The Greatest Movie Sequel Ever Made Was Released 51 Years Ago Today

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In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola released The Godfather, which won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay, along with seven other Oscar nominations. Two years later, he directed the greatest sequel ever made with The Godfather, Part II, released in theaters on December 20, 1974.

The Godfather Part II Surpassed Even Its Predecessor

Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The Godfather was a masterpiece. It told the story of a mafia don named Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and his sons, Sonny (James Caan), Michael (Al Pacino), and Fredo (John Cazale). The movie followed both the story of how Vito ruled his criminal empire with loyalty and honor, while also showing his son Michael’s rise to the new boss when his dad and brother Sonny die. This story is about Michael going from a war hero and a good man to his eventual fall from grace.

However, as great as that movie was, The Godfather Part II was even better. This splits the action into two eras, with flashback scenes showing Vito Corleone’s rise to power (played by Robert De Niro) while Michael fits into his role as the new head of the Corleone family. It was a brilliant look at how two men became leaders in very different ways, and how Vito’s honor and integrity differed from his son’s corruption. It ended up as another huge hit.

The Godfather Part II made much less money at the box office, and it received worse reviews. However, it later received a reassessment, and it now has an almost perfect 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 97% Popcornmeter score from fans. Despite the lackluster reviews when it was released, it still earned nine Oscar nominations and won six of them. It stands the test of time as one of the best remakes ever, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Dramatic Score.

The Godfather Part III Failed To Complete The Trilogy On Top

Image Courtesy of Paramount

After two Godfather movies that won Best Picture Oscars, The Godfather remained one of the most prestigious franchises of all time. The first movie remains known as one of the best gangster movies of all time, and the second is the greatest sequel ever made. However, it took 16 years to make the third movie in the franchise, showing an older Michael Corleone seeing his empire starting to crumble around him. Sadly, The Godfather Part III failed even to come close to the level of the first two movies.

The Godfather Part III made more money than The Godfather Part II, but with a higher budget, it was not as much of a success. It also received the worst reviews of the three films, with a 66% Rotten Tomatoes score. Some of the biggest complaints were the larger role given to Sophia Coppola, who couldn’t match up with the veteran actors in the series. It was a considerable letdown for fans of the first two gangster movies. It still earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Andy Garcia).

However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. According to Francis Ford Coppola, the version released into theaters was not what he had envisioned when he agreed to make The Godfather Part III. However, in December 2020, Coppola released a recut version of the film called The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone on its 30th anniversary. This version changed the beginning and ending of the film, and it slightly vindicates the movie as the final chapter of The Godfather story.

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