Michael’s main failure was that he forgot what it was all about for Vito. Not money, not power, but family. Vito was trying to make a new family and protect it where he had lost his own (even down to his family name). His plan was for Michael to take a posistion of legitimate power (“Senator Corleone, Governor Corleone”). Note that he didn’t take up crime until after he had a family, and after it proved impossible to get ahead legitimately due to interference from established criminals.
Michael started out on the right foot, as he tried to avenge/protect his father, and later his brother.
However, he married a woman he no longer really loved, and who was not good material for a mafia wife. Kay wold have been a wonderful senator’s wife, but she lacked the ability to sublimate her husband’s activities.
Further, he was so tied up in making an empire that he lost sight of his family. Vito was willing to sacrifice parts of his empire for his family values (no drugs; ending the war early). Vito would have never killed a family member. He would have found some other way.
There’s the famous scene near the end of Part II where Michael is sitting alone in his house. He’s established himself in a position of wealth, power, and security. And you can see in his eyes he’s now realizing that he no longer has any reason for doing it.
But in Part III, (which you must see) everything he does is for his family. He says all he has ever done was to help protect his family from the horrors of the world.
Rent it now…
Michael summed up the difference between himself and his father in Part II after the assassination attempt when he said (and I papaphrase), “All our people’s loyalty is based on business; and on that basis, anything is possible.”
Michael’s power was based on money and fear, where Vito’s was based mostly on personal loyalty. Do you think for a minute that Michael would have treated Bonasero (the undertaker) the same way Vito did? Compare the Wedding Scene in Part I with the Confirmation Scene in Part II. Vito grants every request made of him, even when it doesn’t directly benefit him. Michael turns down every request made of him because they are bad for business.
The whole series is about building up money and power for a reason, then losing site of that reason. This ultimately leads to losing what you wanted the money and power for.
I must be the only person who thinks GF Part III is still a good movie.
Okay, not in the same league as Part I & II, and maybe made too far down the line after the others, but is still a good show.
It only seems poor when in direct comparison to the others.
And showing the attempt to completely legitimise the business interests through the church was interesting. I like it.
Not every one. If you’ve seen the extra footage from the Saga, Epic, or Trilogy you remember that Sonny’s daughter asks for his blessing for her wedding. But your point is taken.
I think part III had all the makings of a good film, it was just rushed. Everything, from the script, cast, shooting…
I also think Coppola works well under pressure and with I and II he had more pressure to prove himself. WIth III, the whole production was a bunch of fat cats.
I think it was like putting a square peg into a round hole.
The true tragedy re: Michael Corleone is revealed in the second-to-last segment of Pt II, the scene where he reveals that he joined the Marines. In the middle of the segment, Fredo reaches over to shake Michaels hand and is able to say “That’s great, Mike…” before Santino shoves his hand away and mutters “That’s right. Encourage him, whydontcha?”
Michael killed the only person who supported him in the first “adult” decision in Michaels life. Michael killed Fredo for precisely the same reasons that Fredo congratulated him for 15 years earlier: being his own man, going outside the family to find his identity, and not taking the family’s counsel.
Smitty: Good analysis. Luckily for me I’m co-hosting a film discussion forum today about the Godfather movies (well, 1 and 2 only) and your comment helped me put some thoughts in perspective that I was having trouble finding the words for. Thanks!
Damn message board sending my OP off to some other message board!!!
Homer Simpson voice Damn you !!! Damn you to hell!!!
Ahem…anyway, my OP went something along these lines, Michael failed becuase for him it became personal instead of business. Nearly everyone that he had killed was killed for personal, NOT business reasons.
Vito Corleone had an air of humanity about him ,you could tell that he enjoyed life, but Michael just seemed to be this shell. In many ways, Michael was worse then Sonny ever could have been.
I agree with you. GF 3 was a good movie. However, the problem is, it is invariably compared to 2 GREAT movies like GF1 and GF2, which tends to sour people againest it.
I do feel it was nessacary to close the trillogy and show the end of micheal’s story, and that, in the end, your past will come back to haunt you in ways you may not be able to handle.
Sonny and Michael WERE Vito Corleone; they were his two halves. Sonny was the emotional, spontaneous one; Michael was calculating, making his moves based on the coldest of equations.
Sonny was destroyed because he lacked what his father and Michael had; patience, brains, and reserve. Michael was destroyed because he lacked what his brother and father had; emotion, a sense of life. But whereas Sonny’s destruction is obvious, Michael’s took years.
