In the final installment of this blog, I will be discussing "The Godfather Part III". It is the one in the series that is the weakest, a statement shared by a vast majority of critics. However, the film isn't a lost cause, in fact it is actually a very brilliant and beautiful film in its' own right. It is a story that focuses on Michael Corleone's redemption and attempt to once again get his family back. His nephew (through infidelity) ruins this plan by forcing Michael back into the business he swore to give up. The final sequence of the film may be the most brilliant and well acted of the entire trilogy. SPOILER ALERT!!!!! After the Corleones leave the opera, an attempt is made on Michael's life, resulting in the death of his daughter. It is in this scene, and with the death of Michael Corleone, as an old man alone, in Italy, where the emotional baggage of the trilogy really shines through. On its' own, these scenes are significant, but when you factor in what we have learned and experienced with Michael, these scenes are tragic. That is the brilliance of Coppola and that is what makes this film so special, it finds meaning due to its' predecessors. Likely another indicator of the first two films being among the greatest two films ever made. When Michael dies, I die and weep because I have seen a man fall from grace, lose his family, redeem himself and die alone. It's the tale of God's lonely man, yet from the beginning of this trilogy you would never have guessed it.
The film does suffer, from a lack of strong acting. A point that was debated among critics (see Siskel and Ebert's review). However, the actor they debate, Sophia Coppola is not the weak cog to me. It is the lack of Robert Duvall that is the true weakness of this film. Not only is Duvall's acting brilliance fully on display, but the character of Tom Hagan is vastly important to these films. Tom is the moral compass of this series, he is the angel on Michael's right shoulder. Without Tom, as seen in the third film, Michael is left to his own devices. Upon this, the story crumbles because that sense of dramatic irony is gone. Good and bad isn't defined, and we are left with an area of gray. In the first two films, good and bad was the battle, it was everything. In this film, everything is smeared together, and it is only in the conclusion of the film that we can take solace in what we have witnessed. It is a beautiful film, and a lot of credit must be given to everyone who has worked on it, but when your title begins with the two words "The Godfather", you need to be better than good, you must be extraordinary.
