced to place a bet for the boss, compulsive gambler Harry bets on the wrong horse, assuming Castello’s pick would lose. Turns out the race was fixed, and now they owe him 250,000 dollars. As punishment, the boss orders them to kill each other. The wise guys catch wind of this and flee to Atlantic City, desperate to escape their predicament.

De Palma – known for suspense and gangster classics – had made comedies before, like Greetings and Hi, Mom!. While certainly no masterpieces, he developed his own style, and some jokes land: like the sped-up shot of the entire street fleeing when Harry starts the rigged car, or when Harry and Moe deliberately wreck the Cadillac they stole from a hated crew member.

It’s curious, though, that between making two of the decade’s greatest gangster films – Scarface (1983) and The Untouchables (1987) – De Palma made this pretty mediocre mob comedy.

Critics largely panned it, but Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel loved it. Ebert gave it three-and-a-half stars out of four, writing, “Wise Guys is an abundant movie, filled with ideas and gags and great characters. It never runs dry.” Siskel awarded it a perfect four stars, raving, “Big laughs, foul language to the point of absurdity, and one hilarious, screaming performance atop another combine to make Wise Guys one of the funniest times you will have at the movies this year.”

You’ll have to see for yourself if you’re one of the few people to agree.

Rating:

Quote:
HARRY: “Let’s put this ＄10.000 on my Baby to win. Or do you wanna die in Newark?”

Trivia:
Martin Scorsese’s parents – Catherine and Charles Scorsese, who are also in other gangster films like GoodFellas and The Godfather Part 3 (only Catherine) are featured as birthday guests.