I din't like the fact that puzo wrote so much about these characters, i mean what was the point? what did these characters have to do with the big picture? as i read about these guys i felt like if i was reading another book there was nothing exciting going on. and by the way who's idea was it to modify Lucy Mancini's role in GFIII? in the book she doesn't have a son from sonny, so there would have never been a Vincent Mancini, i wonder how much time was spent in trying to come up with this plot for the movie.

Dont forget the book came first and when Mario Puzo wrote the book he didn't know it would go to the big screen.
These characters add extra dimension to the story I think. Also, Johnny Fontaine was Don Vitos much loved godson and so his life was given 'extra coverage' in the book. Books are often 'padded out' in my opinion and even some topical stuff thrown in to help them sell (ie sex)
When making the film something had to go or it woud have been too long. I suppose they dropped the part of the story that had the smallest repurcussions on the whole story.
The book I read was the most basic 'Godfather' book but there are many and varied books out there now on the filming and making of the movies maybe you could have a look out for one of those to help you out a bit, I'm going to!
FH

The fact is, these characters are IN the book, and they are exactly what Mario Puzo wanted. They build a broader picture to the whole story. In the film we're given just a taste of them, which is fine because you wouldn't want to detract from the family life. As far as not being exciting, not everybody wields a gun.

The relationship as seen in the book between Johnny and the Godfather, shows how he made money and dealt with those that were close to him. Of the remaining Jules & Nino while being on the edge of the story are important as they give it depth.

Regarding Lucy Mancini, you've hit a sore point with me... I do feel that the book should have been within reason, followed exactly. Lucy having a child who then becomes in time the head of the family, is such a drastic twist from the original. I find it hard to understand why Mario Puzo did give his blessing, if indeed he did. (I would be interested to know if he had some reservations about this)

I've mentioned in an earlier post that GF3 isn't my favourite, the whole Lucy thing being the main reason. Another point is how suddenly Connie is so for the Family. My last images of her was hating Michael (GF1), and if I remember correctly she wasn't exactly forgiving in (GF2). All of a sudden she pops up acting like a dominatrix. Weird!

Now I might have made a few errors here, as I havn't watched GF1 & GF2 for a few months. As for GF3, I own it, well you've got to really. But I have only watched it 3 times the last being around 2 years ago on a Sicillian weekend stag party.

Last point, I'm fairly new and the whole GF3 issue is a really big bone of contention with me. It may have been covered in earlier posts, still checking them, but what do others think?

Should the film have been made, if so could it have been different or am I being anal?

Your help is appreciated.

I don't think the movie should have been made at all.

Puzo wrote GF3, but FFC changed EVERYTHING about it!

Puzo wanted Vincent's charcter to be Sonny's REAL son, Santino Corleone Junior.

Search for Ricardo or Member number (I THINK 721) and go to one of the many GF3 topics you'll find!

You wouldn't be the same hypocrite that asks about what luca Brasi does in the novel, by any chance would you?

Luca is the Don's bodyguard, and to cast an evil image Puzo delves into this sick Mob Assassin's murders!

Johnny Fontane is the Don's Godson, and the reason for the FAMOUS Horsehead in bed scene. "Act like A Man" has to do with Johnny leaving his daughters and wife for a hollywood whore.

The Johnny Fontane Vs. Jack WOltz war continues at the Academy Awards. (Puzo has a love for movie making, SEE The Last DOn)

Johnny's friend Nino Valenti is a struggling alcoholic added to cast a pathetic loser hasbeen image on Fontane. After Johnny's fame is over they reunite. Nino later dies from alcoholism. (Perhaps Puzo had a friend who died of alcoholism, after all we hear about Puzo's reallife Gambling addiction, yet we never hear Puzo and Alcohol mentioned in the same sentence, perhaps he didn't drink and wanted to preach against drinking.)

Jack Woltz is the Pedophile Studio Owner who made his way up from the docks at Fisherman's Wharf.

Lucy Mancini is added to cast Santino's hotheaded Playboy image, he cheats on his wife with the bridesmaid. She's partially the reason Santino was in the city so much that he was eventually murdered. After Santino dies, Lucy is grief stricken and Tom Hagen moves her to Las vegas under the watchful eye of Fredo Corleone.

Deanna Dunn is added to portray the typical Blonde hollywood starlet in the 1940's. She later marreid Vegas bigwig Fredo Corleone, but they had a falling out in the late 50's.

Jules Segal was added to bring Lucy Mancini out of depression and to add some romance into the novel, where Mike and Kay were separated for 4 years. Jules has Mike's jaw fixed.

Also, Puzo added the Abortion, Throat Warts, Jaw Restoration, and Vaginary Operation issues to brag about his surgical knowledge.

Moe Greene is the Bugsy Siegel Las Vegas bigwig who watches over Fredo for Don Molinari and is in debt to the Corleones for bankrolling his Casino. He was added to tie the Corleones into Gambling and Las Vegas.

The Moe, Ola and Heyman angle was cast to imitate the Siegel, Alo, and Lansky Gambling Prohibition angle.

Lucy and Jules may have seemed extraneous to the story, but they gave Puzo a chance to show that Michael was generous to people with some connection to the Family. Michael didn't just let Lucy just fade away after Sonny got whacked, he gave her a job. Jules helps Michael (and Johnny), and provides Michael with a nice prop to give a speech about loyalty. Nino gives Puzo a chance to show off what he learned about Hollywood, which I liked less, and which was out of control in "The Last Don."

I thought Puzo could've done without it, but I see your point, Turnbull. However, even allowing that, I thought it was just plain too lengthy. Thankfully, Coppola and Puzo spared us the agony in the movie version!

I agree, Snake: the movie didn't suffer a bit without Lucy, Jules and Nino. Plus, we didn't have to suffer through Lucy's gynecological operation, as we did in the novel.

I only liked the sex about those characters. They were completely unrrevelant, otherwise

agreed.

about Connie being a 'dominatrix' all of a sudden in III after hating Michael in I and not being too forgiving in II (altough she moves in and start to take care of his children); the gap between Michael sitting alone in Lake Tahoe and Michael writing his children for his church award in New York is over 20 years. So much could have happened in those 20 years. I think we are to believe Connie and Michael, both alone after II in some way, lived together that period, so therefore it's obvious they grew to each other.

And maybe it was intended to be a "new, fresh, spectacular" plot to have Connie be the gangster in III while Michael wants everything legal in his Family.