Pass on that golden telephone

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2003)

The story has the quality of an average soap opera. Nonetheless, it's excellent filmmaking. I like the voyage in time and space that the viewer is allowed to take here: From the arid hinterland of Sicily to the stuffy brownstones in Hell's Kitchen to the grandeur of Lake Tahoe, to the elegant beachfront hotel in Cuba. In two occasions the meeting of crooks (that's more ore less what The Godfather in all parts is about) takes on the guise of a true art house movie: Hyman Roth's little birthday party on the roof terrace of a ritzy hotel in the Caribbeans and  above all  the passing around of an immensely tasteless golden telephone in the conference room of a Cuban ministry. Here it becomes more manifest than in any bloody murder scene: These guys are genuine carnivores!
I loved the outstanding performances of actors Lee Strasberg and John Cazale, both long gone now. Strasberg gives the sly, but old and exhausted schemer Hyman Roth a striking image. Amazing how much of a personality you can convey with moving so little! His difficult breathing, the faltering yet firm voice are just perfect. Cazale's portrayal of the Don's older, frustrated brother also left a lasting impression. You can almost grasp his unhappiness with your hands. The final conversation between him and the Don is a fantastic piece of acting. Slumped utterly dejected in a deck chair, he tries for the last time to stand up to his brother. "I'm smart!" he shouts, and his voice cracks miserably. I feel acting can't get better than that.