This is Francis' re-edited release from 2020 (at 157 minutes it's slightly shorter), which is pretty much the same - the opening was moved from later in the original, and in the latter, Michael actually dies at the end. Cousin Dave convinced us to watch it, with its intricate plot detailing the mafia's involvement in the Bank of the Vatican and the dodgy dealings that led to the real life hanging of Roberto Calvi from a London bridge.
And Robert Duvall was supposed to be in this film as well, but he wanted too much money. So we're left with George Hamilton, and it's obviously no comparison.
It's quite a labyrinthine script, with layers of corruption and deception. We meet Michael Corleone's grown up children Franc D'Ambrosio and Sophia Coppola, and Sonny's son Andy Garcia, who starts out very like his dad but becomes more like Michael - a progression I'm not sure I bought, really. And Talia Shire is not above getting her hands dirty (in fact at one point she seems to be plotting against Michael - or maybe I didn't understand it well enough).
There's something of a rapprochement between Michael and Kay, which is welcome, but also not particularly believable. Coppola wrote it with Mario Puzo again. The ending is a sort of repeat of the ending of Part 1 - where scores are settled, and the beginning is also (big party scene). I wondered who the old man at the end was - luckily Q was on hand to point out is was the aged Corleone.
With Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, Raf Vallone.. and none other than Donal Donnelly as the Vatican banker!
It's an oddly quiet film. I could hardly understand Pacino's mumblings.
Great sequence cut against 'Cavalleria Rusticana'. I liked 'I have a stone in my shoe'. Nino Rota died in 1979 so the score is a remixing of existing themes with new stuff by Carmine Coppola. The editors are Lisa Fruchtman, Barry Malkin and Walter Murch. The DP is of course Gordon Willis, and Dean Tavoularis is the designer.
No comments:
Post a Comment