The Godfather: Part III (1990)

The next generation in the Corleone family has a prominent presence in this movie with an ageing and sick Michael Corleone unable to stand up to the rigors of a Don's life. 

Michael Corleone is looking to legitimize his operations by reducing involvement in illegal activities. He wishes to get back to his separated wife Kay and spend more quality time with his kids Mary and Anthony. Enemies keep cropping up even now as the Don isn't able to live in peace.

His elder brother's son Vincent has a prominent presence as he takes control of the gang now. He has a temper much like his deceased father Sonny. His affair with Michael's daughter Mary has to be foregone in order for him to become The Godfather.

Michael repents for all his sins and whether he lives in peace with his family or whether his enemies catch up with him?

The film moves slowly but has lot of substance. There are a lot of characters and a lot of enemies for the Don. Towards the end, when all the revenge is taken, we need to pay apt attention due to the number of characters involved. The revenge scenes coinciding with the opera scenes are a nice touch much like how the revenge scenes in the first part coincided with the baptism scenes.

Al Pacino plays the old weary don and he is required to curb his general aggressive instincts at many points. Andy Garcia is the cold blooded aggressor as the young Vincent. Sofia Coppola looks angelic and is damn sexy as Mary. Talia Shire has a somewhat influential role as Connie. Al the villains are typically cold and calculating.

The references to the Pope, the revered Archbishops and the Vatican banking scandal within the church are engaging.

The BGM track has the legendary Godfather themes running along.

VERDICT: Finale of the most epic gangster movie series. Has its moments and is engaging. Al Pacino and Andy Garcia carry the movie along.

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The Plot
The film traces the path of Michael Corleone's life as The Godfather, how he ambitiously plans to rise in the casino business, how his wife goes away from him citing his shady life as a gangster, how he deals with the inquiry commissions and how he again deals with all his back-stabbers including his brother Fredo and other close aides.

The early days of Vito Corleone is another parallel track in the film. Right from the days when Vito comes to New York as a small kid after the murders of his father and brother to his early days of struggle as a family man cum paisan to his bonding with Clemenza, Tessio and how they deal with the local don Fanucci to how he rises as a Don and how he takes revenge on Don Cicci for the murder of his father.

The film ends with an aged Michael Corleone reminiscing about how his life had changed.

                                                                       
Hits

• The rise of Vito Corleone is easily the best part of the film. Robert De Niro is brilliant as the young and middle aged Vito. That easy gait and the pleasing face are major pluses for Robert
• Al Pacino as Michael is grim faced throughout the film and he under plays and bursts out with ease. Class act.
• Robert Duvall has another major role as Tommy Hagen. Another restrained show. 
• The casting is perfect. Michael's son looks just like young Al Pacino and Vito's son Fredo looks like Robert De Niro  
• The soundtrack is an extension of the first part's. Legendary themes by Nino Rota

Misses

• Not as gripping as the first part.
• Particularly, Michael's business dealings are picturized in too much detail and the screenplay is bogged down. 

VERDICT

Watchable for Al Pacino and Robert De Niro

Classic Revisited: The Godfather (1972)

The Plot
The movie shows the life of Sicilian gangsters settled in America. Vito Corleone is the most feared Don and he has all the politicians and decision makers in his pocket. He is surrounded by an entire entourage of other Dons who will die for his sake and consider him as their Godfather. The Don is busy even on his daughter's wedding day.

He has 3 sons, 1 daughter and 1 adopted son. Sonny, the eldest son is very short tempered and not a good family man. Tommy Hagen, the adopted son is the family's legal adviser and Michael, the youngest son is a war hero and a civilian. Due to the Don's stand against drugs he is incapacitated and shot badly by the Sollozzo gang. Sonny takes over the reigns. Michael takes revenge on Sollozzo and goes away for a while to their ancestral village Corleone where he marries a village belle.

Michael returns back to the US after his brother's brutal murder and his wife's murder in a blast and totally takes over in his own style. He marries his lover Kay. Vito Corleone also dies due to old age. Now Michael re-organizes and wipes out all his rivals and all his traitors. He is THE Don Corleone and the GODFATHER now ...

Hits

• This movie is the inspiration to all the legendary Indian gangster movies made till date. Scores of Tamil movies starring superstars like Kamal and Rajini derive from The Godfather
• Marlon Brando is perfect as the ageing gangster who wants to sort things out in a reasonable manner. Velunayakar ka bada baap :)
• Al Pacino as the cold blooded and calculating Don is another menacing character.
• James Caan as the aggressive and short tempered Sonny spews terror.
• Robert Duvall as the ice cool legal adviser to the Corleone family is the perfect foil to the violent characters around him. 
• All the supporting characters who come as Dons are all aptly cast and register themselves in our memory through their characters. Clemenza, Barzini, Brasi, Tessio, Fredo, Moe Greene etc etc
• Legendary musical score by Nino Rota. 2 themes in particular are ones for the ages. Haunting. 
• Some terrific and catchy dialogs. "I'll make him an offer that he wont refuse"
• There are a lot of scenes that buildup slowly yet they are so thrilling. The hospital scene, the scene where Michael kills Sollozzo and McCluskey etc etc

Misses

• Michael wipes out all his rivals and traitors so easily. Though these sequences come parallely along with his baptism sequences in a brilliant manner, they are quite hard to believe. 
• After his first wife from Corleone dies, Michael again approaches his old flame Kay after leaving her in the wilderness for so many years. Michael's character reaches a trough in this scene. 

VERDICT

Legendary phenomenon that has become the reference for all other gangster movies made in any country and in any language.