Sonny, I think you are wrong on both counts. Although John Cazale did play his crying scene excellently after his father was shot, the silent scream in GFIII leaves it emotionally in the dust. Again, as a parent and someone who has committed his share of sins in life, I could competely identify with Michael's anguish, despair, and utter hopelessness at that point.

As far as Brando is concerned, don't forget that the characters that Pacino and Caan got to portray allowed for far more range than did Brando's. Afterall, he was the Don and was expected to be stoic and thoughtful in the face of adversity. Even the novel referred to his controlled sorrow when he learned of Sonny's death. Puzo describes his reaction as the wall of his will breaking down for just a moment. Pacino got to evolve his character from an estranged family member into a Don while Caan could be flamboyantly agressive and angry both physically and verbally.