Rounding off cinema screenings of the trilogy in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first film, was the 2020 edit of 'The Godfather Part III', now re-named 'The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone'. To be honest with you, I could have reviewed this when it first came out on Blu-ray, however I wasn’t willing to spend £17 on a copy, and after finally seeing it on the big screen, would I be willing to spend £13 on a copy? It’s still a no from me. However I was more than happy to spend £5.99 to see it on the big screen, which in all honesty is probably the best way to see it.
Coppola stated in a GQ interview back in February that after the collapse of his company due to a number of box office failures, he had taken up a long standing offer from Paramount to make a third film in order to “put food on the table”. 'Part III' is a very weird feeling film. I can’t put my finger quite on it. Maybe it is because so much time had passed between Part II and Part III? Maybe it’s because the proper story had been neatly wrapped up and tied with a pretty bow at the end of Part II, and this story feels tacked on? “Ah!” I hear you yell at the screen, “That’s what coda basically means!” Well yes, you are right, and that’s why Coppola chose the name as it is quite appropriate at summing up the film’s story.
With scenes having been changed around and different shots replacing certain ones in Part III, I was eager to watch the original Part III in preparation to see just what was different. Thanks to a neighbour in my village for lending me her boxset, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Part III was as bad as I remembered it being. Sure, Sophia Coppola’s performance isn’t great, but her little snarling face and dead delivery isn’t as prevalent as I remember. The plot a little far-fetched and contrived, and I’m not too sure how comfortable I am with the Corleones being woven into real life events. Sure, Michael is there when Cuba falls to the communists in Part II, but he wasn’t actively trying to save the life of Batista.
Anyway, I’m not here to discuss Part III, although I wish I was. I’m here to discuss the new edit! I ought to say - spoilers ahead. If you do wish to see this new edit without knowing what has been changed etc. then I would suggest to stop reading now.
Straight away from the beginning, the titles have been changed (although it may be obvious, I wasn’t sure whether they would actually change the on-screen title, or keep it as Part III, but Coppola and his editor did a proper job). There are two big changes I would say, firstly: the film now opens with the scene where Michael (Pacino, just on the cusp of being full WHO-WHA) makes his intentions clear to buy the Vatican’s stake in International Immobilare to Archbishop Gilday (Donal Donnelly); those of you who are familiar with Part III may remember that this takes place more towards the middle of the film. As such, because of this scene change, we do not see Michael receive his papal knighthood as it is now implied that Michael received this as part of the deal in the previous scene to pay off the Vatican Debt for the stake in Immobilare. On a side note, I got strong Phantom Menace vibes with all these dry business talks. Trade deals, taxes, buyouts, debts...*yawn*. Normal service then resumes as we go to the party scene (remember folks, in order to make a Godfather film, it has to start off with a party).
So far so good. I should say, this new edit is six minutes shorter than the original, I couldn’t tell where these six minutes were taken with the exception of the beginning and end. We are introduced to our lovers, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the bastard son on Sonny and Lucy Mancini, and Mary Corleone (Sophia Coppola), who like to remind the audience at every second that they are cousins and that they have fancied each other since she was eight and he was fifteen. Okay. Moving on. In all honesty, I wish Coppola had cut down on the incest, but alas, who am I to question a vintner? The story then follows the lines of Part III, the scene order has been changed here and there but nothing too drastic, and then we get to the end! Mary dies from a shot intended for Michael, Michael screams and we see a flashback of only Michael and Mary dancing, fading to an elderly Michael putting on his sun glasses, the screen fades to black and a gunshot in heard. Okay I made that last bit up. The screen fades to black and some text appears on screen, basically saying that Michael is cursed to live until a very old age with the memories of those close to him whom he has lost. Coppola pulled the rug out from under all of us! I have to say as touching as I find the original ending, this ending works just as well, and is probably more poignant actually.
As for the edit itself, I can understand that Coppola has had to work with 30-year-old material. Sure some edits are a bit janky, and I felt certain cuts happened just a beat too fast. There are some very obvious and clunky ADR lines, some of which just completely pull you out of the moment. I think as well some musical scores were added here and there to heighten a scene? I think that’s what it was intended to do. It felt a bit like the editor has his phone plugged into the computer and accidently played some music whilst rendering the edit. Nevertheless I would say that this version flows better than the original. I wouldn’t say it is any better, or any worse than Part III. It was interesting. That’s the best way to describe it. Was the Coda edit, needed or justified? I’m not sure. It didn’t hit like the edits of 'Apocalypse Now' did, then again, 'Apocalypse Now' wasn’t a mediocre film to begin with. Part III was, and I think there’s only so much polishing one can do.
I’m not done yet. I think a lot of the film’s problems go much deeper. 16 years had passed since the second film, everyone is notably older, with the exception of Eli Wallach who had been 80 for the last 100 years. The lore of 'The Godfather' had those 16 years to steep in all these theories and so certain features a bit more obvious and nods that the fans would pick up on. There are oranges everywhere in this film (oranges tend to mean death or something bad), too many oranges. Michael and Kay walk through Corleone and witness a wedding at the church, and there in the mid-ground is a man walking a donkey carrying baskets (remember how young Vito is smuggled out of Corleone to escape Don Ciccio’s men?), and what is in the baskets? More oranges! A very obvious ADR line is said by Connie who smacks us around the face and shouts “It’s his diabetes!” when Michael is taken ill. Nothing is subtle in Part III and the new edit can’t really play it down because it’s already there. All the photos of family members are just freeze frames of characters from the previous films. Everything is a nostalgia trip, from seeing Enzo the baker at the party at the beginning (remember Enzo the baker? The guy who stands at the hospital door with Michael pretending to a bodyguard? He’s there). Johnny Fontaine is there, as mentioned before Lucy Mancini is there, Carlo is there (Michael’s bodyguard in Sicily in the first film). Tom Hagen isn’t there though, and Robert Duvall’s presence is sorely missed. That is the one thing really missing. I have nothing against George Hamilton, he gives a great performance but B.J Harrison isn’t Tom Hagen.
There’s something seeing Part III and the Coda edit made me realise; I am one of many on the bandwagon that do say and believe that everything is a sequel or reboot these days, but it’s not a recent thing. The 1990s were just as bad, starting off the decade with Part III, then we got all sorts of dreadful remakes and sequels: 'The Beverly Hillbillies', 'The Avengers', the Batman franchise was flogged to death and humiliated, the first instalment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy closed the decade, and I’m certain there are many more films of much-loved television and film franchises that I’ve not mentioned. Is Part III the beginning of it all? Coppola did what he had to, sure... but did he inadvertently kick off an era of useless sequels and reboots which grip we are firmly in and desperately trying to wriggle out of?
Existential crisis aside. I, purely by chance, ending up in the same seat in the same screen as 'The Godfather Part II', noticed some familiar faces from the last screening which was nice. The cinema itself I cannot complain about, it’s such a nice, quiet cinema and I hope that it, as well as others continue screening these older films, because I’m loving it, I really have adored seeing the Godfather films on the big screen. I’m glad to have seen this new edit even with it's many deeply rooted problems. I think for what it’s worth, a lot of the issues were out of Coppola and Puzo’s hands when it came to forming a story which was necessary. It has been a treat to go back to the cinema again and watch these fantastic (and okay) films. Regarding 'The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone', I would only recommend it if you’re really as curious as I was. You’re not missing too much if you leave it to only seeing Part III, and not missing even more if you just stick to seeing the first two films! Coppola is a smart man and I do think what changes he has made are for the better, and I can only hope that the two versions can co-exist. I could easily go on more about re-edits of films and what version should be available, looking at George Lucas with the Star Wars original trilogy here, but I’ve already written enough, and you have already read enough!
Reviewer – Daryl Griffin
on – 30/3/22
A great end to a spectacular trilogy. The Godfather movies are the epitome of crime movies. The portrayal of Mafia life in these movies is just so absorbing and realistic. And this thrid movie might not have been the best, but a little dip in quality can be expected and tolerated for such movie franchises. As always, Al Pacino's Michael Corleone hits all the criteria for a great character. And the fact that he wants to be redeemed in his children's eyes gives him a human dimension that serves to sway the viewers away from remembering his ugly sins from the past. Redemption is always hard and costly, but never impossible. To me, that is the message of the Godfather's last iteration.
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