The Godfather Part III (1990)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Michael Corleone attempts to legitimize his criminal empire while grappling with the weight of his past.
The story
In 1979, Michael Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, is plagued by guilt over his ruthless rise to power and his role in his brother's death. While attempting to legitimize his criminal empire, he enters into a complex deal with the Vatican Bank to acquire a controlling interest in an international real estate company. As the deal progresses, Michael must navigate the treacherous waters of both the mafia and the Vatican's inner workings. The narrative follows his efforts to secure a legitimate future for his family while dealing with internal tensions and external threats from rivals who seek to undermine his authority.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1979, Michael Corleone seeks to legitimize his empire by acquiring a controlling interest in Internazionale Immobiliare through a deal with the Vatican Bank. He incorporates his illegitimate nephew, Vincent Mancini, into the family business. The plot involves a series of betrayals, including a plot by Don Altobello to undermine Michael, and a complex web of alliances with the Vatican. After a period of turmoil and a spiritual confession to Cardinal Lamberto, the deal is ratified. However, the path to legitimacy is marred by violence: Vincent kills the traitorous Zasa, and several key figures are eliminated. The story culminates in a tragic sequence at an opera house where Michael's daughter, Mary, is killed by a hitman named Mosca. Seventeen years later, a dying Michael Corleone passes away alone in a courtyard.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 162
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Writers
- Mario Puzo · writer; Francis Ford Coppola · writer
- Cast and characters
- Al Pacino · Michael Corleone; Diane Keaton; Talia Shire; Andy Garcia · Vincent Mancini; Eli Wallach; Joe Mantegna; Bridget Fonda; George Hamilton · B. J. Harrison; Sofia Coppola · Mary
- Genres
- epic gangster film; crime drama
- Themes
- legacy; redemption; guilt
- Tone and mood
- somber; epic
- Premise and plot tags
- mafia; crime; religion; family
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Godfather trilogy
- Franchise connections
- The Godfather
- Reception
- The film received mostly positive reviews, though it was considered inferior to its predecessors. Critics praised the performances of Pacino and Garcia and the technical aspects of the production, while criticizing the plot and Sofia Coppola's performance.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 6.4/10 · scale: 10 · review count: 69; Metacritic · score: 60 · scale: 100 · review count: 19
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · Nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · Nomination; Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Supporting Actress · Win; Golden Raspberry Award · Worst New Star · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to be titled 'The Death of Michael Corleone'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…