Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (Shorter Cut of Godfather III)

[Jar Jar Stinks]

"I believe that in a new version of The Death of Michael Corleone, Sofia’s performance will vindicate her." - Francis Ford Coppola

The following is excerpted from an interview with Francis Ford Coppola in Deadline:

The first two were hard to measure up to when The Godfather Part III was made.

I want to try that again, and I’ll ask Paramount because in a few years there will be the 50th anniversary of the first film. I want to use a title I tried to but wasn’t allowed to, one that came from Mario Puzo. It’s Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. But ‘coda’ means epilogue. In other words, you got part one and part two and then the epilogue.

Why didn’t the studio like that?

They probably wanted a Godfather IV and V. There’s a cut I want to make that would be 14 minutes shorter. Usually, I go back and make them longer. This would be effective, and it makes the ending break your heart. Jim Gianopulos is the head of Paramount. An extremely nice man. And so what I want to say to them is if you allow me this, you won’t have to pay me.

Why all this looking back?

All I know is maybe I’m older, maybe I’m more circumspect. I want to show Sofia a new version, because she is so beautiful in it and so touching. She wasn’t an actress. But she was the real thing, playing that 19-year-old Italian girl in love with her own cousin. Godfather III as The Death of Michael Corleone is doubly painful because at the end he doesn’t die but he does worse than die. He loses everything he loves—and he lives. There are certain things in life that are worse than death.

You took some heat casting your daughter Sofia, who has become a fine filmmaker in her own right. Was it right to put so much pressure on her, when she was untested?

Well, I felt betrayed by a journalist by the name of Peter Biskind. And Tina Brown. I was asked if a journalist could come to the set and report on the movie, but Peter came in with a story all ready to write because he knew that there was a controversy about the fact that I had cast Sofia. He’s the one that came out with the article first that sort of greatly criticized her performance and started that whole trend, that I had cast my daughter when Paramount didn’t want me to.

Why did you?

I was in a tough position on that matter because they wanted me to put actresses in the role that were much more mature. My idea of the character was, an 18 or 19-year-old who had a crush on her cousin. That’s why I had cast Winona Ryder. But she didn’t say, “I can’t do it.” We kept waiting for her and she kept stalling and we kept delaying. I had shot absolutely anything I could without the girl and only then did Winona tell me she was dropping out. I had no choice but to close down the picture.

Paramount had all these actresses who were like 27 to 30 and I felt that that would destroy what I was trying to do. Sofia didn’t want to be an actress. She wanted to be a painter at the time, but every time I had put her in a movie as a little girl, her natural personality always came through for me. I always put my kids in movies because I had them around. I always took them out of school to be with us, wherever and whenever we went on location. Sofia did that for me and I believe if I do this new cut that her performance will be very touching as a little 19-year-old girl. That’s one of the things that can be so improved.

I felt that the plot of Godfather III was that they were coming for Michael but they got her. And [in the press] they were coming for me but they chose Sofia. I don’t have malice against anyone at this point in my life, but, to this day, it upsets me that Peter Biskind was the one who was given access to the set and he used it to damn my daughter. I believe that in a new version of The Death of Michael Corleone, Sofia’s performance will vindicate her.

[BluBonnet]

[dallywhitty]

I love The Godfather Part III as it is, but whatever, I'd welcome a re-edit for reasons of sheer curiosity. Especially if it means getting the trilogy on UHD.

[dancerslegs]

You can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but you can apparently squeeze milk from a dried-up cash cow. Coppola, you scamp.

[HAL237]

Though I feel Part III is fine as an epilogue to the saga encompassed by the first two films, I am very open to having an alternate cut as there is much room for improvement.

[Cremildo]

I might be curious to watch it and see how the changes affect the film, but I'm one of the few who are satisfied with Part III as it is.

[Rizor]

Put it out in a 4K box set with the original cuts of the trilogy + the extended, chronological TV version of the first two films.

[dkelly26666]

I never felt Part III was all that bad.

The first two set such an incredibly high standard, and the third was 16 years coming. I remember when it finally went into production, then all through production, then post, then promotion, all leading up to the release, there was a fever pitch of anticipation and curiosity and extremely high expectations.

Then, just because it wasn't AS great as the first two, people really dropped the hammer on it. The infamous Sofia casting and performance didn't help.

But, I saw it opening day, Christmas Day of 1990, and always enjoyed it, always thought it was a fine film for the most part.

It just didn't live up to the hype. Not many films could live up to that much hype, in fact. It also didn't help that Martin Scorsese's absolute masterpiece, "GoodFellas" came out just shortly before it, either.


Anyway, I'm curious what Coppola would do with it.

[Guydowood]

If only this new cut could incorporate Robert Duvall instead of the tan man George Hamilton.

[dkelly26666]

Originally Posted by Guydowood

If only this new cut could incorporate Robert Duvall instead of the tan man George Hamilton.

If only....


I remember Duvall was sore about it. I think he still is, LOL. It was all about money, apparently, no matter what else comes up. Duvall basically admitted that at the time. He thought Pacino's salary being four times his own was an outrage and he simply would not be in the film.

[A Sith Lord?]

I'm glad to know I'm not alone as one of the few people in this world who liked Godfather 3.

The first two are obviously in a class of their own, but 3 is still a very good movie on its own.

I welcome a director's edit just to see it.

[HAL237]

Originally Posted by A Sith Lord?

I'm glad to know I'm not alone as one of the few people in this world who liked Godfather 3.

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

[Jar Jar Stinks]

Originally Posted by dkelly26666

If only....


I remember Duvall was sore about it. I think he still is, LOL. It was all about money, apparently, no matter what else comes up. Duvall basically admitted that at the time. He thought Pacino's salary being four times his own was an outrage and he simply would not be in the film.

I doubt anyone was going to the Godfather films to see Duvall. Of course, I would have preferred to see him in G3. But would it have been a much better film with him, though?

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Jar Jar Stinks

I doubt anyone was going to the Godfather films to see Duvall. Of course, I would have preferred to see him in G3. But would it have been a much better film with him, though?

No.

[Socko]

Confession time, I've never seen the Godfather in their entirety. I saw fragments of the first two when I was young and saw the third one about 2/3 of it.
When I got older I was waiting for a good release to watch them. Still did not buy them on blu-ray. I'll wait a bit longer to see them

[Guydowood]

Originally Posted by Socko

Confession time, I've never seen the Godfather in their entirety. I saw fragments of the first two when I was young and saw the third one about 2/3 of it.
When I got older I was waiting for a good release to watch them. Still did not buy them on blu-ray. I'll wait a bit longer to see them

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqcgUDoV_M

[Arawn]

SPOiLERZ

[Ulisez]

I agree with most that Part III is ok, though it has its issues. If the re-edit helps, I'd be up to watch it again. Perhaps I'll finally jump and get the set with this new version of III.

[A Sith Lord?]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

No.

Disagree.

I think the end of G2 showed that Tom and Michael's relationship was strained.

They're both fantastic. So seeing their strained relationship get worse in G3 would have been a great dynamic. Because Michael would be juggling getting old and weaker, and the dynamic with Vincent and his daughter in addition to his last remaining brother having a difficult relationship with him.

I loved Andy Garcia as Vincent. So idk if more Duvall means less Vincent, but I felt that Michael needed an equal on screen to push him back. They tried to do it with Connie and it was ok. Some of the best parts of the movie was when Pacino had an equal on screen and that was with Andy or Diane Keaton. The scene with Michael having a stroke worked because Talia and Richard Bright (Neri) were both there with him. Michael's scenes with Eli Wallach were also fantastic.

Having Duvall there would definitely have been a plus as other than Keaton he's the only other person who could command a scene with Michael and feel equal.

[bferr1972]

Would really love to see a UHD that retained the 1990 theatrical cut, the 1991 so-called "Final Director's Cut," and whatever "Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone" turns out to be.