3. The Godfather III
The Godfather 3 stands unique amongst this list insofar as its not actually a bad movie. Objectively, its actually a pretty good movie. Yet much like the red-headed step-child, it cant help but pale in comparison to its better-looking, more valued siblings. And these siblings certainly were beautiful.
The Godfather and
Godfather 2, Electric Boogaloo (kidding) are both absolute, stone-cold classics. Both provide captivating performances from actors portraying intricate, well-drawn characters. The oft-quoted fact is that the
Godfather series holds the honour of having separate actors win Oscars playing the Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando in the original, Robert De Niro in the sequel), but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact is that the series is full of excellent actors from the top down. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Diane Keaton, John Cazale; the cast list just oozes class. The first film, as well as netting Brando that Oscar, sported three supporting actor nominations for Pacino, Duvall and Caan. The second film gave De Niro his Oscar, and a public outcry for Pacino when he lost to Art Carney in that all-time classic
Harry and Tonto. These films were like a well-oiled machine, acting machine. Unfortunately, much like a machine, taking something out will lead to an inevitable breakdown. Come the third film they got rid of a very important part; Robert Duvall. By the end of the second film, he was possibly the only person in Michael Corleones social circle not to have died horribly, tragically or a combination of both. So come the time of
Godfather III, one mightve thought that he would be put on an equal footing. But an equal footing dramatically does not always translate into real life- though the fundamentally decent consigliere Tom Hagen shouldve been something akin to the moral opposite number to the thoroughly compromised Michael by the time of third film, he was now conspicuous by his absence. This was rumoured to be due to the lack of real life parity between Pacino and Duvalls pay slips. Apparently, Duvall wouldve accepted half the salary of Pacino, yet when Pacinos pay put him in a similar bracket to Croesus and Duvall was left with the comparative lump of coal, he walked away from the project. Whilst such a departure was obviously galling, it was still seen that Coppola could summon some of the old magic and make it work. In fact, he almost did. But unfortunately, he hadnt counted on Sofia Coppola. Whilst shed turned up in the first film, like most infants, she didnt actually have to act. But this glorious status quo wouldnt last forever, not if Francis could help it. She just couldnt act at all, and yet the director insisted on putting her on camera. It was as if they were related. The absolute failure of Sofia really showed just how fragile a platform the whole
Godfather edifice lay on. It was so intricately plotted (yes, even the third) that it didnt just need powerful performances, it was dependent on them. But so far the series had gotten away with it; everyone had brought their A-game. However, Sofia simply didnt even have an A-game. Where her game is, Im not sure theres letters. Suffice to say she wasnt very good- even her death scene, possibly the dramatic crescendo of the entire film, was just plain laughable. Slotting her into the
Godfather machine in the place of Robert Duvall was similar to replacing such a finely honed cog with a rock; whilst the film could keep going, it had definitely lost that certain spark. The whole effort had begun to judder horribly, and this was almost entirely because of her. Effectively, she was like a fart in an orchestra, not just terrible in her own right but adversely affecting the would-be virtuoso performances around her. But it couldve been worse. Imagine if hed cast one his other relatives, that Nicolas Cage fellow. He wouldve overacted the hell out of that,
Wicker Man-style. Actually, that wouldve been excellent. I wouldve paid good money to see that. Mr. Coppola, make that film.