Review: The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (1990/2020)

'Coda' is a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.

★★★½

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone.

The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II, are considered the best of the 1970s, the best Mafia/Crime/Gangster films, and some of the greatest films of all time. Francis Ford Coppola, with author of the book, Mario Puzo, were able to adapt the book into two amazing films. Why? Well, first, it had a great script, perfect casting, brilliant directing from Francis Ford Coppola, excellent writing, a good plot, and many other factors. "Part II," took what the first film did well, and told both a sequel and prequel story, something that had never been done before, resulting in "Part II" being one of the greatest sequels ever made. "Part III," on the other hand wasn't as highly regarded as the first two. Many considering it the worst sequel ever made, others calling it a disgrace to the first two, etc. I don't personally think that. I do find it the weakest out of the three, but underrated. But this, the director's cut, is an improvement over the theatrical cut.

"The Godfather: Part III" (1990) follows Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) as he attempts to legalize the Corleone family company and preserve his legacy. Now older and filled with remorse for his past actions, Michael seeks redemption by investing in the Vatican Bank and forming friendships with powerful persons. However, he is drawn back into the world of organized crime, dealing with betrayal and a determined assassin targeting his family. Meanwhile, his nephew, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), becomes entangled in the family's power struggles and assumes a larger position. As Michael attempts to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Mary Corleone (Sofia Coppola), he faces catastrophic results that highlight the implications of his choices. The film also features Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) and Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) as pivotal figures in Michael's journey.

Coppola's major difference is to get right to the heart of the story, which is a significant improvement. The film's wishy-washy opening segment, which connects it more directly to "The Godfather, Part II," has been removed, and the new version begins in Italy with Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) meeting with Archbishop Gilday (Donal Donnelly) to discuss his $600 million contribution to the Vatican, followed immediately by the after-party. Rather than dragging its feet, "The Godfather Coda" begins with Corleone conducting business to legitimize his family and name. Then it goes into an extended sequence that echoes the wedding from the first film while also involving Andy Garcia's Vincent more swiftly. Everyone who cares is at the party, which occurs significantly later in the original cut. From there, "The Godfather Coda" unfolds in ways that will be familiar to viewers of the 1990 film. There are several noticeable changes, but the most significant change is the finale, which has been tightened and then cuts sooner with an on-screen quotation that I'm not entirely sure works.

At the end, as well all know, Michael dies, but his death is completely different than his father's in the first film. Comparing his death to his father Vito's, all I'm going to say is that Michael asked for that. Sure, Michael had the brains of Vito but lacked something. He lacked Vito's heart, which is what Sonny took from Vito. Michael put his work over family, which caused his wife Kay to divorce him and have an abortion. He also lost his daughter after she was killed. Michael died alone, depressed, and tragically. Vito put his family first, then his work. This is why Vito was able to die peacefully; on a nice sunny day, sitting in his garden, drinking red wine, and playing with his grandson. Michael had the potential to be a great leader like Vito, but he lacked the heart and compassion that made Vito truly great. If Michael had found a way to balance his ambition with empathy and love, things might have turned out differently for him.

The first two "Godfather" films do, in fact, tell the whole plot. A third wasn't needed, which is why Coppola avoided doing it for years before giving in to pressure from Paramount following a string of bad business decisions in the 1980s. And the title's use of the word "Part" created expectations that compelled comparisons. It was never a part of the same narrative. Eliminating that and calling this a "Coda" instead gives it a distinct tone. This version won't convince those who were really turned off by Sofia Coppola's performance, but if you were one of those who supported it or wondered whether it was better than you remembered, then it's clearly better today.

While it doesn't change much of the film. It does feel a bit like an improvement. The pacing is better, and it's a much sharper, and more satisfying experience. Francis Ford Coppola intended for this to be an epilogue to the first two, and I'm glad he was able to give us the version he wanted, rather than what the studio wanted back in 1990.