Character Transformation - Part III

Part III:

There is a significant gap in years between Part II and the final chapter not only in the story itself but also in production therefore the characters have aged even in reality. There is a change in their location. From Miami they moved back to New York and the celebration is that of Michael’s Knighthood by the Church for his commitment to Charity. Even now, the memory of Alfredo’s murder still haunts him.

There is also a transformation in the concept of the Don’s office. For one, it is not as gloomy as we are accustomed to it in the previous movies and for another Connie was allowed to stay with the men where before no woman was allowed to stay. This transformation is due to the fact that even the “business” has transformed. No more dealing with casinos, gambling and murder therefore light is introduced in the office. Now that the business is legitimate, Michael’s daughter, Maria, has got a part in one of the groups. This transformation also happened due to the passing of time. Women were getting more involved, and the concept of a men’s world was also changing. This is also clear by the fact that Maria, the daughter rather than the son, was Michael’s favourite and also that she was in the new business while Anthony, his son, wanted nothing to do with his father’s business.

During the celebration he decides to take Vincent, Sonny’s bustard son, under his wing to train him and help him lose his father’s attitude and temper – “Temper like his father”. Vincent is in conflict with Joe Zaza and wants him dead but Michael is very patient.  Vincent’s transformation is hinted as soon as he starts working for Michael. He loses his leather jacket for a whole suit. He is learning to hold his tongue and to restrain himself from speaking his mind and let the enemy know what he is thinking.  

Later on when Michael is under huge stress from the shootout at the meetings with the other Dons he has his first diabetic shock. He cries out for Alfredo and this is the trigger point that is going to start yet another transformation in Michael particularly when in hospital very weak and on the brink of death. Vincent wants to go after Zasa for plotting this and Connie steps in and gives the order. Connie is getting stronger still and shows that she is capable of plotting murder when her family is under attack; just like her brother and her father before him.

Michael finds out about Zaza’s murder and makes it clear that he will not allow them to act behind his back. He talks to Vincent about his temper and how he inherited it from his father and he doesn’t want him to end up like him, he doesn’t want him to make his same mistakes – “His temper… too much. It clouded his reason”. Michael also asks him what is going on with Maria. He knows that they are seeing each other and doesn’t like it, knowing the consequences of their job. “When they come they come at what you love” – this is what he tells him to open his eyes and is also a foreshadowing to what will happen later on.

When Michael gets better the whole family takes a trip to Sicily for Anthony’s debut as an Opera singer. As a present to his father, Anthony learnt his father’s favourite Sicilian song, Brucia la Terra, and Michael is having flashbacks of his short lived moments with his former love, Apollonia. She was another person who died because of him, and he is starting to realize that a lot of murders have happened because of him.

Vincent is getting better at what he does. He has controlled his temper and is acting more like Michael and less like Sunny. In the meantime, Michael meets with a cardinal and decides to confess to his sins, especially that of Alfredo, his own brother.

When Don Tommasino, who had helped him hide in Sicily in his youth, is also murdered, Michael decides to pull out. He leaves all the power to Vincent now that he has proven to be up to the job “Because I can’t do it anymore” – Michael.  But the only condition to leave everything in Vincent’s hands is that he has to end his relationship with Maria; Vincent reluctantly accepts. Vincent becomes the new Don under Connie’s insistence. In fact, Connie also takes an active part in the plot when she poisons Don Altobello, her own Godfather to take revenge on him for betraying her brother Michael.  However, they keep this change of power secret since the other Families might try to take advantage. At the same time, the Corleones plan the elimination of the rival Dons to further strengthen the position of the Corleone family. The Dons, the corrupt bankers and cardinal of the Vatican’s Immobiliare International are assassinated but not before their own plan to assassinate Michael had been set in motion. Here we see Michael’s life completely shattered when all he had held highest, his family, is gone. His wife and son are estranged to him while his beloved daughter, Maria, dies in his arms after being hit by a bullet destined for him.

Michael dies a natural death in his Sicilian villa, alone and away from all the power and riches he had once commanded.