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The Godfather: Part III Movie Poster
Plot, Details & Awards

The Godfather: Part III

Rated R for violence and language.

R In Theaters 12/20/1974 , 170min.
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Plot & Details

After a break of more than 15 years, director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo returned to the well for this third and final story of the fictional Corleone crime family. Two decades have passed, and crime kingpin Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), now divorced from his wife Kay (Diane Keaton), has nearly succeeded in keeping his promise that his family would one day be "completely legitimate." A philanthropist devoted to public service, Michael is in the news as the recipient of a special award from the Pope for his good works, a controversial move given his checkered past. Determined to buy redemption, Michael and his lawyer B.J. (George Hamilton) are working on a complicated but legal deal to bail the Vatican out of looming financial troubles that will ultimately reap billions and put Michael on the world stage as a major financial player. However, trouble looms in several forms: The press is hostile to his intentions. Michael is in failing health and suffers a mild diabetic stroke. Stylish mob underling Joey Zaza (Joe Mantegna) is muscling into the Corleone turf. "The Commission" of Mafia families, represented by patriarch Altobello (Eli Wallach) doesn't want to let their cash cow Corleone out of the Mafia, though he has made a generous financial offer in exchange for his release from la cosa nostra. And then there's Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the illegitimate and equally temperamental son of Michael's long-dead brother Sonny. Vincent desperately wants in to the family (both literally and figuratively), and at the urging of his sister Connie (Talia Shire), Michael welcomes the young man and allows him to adopt the Corleone name. However, a flirtatious attraction between Vincent and his cousin, Michael's naïve daughter Mary (Sofia Coppola) develops, and threatens to develop into a full-fledged romance and undo the godfather's future plans.
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • Genre(s): Action,Drama
  • Run Time: 170min.
  • Theatrical Release Date: 12/20/1974
  • DVD Release Date: 05/24/2005
  • Status: In Theaters
  • Distributor(s): Paramount
  • Director(s): Francis Ford Coppola
  • Starring: Al Pacino , Diane Keaton , Talia Shire , Andy Garcia , Eli Wallach
  • Themes: Fall From Power,Fathers and Daughters,Mafia Life
  • Tone: Deliberate,Downbeat,Elegiac,Poignant,Somber
  • Keywords: Pope,Vatican,business,daughter,family,gangster,murder,nephew,organized-crime,trust-fund,Mafia
  • Country of Origin: USA (12-25-1990)
  • Language: English

Awards

Academy Awards

Year Award CategoryCast & Crew Result
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Director Francis Ford Coppola Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Art Direction Dean Tavoularis Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor Andy Garcia Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Song Carmine Coppola Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Editing Lisa Fruchtman Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Editing Walter Murch Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Cinematography Gordon Willis Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Art Direction Gary Fettis Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Editing Barry Malkin Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Song John Bettis Nominated
1990 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture Francis Ford Coppola Nominated

Golden Globes

Year Award CategoryCast & Crew Result
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Al Pacino Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Original Score Carmine Coppola Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Director Francis Ford Coppola Won
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Andy Garcia Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Original Song Carmine Coppola Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Screenplay Francis Ford Coppola Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Screenplay Mario Puzo Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Original Song John Bettis Nominated
1990 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Drama Nominated
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