What do you think about Connie's character transformation in Godfather part 3?
Her transformation from a spoiled child to a bitter drunk to Michael's most ruthless advisor was probably the best character arc of the trilogy.
Spoiled brat then abused wife to would be peacemaker to ruthless enforcer would be more like it, but great development all the same.
I agree, though I don't think she was spoiled in one, just abused
Spoiled Guinea Brat!
Yeah, but that was that piece of human trash Carlo saying that
Be a murderer like your father!
Ah, that little farce you played with my sister. You think that would fool a Corleone?
Barzini's dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia, Moe Greene, Stracci, Cuneo. Today, I settle all family business, so don't tell me you're innocent, Carlo. Admit what you did.
I read that in his voice. I mean, to the best of my ability.
Try reading that in Pacino's post "And Justice For All" voice and it becomes challenging.
Or in his Heat voice! “She got a great ass!” “Gimme all ya got!” He was ferocious!
He was playing him like a coke addict, apparently.
Hello Carlo
Hi Carlo……
Uh oh!
Break it all!
Well, I feel like she probably WAS spoiled. She was the baby and the only girl. I’m sure her father and brothers absolutely doted on her.
She was definitely spoiled in One, which sadly leads to her being abused. However the spoiled side of her was downplayed in the movie (ie cut for time) because it wasn’t that integral to the plot. Plus Coppola later admitted he downplayed some of that because he couldn’t see his sister as the Connie in the book (he even said she was too pretty to be Connie) so he focused more on her being a battered wife than being a mafia princess. Therefore some of Connie’s characteristics that Puzo attributed to her being spoiled probably come across more as her being headstrong in the movie
Easily
100% agree. Definitely super interesting character development. Seeing her, as a woman, find a way to grab some power and control in a hypermasculine world is fascinating.
You actually see this transformation happen at the end of Part 2. She becomes his gatekeeper, facilitates Fredo’s murder. It’s brief, but really sets up Part 3 well.
I cannot recall her facilitating Fredo's murder, can you (or anybody) elaborate on that please?
She calls his son away to go to Reno early instead of fishing. It’s not direct, but implied she knows what’s happening. She then makes excuses for Michael in Part 3 that aren’t very convincing.
I disagree. She help make amends. Why would she help kill him after
Exactly
It is arguably implied in part III that she knews Fredo didn't drown (although it's not definitive either way). But I don't think there is any evidence to suggest she knowingly facilitated or played a role in the murder. In fact, she very clealry tries to play "peacekeeper" between Michael and Fredo in part II. Michael could have arranged for Anthony to have to go to Reno early without Connie knowing Fredo is about to be murdered.
This is my take
Exactly this is what I also always went with. After her talk with Michael at Their Mom's funeral I just can't see it any different.
Agreed
I see, thanks
This is wild - I always thought she was ignorant of Fredo's murder, and that Michael continued to keep it secret from her (especially by Part 3) in order to preserve one of his few relationships. I've never considered that not only did she know, but actually facilitated it. My mind is blown.
It’s certainly a valid interpretation. But what tips the scales for me is Coppola chooses to shoot the scene with her screaming at Michael’s son to go to Reno. She then sees Neri, Michael’s hit man, is there to go fishing with him.
IDK how I felt about it. Seemed she was really involved, or at least, she really involved herself with the family business. I liked her in 2 though. Super pretty.
Well she stopped wearing the old lady glasses and broke out of her shyness. She stayed in pretty good shape after giving birth to Rocky Jr and ….oh wait, wrong movie
Lmfao
It makes sense tho. After her marriage to Carlo and taking time to think (and drink), what does she want? She wants money, protection, and to not have some man put his hand on her again. Where is she going to have the most power with the least consequences? She has a lot of influence in the family but doesn't have to stick her neck out like the men.
She's smart and Michael knows he can trust her. She knew Fredo had to go.
We don't get to see much of how she reaches that conclusion, but I'd say she's onboard with Michael's methods of running the family by the end of GF2. The conversation she has towards the end when she tells Michael that she was angry at him but that she realized that he was "being strong for the family" (or words to that effect) makes it clear.
I think ultimately she mades the same decision that Michael and Vito made before here; she's fed up with the threats to her family and lifestyle and decides the ends justify the means.
She also killed You Altobello fuck! Way to go Connie!
It was extraordinary how she changed so many times and finally became her fathers daughter
It made sense. She was the second brightest kid after Michael and was already showing signs of being a good, ruthless counselor in pt. 2. Her gender prevented her from taking on a more formal role earlier.
He needs your support Michael. To Vincent Mancini. Her role was determinant in GF3. One of the few good things of part three.
Connies transformation is a bit weird if you think about it:
Connie starts out as a battered wife/widow in 1 She evolves into a bitter/alcoholic woman who makes poor decisions in 3 Finally, Connie becomes the leader of the Team Corleone fan club/ Michael and then Vincent’s unofficial consigliere (despite knowing what happened to Fredo)
I understand Connie more from 1 to 2 more-so than from 2 to 3
I understand Connie more from 1 to 2 more-so than from 2 to 3
A previous draft had a three-way war between Michael, Tom heading a rival crew and Connie (ostensibly Michael's adviser but secretly trying to bring Michael down).
This makes a hell of a lot more sense considering the ending of the second film had her begging to spare their brother.
Talia Shire's performance is one of the most compelling aspects of the third film and she makes the turn work, but there is no way Connie would ever forgive Michael for killing Fredo.
That draft would’ve been amazing. I can see Connie eventually forgiving Michael for Carlo but I don’t see her letting Michael off the hook for Fredo
I liked it. I just wish there was more of a transition into her role.
There was a bit of it in II but it was just her protecting the kids.
Ahh good point. Even her begging Michael to forgive Fredo was a hint of it
I really like her in the third. She was ruthless
It made sense. She went from the protected daughter to Carlo, the mess afterwards - she had to make a choice at some point, and it would have to be The Family.
Me too. That whole conversation about killing Zaza cracked me up. You can tell she was so ticked off being forced to admit Michael gets to call the shots. Vincent & Neri agree right away, but she just sits there ignoring him before finally being like “FINE! I don’t agree but, I’ll agree.”
Connie is what Michael was in GF2
Connie is one of the few interesting characters in the film. It too bad the script couldn’t figure out a way to bring her more to the forefront.
I loved it
Was alright, but last couple times I tried to watch GF3 I couldn't even get through it, the whole thing with Andy Garcia and Sophia Coppola is just so forced and unwatchable it really ruins the entire film.
I'd like to see somebody make an edit with them removed because I always thought Connie's journey was fairly interesting, but I just feel like I'm unable to enjoy that part of the movie because the rest is so bad.
If you rewrite the church plot to be more coherent, scrap all of the incest subplot between Mary and Vincent and cut down on the needlessly tiresome opera, GF3 would be a damn good movie.
Coppola needed winery money therefore G3 was thrown together.
Yep, just SO much potential, and much of it squandered. Even Pacino seemed to have phoned it in on this film. Just felt like nobody really wanted to even make the film, it just never really came together at all. And that's a good point on the bank/church plotline, that could have been really something to see play out, but it felt like an afterthought.
I just watch it for Neri.
She may be the one who takes over the Corleone family business
It is still a very old world society. She may be calling the shots, but Vincent would always be the face of the family
Always thought the alternate title should have been “shut the fuck up, Connie.”
It’s good overall but I wonder how much of Connie’s transformation in Three is because of the absence of Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall). While some of the development can be attributed to age/maturity and the changing role of women in society, I think the jump we see at the end is a bit too unrealistic for a woman of her generation in the 1970s. I can see Michael respecting her enough that he’d listen to her advice and welcome her involvement in (legitimate) family business ventures but I can’t imagine Michael being progressive enough that he’d have Connie serve as de facto consligere. I think the Sicilian in him would still forced Michael to keep a minor barrier between his sister and the family business. Plus I think if Connie were to become involved in the “family business,” she also would’ve been more likely to make her involvement more indirect than we see in Three.
A more realistic development would’ve involved her advising Michael, with Tom or another male relative (maybe one of her sons) still being consligere while perhaps grooming one of her sons to be a successor, which would’ve made for an interesting dynamic if you still had Vincent in the script. You can still have her development be such that she gives that cannoli in the end, but I don’t think she would’ve taken the same path to that point that we see in the first part of Three
I like her overall character arc but is it ever indicated what happened to her children? All I recall of any of them being mentioned is Michael berating her in the beginning of Part 2 because she doesn’t even realize her oldest boy was arrested for a petty theft. Did I miss any other references?
Wow, I didn’t think about that either. It would have been cool if they could have shown her children in part 3, just like how they showed Micheal’s children.
This was the only interesting part of the movie.
THEN THEY WILL FEAR YOU. (Fan service and call backs at their absolute worst) but Connie is supposed to be despicable, selfish, 2 dimensional and a coat tail rider. If you read the original Mario Puzo, it is stated in plain language "Connie was a lazy slut"
maybe they should fear you!
Funniest moment when Micheal shoots back , “ maybe they should fear you”
She was pulled back in well before Micheal was.
She was an Italian yenta.
Awful…when Michael was practically on the edge of his seat waiting for Connie’s approval, I almost puked…that’s the same guy who said “I don’t know this Merle, I don’t know what he does, I don’t know what he lives on”? Cmon, stop
I'm not the same guy I was 20 years ago. Few are.
Neither I am, but I’m not the polar opposite
There is no part 3
I kinda get FFC’s retro-labeling as GF 1&2 as one movie and 3 as a sort of coda.
Didn't believe it for a second.
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1mo
I’m not sure I follow. Can you explain? Is it because ‘Cuz’ died and Vincent needs some time. Or was it implied that Connie was the one holding the strings and it sailed over my head?
Silly
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I thought it was one of the more interesting parts of the movie. Kind of makes sense seeing as she was showing strength and loyalty to Michael at the end of G2.