Is it "Third Time's A Charm" or maybe "Called Third Strike?" Paging GODFATHER, Party of Three!

Rating: 7/10 (14 October 2009)

THERE IS an old, time worn bit of conventional wisdom that goes something like:
"They" say that a sequel to a movie is never as good as the original!"
WELL, WHOEVER "They" are, and "They" are eternally making these absolute truisms, always have and always do so. "They" would certainly done themselves well to dial it down a bit, remembering what "They" said about absolutes; namely that:
"They say that there are no absolutes!" (Except of course the absolute truth that there are no absolutes. Did "they" say that? Absolutely!
WELL, SCHULTZ, you certainly do get the point; being that most of the many sequels that are made, do not measure up to the first entry into what mostly always spawns a veritable series of motion pictures. (Just consider for a moment, if you please, the likes of JAWS II, ROCKY II, DEATH WISH II, BATMAN II, TOPPER TAKES A TRIP, HALLOWEEN 2 and even APPOLLO 13!*
AND WHAT about perhaps the all time cheapie, spin off in SON OF KONG; which could exist to cheaply recoup some of the exce$$I've budgetary buck$ of Pop's story in KING KONG (RKO Radio Pictures, 1933).
THERE HAVE been a few notable exceptions to the rule, though. The first that pops into my fatigued mind is FRANKENSTEIN (Universal, 1931) being followed a full four years later by BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (Universal, 1935). (Notice that back in the "Good Olde Days", Hollywood seems to be a little more trusting of us, the great, unwashed masses and actually did make variation on titles. They didn't think they necessarily needed something like DONDI II; in order to convey the message that a picture is a sequel.)
AND SO too, that THE GODFATHER's being followed by THE GODFATHER: Part 2, represented only the second time in our memory that the sequel actually was better than the original; following these two James Whale FRANKENSTEIN Pictures, was a delightful continuation and fulfillment of the originals' story line.
SO NOW let's f-a-s-t f-o-r-w-a-r-d a trifle. Hey, many more $how Bu$ine$$ Mega Buck$ could we 'possibly' extricate with more actors being present. The wild one of idea were, that falsely reasoned that there should be continued success with the sequels. BBUUZZZZT! (Our game show buzzer) WRONG!!
THE LUCK ran out as Puzo, Coppola and Paramount went with GF#3! Why, you asked? What went wrong?
FIRST OF ALL, 1990 take away 1974=16 years between numbers two and three. (Sounds a little like toilet training.) A lot had changed in Hollywood; as well as in the Real World. Finding clever ways to bump-off the enemies was taking some inventive, albeit strange twists. For example, we gotta go to tie in the Catholic Church with a contrived storyline involving the murder of the Popntif! Connie Corleone (Miss Tallia Shire) becomes a combination Hit Man & Lucritia Borgia! People get to hear Opera performed in their own language; being Italian (in Italy, yet)!
THIS IS not to say that the movie doesn't offer anything; for many of its sequences are interesting, but somehow don't seem to mesh very well into a smooth running gangland saga. Youmg Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia) is well cast as the illegitimate prince and pretender to the Corleone Family throne; but his character seems to be almost cut from the same cloth as an Agent 007. His skills at pulling off the hit of the really 'Bad Guy' Gangster, Joey Zasa (Joe Montenga) are really well developed for a young guy; with his tactics being similar to those being studied at West Point.
IT HAS been said that the Godfather author, the late Mr. Mario Puzo, was working on a fourth installment of the Corleone Family story when he passed away in 1999. If so, we have no doubt that we will see how the Family Business runs with young Don Vincenzo (Mr. Garcia) calling the shots.
THEN MAYBE Director Coppala can take a new road and bring us a GODFATHER TV Series; perhaps a Sitcom. How about Charlie Sheehan as the wisecracking Don Corleone with Rip Taylor as a Funny Consiglieri; just for Comic Relief!
FOR Remember, Schultz, we Americans, that is all real, right thinking Americans love our Gangster Pictures, even the lesser ones.
NOTE * Me friend Schultz and meself still haven't seen APPOLLO 13. We've strong feelings that we should see APPOLLO 1 to 12 before hand.