The Godfather Part 3, released in 1990 almost twenty years after the first installment, is in my view a great film. Some people think this movie wasn't so great due to several reasons. One being the lack of consiglieri Tom Hagen-Robert DuVall wanted too much money and negotiations couldn't be met. Another would be opinions that actress Sofia Coppola was a bad choice for Mary Corleone. I have read in some reviews that people believe the film shouldn't have been made at all! Who could say such a thing? If this film weren't made, there wouldn't had been a conclusion to Michael Corleone's horrible life and we wouldn't have known what his punishment was for all of his terrible wrongdoings.Despite what the critics say, I like every aspect of the film. I would have liked for Tom Hagen to have appeared in the film, but it was not to be. Sofia Coppola is a decent actress and, from what I hear, a great director (I wonder where she gets that from?). I try not to think about what other people think about the film. It's what I get out of it. I'm going to base it on that. I like all three films equally.
The Godfather Part 3 begins in 1979-twenty years after part 2. It starts off with Michael receiving the order of St. Sebastian in church (the same church used for the baptism in part 1). It is a Papal Honor for his charitable work. Michael is now trying his very best to remain legitimate and has moved back to New York City.
Since part 2, Kay and Michael have split up and Anthony (Franc D'Ambrosio) and Mary (Sofia Coppola) are now young adults. Anthony wants to become a professional singer, contrary to his father's wishes for him to become a lawyer. Mary has been made honorary chairman of the Vito Corleone Foundation. The Foundation donated 100 million dollars to the poor of Sicily at Michael's reception party after his Papal award. Michael was going to give the money to the Archbishop first and then he would, in turn, give it to the poor of Sicily. Michael also goes to the Archbishop and donates 600 million dollars to help pay off the Vatican bank's 769 million dollar deficit. In exchange, Michael gets control of a large European real-estate company called International Immobiliare hoping to create an International conglomerate company. However, can he really trust this business deal with God? After Michael donates the money, the mob bosses of the commission want to launder their money and get in on his deal, but he turns them down at an Atlantic City meeting with the commission where he, Vincent and Al Neri are almost killed when a helicopter flies over the room and begins shooting at them through the glass windows, killing most of the dons.
Those aren't his only problems...Michael, although legitimate, has problems in his own family. He has to worry about his nephew Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia) who is Sonny Corleone's illegitimate son. With Vincent around, Michael realizes that he cannot be legitimate...at least not in the mean time. Vincent swears to be a loyal gangster for Michael. Vincent is also a little too loyal to his cousin Mary. Vincent is having a passionate love affair with Mary and this is confusing Michael even more. Michael swears he's legitimate but every legitimate enterprise Michael tries to create in the film seems to become crooked and it doesn't seem to be his fault. Michael's attempt at redemtion is pitiful and he has no choice but to go back to his old ways in some form. Michael does finally pull out. He passes the torch on to Vincent and the title of Godfather was no longer Michael's for the first time in 35 years.
This movie shows that Michael's decision to defend his father over thirty years earlier had lead him into the quicksand he sunk in at the end of the film: empty depressed, decrepit, and unforgiven.
