The Godfather Part III (also known as
Mario Puzo's The Godfather Part III) is a
1990 American drama film written by
Mario Puzo and
Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of
Michael Corleone, a
Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire. The movie also weaves into its plot a fictionalized account of real-life events – the 1978 death of
Pope John Paul I and the
Papal banking scandal of 1981-1982 – and links them with each other and with the affairs of Michael Corleone. The film stars
Al Pacino,
Diane Keaton,
Talia Shire and
Andy García, and features
Eli Wallach,
Joe Mantegna,
George Hamilton,
Bridget Fonda, and
Sofia Coppola. Despite being part of a popular movie series, Part III has received mixed reviews and receptions. However, according to the
director's commentary on the
DVD, Coppola mentions that Puzo and he originally wanted the title of the film to be
The Death of Michael Corleone. Paramount Pictures however would not accept that title. Coppola mentions that
The Godfather series is in fact two films, and Part III is the
epilogue.
Plot
The film begins on February 23, 1979.
Michael Corleone is nearly 60 and feeling tremendous guilt for his ruthless rise to power, especially for ordering the murder of his brother
Fredo two decades before. By now, he has all but retired from the Mafia, selling the
Las Vegas casinos and leaving the Corleone family's criminal interests in the hands of former
enforcer Joey Zasa. His
adopted brother
Tom Hagen is now dead and the Corleone compound at
Lake Tahoe has been abandoned. Michael and
Kay have been divorced since 1959, and Michael gave her custody of their children,
Anthony and
Mary. He has since returned to
New York City, where he is using his wealth and power to restore his reputation via numerous acts of
charity. In an attempt to break with the past, Michael creates a charity, the Vito Corleone Foundation, in memory of
his father, which he has endowed with $100 million to use for the betterment of
Sicily.
At a ceremony in
St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, presided over by
Archbishop Gilday, Michael is named a Commander of the Order of
St. Sebastian. At a lavish party following the ceremony, Michael and Kay have an uneasy reunion. Anthony tells his father that he is going to drop out of
law school to pursue a career as an
opera singer. Kay supports his choice, but Michael disagrees, wishing that his son would either finish law school or join the family business. Anthony steadfastly refuses, stating that while he loves his father, he will never be part of the family business. Michael eventually, though somewhat reluctantly, acquiesces to Anthony's wishes.
