Posted on 09/03/2020 2:54:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Goodfellas: Just when you thought Lufthansa was safe
In III Pacino reminded me of some sitcom character.
One and Two were excellent, Three was stupid.
It was a good movie. Solid four out of five.
But held up against the other two...nothing could stand up to them.
Lipstick on a pig
I suppose they can use a digital process to make Sofia look.. like a woman.
heck, I’m 100% hetero-normal and I found Andy Garcia much more attractive
They edited out his daughter and CGI'ed in another actress who can ACTUALLY act? That would be the only to improve the film (that, and find a way to ALSO CGI in a 1990 era Robert Duvall instead of having the character dead and replaced by George Hamilton)
Until Coppola stated it in this article, I had no idea how much of a flake Winona Ryder was acting towards getting the part of the daughter. I was under the mistaken impression she was denied the role. Sounded like Coppola had little choice but to cast Sofia or have some 30 year old actress play a 17-year old, which would’ve been equally bad or worse. At least Sofia looked authentically Italian, but far too much so, as her character was only half.
Duvall not being in it was bad, too. I forgot why, if they had deliberately killed off Tom, or if he may have been committed to another role, as he was super-busy in those days.
Instead of a remake of III, he should make Godfather IV: The apology
“Sounded like Coppola had little choice but to cast Sofia”
He had a choice. Hollywood is FILLED with thousands upon thousands unemployed actresses who wouldve jumped at the chance for a starring role in a big budget Coppola film, even on such short notice. Actresses that were truly talented a thousand times more than Sofia and would have gladly worked for less than half the pay Sofia was getting (whatever that was). Coppola went with nepotism instead of talent.
The time to improve it was before they released it the first time. I doubt they can do anything to that dog of a film that would improve it
Being a fan of the first 2 godfather films, and hearing nothing but negative reviews, i was still willing to give number 3 a chance.
I realized it was indeed going to be a lousy movie just from its beginning. The very first 15 MINUTES of the movie was nothing but flashback scenes from the first 2 films. Apparently these flashbacks were supposed to represent Michael going over his memories from those earlier years. Only, many of those flashback scenes, Michael couldn’t possibly remember because he just wasnt there in those scenes. And the rest of the film just went downhill from there. The bad acting from sofia, the vatican bank story angle, the elaborate hit by helicopter, etc.
Good point, there are numerous examples of actors in iconic roles who got the job as a "last minute replacement casting" after the original actor they hired bowed out. Examples include Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway, and Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.
The choice, as Coppola described, sounded worse than casting his daughter. The studio was leaning on him to cast one of those aforementioned 30-year olds, which would’ve been a fiasco. I wasn’t one of those who thought Sofia was awful, anyhow. Adequate.
But, funny thing, I don't think the original choice for the role, Wionna Ryder, would have been much of an improvement. I like Ryder and she certainly has a more memorable on-screen presence than Sofia Coppala. That being said, while Ryder was certainly a "known Hollywood actor" at that point in her career, she was known for a couple teen comedies, some quirky Tim Burton movies, and playing Jerry Lee Lewis' child bride in Great Balls of Fire. I think she would have been out of place and outside of her element doing some deep, dark, epic crime drama. Maybe she could have surprised us and rose to the task, but I recall her doing some "dark" extremely violent R-rated movies a few years down the road (Alien: Resurrection being a clear example) and she was the worst part of that movie. In any case, I'm glad she did Mermaids in 1990 instead of Godfather III, its a fun little movie and suited her much better.
Andy Garcia was the best part of Godfather III, IMO. He was certainly the best of the new actors added to the franchise.
Other than Ryder or Sofia Coppola, I’m just not sure what other known actress could’ve played the 17-year old character (around 1990). I just have to say how ridiculous it would’ve been had the studio forced some 30-year old to play the role. Perhaps casting an unknown at the time ?
Ryder would’ve at least looked closer to the mixed ethnic type (half-Italian), Sofia was far too Sicilian-looking (taking after her dad in that regard).
As for the death scene, I’m not sure how much differently it could’ve been played. You’re just shot, you’re going to be in shock. You’re not going to be running around clutching the wound like Redd Foxx’s Fred Sanford with his fake heart attacks. “This is it ! I’m comin’ to join, ya, Uncle Sonny !”
Besides, the scene wasn’t about her, it was about Michael’s overwrought reaction to her murder.
You were right about Andy Garcia, who did quite well (I was hoping to see more of Bridget Fonda, who was just on the rise to stardom at that point).
I was also ambivalent about the subplot leading up to the (alleged) assassination of John Paul I. That seemed like it should’ve been its own movie, unrelated to the Corleones.
You don’t have to limit yourself to big name actors, could have had a casting call for cute chicks.
ping to you dp0622....I know you’re a fan. This is long but I would say worth the read.
I have seen this already. Like I told another person.. unless they completely change the beginning the middle and the end, make Vincent’s character not be aborted in the book, get rid of Sofia Coppola, get rid of the ridiculous and absurd premise that Michael Corleone feels guilty for anything that he did, it will still be bad.
as I told my friend, Michael is not a good guy who became bad because of circumstances. He was a bad guy who pretended to be good until the chance to show his real self came about.
He killed two men in a restaurant to cement his reputation. Once they knew where the restaurant was they could have anybody run in and kill the police chief and sollozzo.
and before his brother and his wife were killed, he basically threatened his future wife’s father that he could either die or give Michael his daughter.
he was never a good man. I have known many Mobsters at many different levels and I’ve never known one to regret anything he did in the life.
These are guys that could be sweethearts outside of that arena. But make no mistake they were monsters and they had no regrets
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