The Godfather Part III — The Rewatchables Tracker

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Overall episode#123Source sheet order

Movie year19901990s

Tomatometer67%Critics’ score

Metacritic60View score

Roger Ebert—No review recorded

DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaCrime / Drama

FROM THE CONVERSATION

What they said about the movie

The episode frames The Godfather Part III as a flawed but still very rewatchable epilogue: the hosts admire Pacino, Garcia, several set pieces, and Coppola’s command, while arguing that Duvall’s absence, Sofia Coppola’s performance, the Vatican subplot, and the long runtime keep it from greatness.

Based only on this episode’s transcriptTimes approximateSpeakers were clearly identifiedExplore the connections

In this conversation

Bill Simmons

Chris Ryan

Sean Fennessey

WHY IT WORKS

What made it rewatchable

01Pacino’s Michael Corleone performance is treated as a late-career high point with real nuance. Opening minutes
02Andy Garcia’s Vincent is seen as a major highlight and star-making performance. About 1:20
03The Joe Zaza/Vincent/Michael confrontation and related crime-business scenes are admired as top-tier gangster material. About 40 min
04The final opera cross-cutting sequence is valued for its ambition even by hosts who think it runs too long. About 48 min
05The movie’s specific family/mob details and theatrical dialogue produce memorable, rewatchable moments. About 40 min

WHAT DID NOT WORK

Their main criticisms

majorRobert Duvall’s absence as Tom Hagen is treated as a major loss that changes the movie’s shape. About 8 min
majorSofia Coppola’s Mary performance is repeatedly called very bad and distracting. About 24 min
moderateThe Vatican/International Immobiliare plot is hard to follow and overcomplicated. About 1:12
moderateDon Altobello and other villains lack the menace of earlier Godfather antagonists. About 56 min
moderateThe runtime and opera finale are too long. About 48 min

SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO

Standout moments

Favorite

Joey Zaza vs. Vincent in Michael’s office

A tense showdown with strong Pacino and Garcia interplay, ear-biting, and gangland authority.

About 40 min

Favorite

Penthouse conference / gift-giving setup

Michael’s business gathering, helicopter presence, and assassinations create an explosive mob tableau.

About 40 min

positive

Kitchen meeting with Vincent and Michael

Michael formally names Vincent his successor and threatens him with disapproval over Mary.

About 40 min

mixed

Vincent breaks it off with Mary

A rare Sofía scene that the hosts think is only passable but still awkward.

About 48 min

positive

Opera murder montage

Admired for its visual ambition and cross-cutting, though criticized for length.

About 48 min

positive

Shaving / Vincent infiltration setup

The stylized grooming and undercover maneuvering are treated as fun, old-school crime-movie material.

About 40 min · medium confidence

Favorite

Zaza parade / feast attack

The public assassination and parade chaos are cited as a standout set piece.

About 40 min

mixed

Michael’s heart attack in the kitchen

Pacino goes big in a collapse scene that the hosts find memorable and over-the-top.

About 56 min

WHERE THEY DISAGREED

The biggest debates

They partly agreed About 24 min

How bad is Sofia Coppola’s Mary performance?

Bill Simmons
It is disastrously bad and materially hurts the movie.

Chris Ryan
It is bad, but the role itself is probably overemphasized in the criticism.

Sean Fennessey
It is very bad and distracts from otherwise strong scenes.

They partly agreed About 8 min

Does Tom Hagen’s absence matter more than Mary’s casting?

Bill Simmons
Yes, losing Duvall fundamentally changes and weakens the movie.

Chris Ryan
Mary is the bigger distraction.

Sean Fennessey
Both are serious, but Duvall’s absence is a structural loss.

They partly agreed About 48 min

Is the opera finale too long?

Bill Simmons
It is great but overlong.

Chris Ryan
It is the movie’s best stretch, though still stretched.

Sean Fennessey
It is impressive but far too long.

They partly agreed About 1:04

Could another actor have made Don Altobello work better?

Bill Simmons
Frank Sinatra or a similar old-school charismatic Italian-American could have improved it.

Chris Ryan
The role needs more menace and a different kind of elder presence.

Sean Fennessey
The villain casting should have matched the earlier films more closely.

20 People discussedActors, directors, writers, and producers

very favorableAl PacinoBill Simmons: Praised for a nuanced Michael Corleone performance and for delivering the film’s most memorable lines. Opening minutes very favorableAndy GarciaBill Simmons: Praised as the movie’s breakout force, especially in the Vincent arc and office showdown. About 40 min favorableRobert DuvallBill Simmons: Viewed as essential; his absence is treated as one of the film’s biggest injuries. About 8 min criticalSofia CoppolaBill Simmons: Her Mary performance is described as wooden, distracting, and widely criticized. About 24 min favorableFrancis Ford CoppolaBill Simmons: Respected for keeping the movie serious and for understanding the world, even under financial pressure. About 8 min neutralDiane KeatonBill Simmons: Mentioned in relation to Mary casting and as part of the film’s emotional family triangle. About 24 min · medium confidence neutralRobert De NiroBill Simmons: Used mainly for career context and as a hypothetical Vincent or older casting alternative. About 32 min · medium confidence criticalEli WallachChris Ryan: Seen as miscast as Don Altobello, though still part of the movie’s odd charm. About 1:04

neutralJohn SavageBill Simmons: Mentioned as Andrew Hagen and as part of the supporting cast reshuffling. About 24 min · medium confidence

criticalEli WallachSean Fennessey: Discussed as a recurring odd fit for ethnic-heavy roles and as a weak Altobello choice. About 1:04 favorableWinona RyderBill Simmons: Presented as the ideal Mary Corleone before dropping out of the role. About 24 min favorableLaura San GiacomoBill Simmons: Offered as a strong alternate Mary casting choice. About 24 min neutralAnnabella SciorraBill Simmons: Mentioned as another Mary audition/alternative but not deeply evaluated. About 24 min · medium confidence criticalEli WallachChris Ryan: Used as an example of the film’s weak villain casting and confusing antagonist structure. About 1:04 neutralAlec BaldwinBill Simmons: Mentioned in casting what-ifs for Vincent Mancini. About 56 min · medium confidence favorableWilliam HurtChris Ryan: Suggested as a strong replacement for George Hamilton’s lawyer role. About 1:04 favorableFrank SinatraBill Simmons: Cited as a charismatic alternative for Altobello and in a broader discussion of Italian-American casting. About 1:04 neutralMario PuzoBill Simmons: Referenced as source material for the original screenplay concepts and family plot ideas. About 24 min · medium confidence

neutralCharles BluhdornBill Simmons: Mentioned as a key corporate figure tied to the first Godfather’s studio history. About 16 min · medium confidence

neutralEleanor CoppolaBill Simmons: Referenced for journaling concerns about Sofia’s casting and the set dynamics. About 24 min · medium confidence

12 Conversation takesSpeakers shown only where the transcript identifies them

Bill SimmonsLiked it

The Godfather Part III as a flawed rewatchable

Calls it flawed but definitely rewatchable, with some amazing stuff in it.

Opening minutes

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone performance

Argues Pacino’s performance belongs in the top tier of his career and may be his last nuanced turn.

Opening minutes

Chris RyanLoved it

Andy Garcia as Vincent Mancini

Treats Garcia as one of the movie’s biggest assets and a star-making presence.

About 40 min

Sean FennesseyStrongly disliked it

Sofia Coppola’s Mary

Agrees the performance is very bad and repeatedly says it hurts the movie.

About 24 min

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Joe Zaza showdown and office confrontation

Considers the Vincent/Zaza sequence one of the film’s best stretches.

About 40 min

Chris RyanLiked it

Penthouse conference and gift-giving sequence

Likes the staging and the old-school mob movie feel of the scene.

About 40 min

Sean FennesseyMixed

Opera finale

Acknowledges the final cross-cutting is impressive but says it runs far too long.

About 48 min

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen

Says the film loses a major dimension without Duvall and that it was a terrible business decision.

About 8 min

Sean FennesseyLiked it

Coppola’s financial desperation

Argues the movie’s money pressures shaped both its existence and its flaws.

About 8 min

Chris RyanDid not like it

Eli Wallach as Don Altobello

Thinks Wallach is miscast because he reads too clearly as the villain.

About 1:04

Bill SimmonsStrongly disliked it

Sofia Coppola casting

Says the performance ruins scenes and that some people simply should not act.

About 24 min

Sean FennesseyDid not like it

The Godfather Part III runtime and structure

Thinks the movie could be tightened substantially by trimming Vatican and opera material.

About 1:12

5 ThemesThe larger ideas in the discussion

Money and legitimacy

The hosts connect Coppola’s real financial motives to the movie’s story about power, dirty money, and going legit.

Opening minutes

Legacy and comparison

The film is judged against The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, making flaws feel harsher.

Opening minutes

Family and succession

A major thread is the transfer of power from Michael to Vincent and the emotional cost of family loyalty.

About 40 min

Corruption of institutions

The Vatican, finance, politics, and organized crime are portrayed as interconnected systems of corruption.

About 1:12

Performance as spectacle

Several scenes are praised or criticized based on heightened acting, especially Pacino, Garcia, and Wallach.

About 48 min

23 Facts and referencesProduction notes and other movies mentioned

Production note

The episode repeatedly notes that Coppola wanted the film titled The Death of Michael Corleone.

About 16 min

Production note

Duvall reportedly wanted Pacino-level pay and was denied.

About 8 min

Production note

The hosts say the movie had a $55 million budget and made about $140 million.

About 8 min

Production note

Winona Ryder reportedly dropped out of Mary because of exhaustion.

About 24 min

Production note

The film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Andy Garcia for supporting actor.

About 56 min

Mentioned with uncertainty

The hosts say Mary’s dialogue may have been heavily dubbed.

About 56 min · medium confidence

Mentioned with uncertainty

A planned fourth film starring Vincent with Leonardo DiCaprio as young Sonny is mentioned as an Andy Garcia story.

About 1:12 · medium confidence

Production note

The podcast claims the movie’s old-school media coverage era was unusually rich in gossip and production reporting.

About 24 min

The Godfather

Used as the standard of comparison and the source of recurring characters and themes.

Opening minutes

The Godfather Part II

Used as the benchmark for greatness and for Michael’s earlier emotional arc.

Opening minutes

Star Wars

Used as a modern analogy for a huge sequel people thought would never happen.

Opening minutes

Pulp Fiction 2

A speculative comparison for a sequel with outsized cultural expectation.

Opening minutes

Boogie Nights 2

Another hypothetical sequel analogy.

Opening minutes

Goodfellas

Used in Oscar and 1990-era gangster discussion, and as a future Rewatchables target.

About 8 min

Dick Tracy

Referenced in the 1990 Oscar race and Pacino’s nomination history.

About 8 min

Ghost

Used in an aside about bad guys and rewatchable supporting roles.

About 8 min

Sea of Love

Used to explain Pacino’s late-1980s comeback period.

About 8 min

Glengarry Glen Ross

Used as part of Pacino’s later career arc and acting style discussion.

About 16 min

Internal Affairs

Used as a benchmark for Andy Garcia’s post-oscars work and as a favored cop movie.

About 1:04

The Untouchables

Referenced in Andy Garcia’s early career run.

About 1:04

Black Rain

Referenced in Andy Garcia’s early career run.

About 1:04

Pretty Woman

Used in Oscar discussion and Richard Gere comparisons.

About 8 min

The Sopranos

Used to note that Silvio quotes Pacino’s line from this movie.

About 48 min

10 Running jokes and short linesRecurring bits captured from the conversation

Donald Donnelly / international immobility impression

The hosts repeatedly imitate a character with an exaggerated accent and drill the phrase 'international immobility' into a recurring joke.

About 48 min

What am I going to do with this guy?

Repeatedly quoted as a Pacino-style exasperation line and general joke punchline.

About 40 min

Bet on yourself

Bill riffs on Coppola as the ultimate self-bettor and turns it into an autobiography joke.

About 16 min

Incest / cousin jokes

The hosts repeatedly joke, awkwardly and openly, about the Mary/Vincent cousin relationship.

About 24 min

Shaving barbershop bit

The conversation spins into a hypothetical office barbershop show with Chris shaving guests.

About 40 min

Bill Simmons

“Just when I thought I was out,”

Opening minutes

Bill Simmons

“What am I going to do with this guy?”

About 40 min

Bill Simmons

“Finance is a gun.”

About 1:12

Bill Simmons

“Never hate your enemies.”

About 1:20

Bill Simmons

“When they come, they come at what you love.”

About 40 min

MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT

Where to watch

UNITED STATES

Checking where The Godfather Part III is available…

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT

Movies to watch before and after.

Three movies to watch before The Godfather Part III, and three to watch next.

Finding six movies…Three to watch first and three to watch next.

ON THE MIC

3 voices on this episode

Bill SimmonsThe Rewatchables

Chris RyanThe Rewatchables

Sean FennesseyThe Rewatchables

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