I was watching the other day GF1 and GF2 in chronological order with deleted scenes.(not on the same day of course )
I was watching it for the 20th time with 2 of my friends who have never seen the GF movies.

First tape- 2:10 - mostly De Niro and the first part of GF1 -- My friends LOVED it.

Second tape - 2:20 - most of GF1 - they LOVED it even more!!!

Third tape - 2:30 - 1 or 2 scenes from GF1 but the rest is GF2 without the flashback scenes which were on the first tape.
so it was 2 hours and 30 minutes of Hyman Roth/Frank Pentangeli scenes and a little Fredo.
my 2 friends were DISAPPOINTED.they say that unlike the firts 2 tapes,this one was BORING.
they did like the parts with Fredo...but there arent many.

so anyway,it made me wonder about GF2 :

Do you think the movie would have been a success like it was without the flashback scenes?
do you think that it could even be a "failure" if the movie came out without the flashback scenes?

I was talking to another friend and he also told me that he likes the GF2 very much and the scenes in the present are "ok" but hes mostly waiting for the flashbacks...and they are only 1 hour of a 3 hours movie...makes you wonder just how great they are and make you wonder what would be GF2 today if it was a 2 hours movie without the flashbacks...it couldve been so,who knows.

One will never know.

The flashbacks are immensely important to the GF saga. Those of us who saw the GF at the movies in '72 hungered for info on Vito's background. We had read the book, so we knew what the background was. But, we needed its cinematic version to solidify the inages in our heads and make the GF experience complete.

I think Pacino is really the saving grace of Michael's business side in GF II. The whole Roth-Pentangeli-Rosato brothers angle during my first couple of viewings came of rather dull(and confusing). It just seemed to lack spice and u're not really sure what the heck is going on. Pacino's magnetic presence is really the only thing that kept me interested through the whole thing. The story really picks up once he returns from Cuba though. That's when we get to see the downfall in Michael's character and the tragedy of his situation.

The flashbacks, of course, is the true genius of FFC. Everything just looks so picture perfect and Marlon Brando had created such an incredible character in GF I that it was hard to not be hooked into Young Vito's life. Plus the parallel shown between Vito and Michael's life. There's no doubt GF II wouldn't be considered the classic it is today w/o the flashbacks.

oops double post.

well i honestly think that if you realize that without the flash backs in part 2 it wouldn't be the classic it is today, then it's good to recognize that part 3 wasn't as bad as we realize. it was without it's most interesting character-vito. but it's still watchable, and far from boring.

So if GF3 had flashbacks of the early days of the family,with Sonny,Fredo and Michael as young boys/teenagers...and De Niro could still play as Vito...and Tom Hagen would still be around...GF3 could have been just as good or even better...maybe,what do you think?

But GF3 is still a good movie-I think the whole music issue in GF3 (Tony in Sicily,the Opera and more) is very beautiful to watch...I really loved the last part of the film inside the opera - the way it goes from the assassin back to Tony's Play...beauty.
Besides,without GF3...Silvio Dante would have no reason to live

A very brilliant idea, Debra.

I've always thought another movie could be swilled by Deniro playing the Don one more time. It might have just saved part III. They probly would not have had to rely on the "cousins" storyline to fill space.

In a perfect world, FFC would go back and shoot about and hour's worth of footage and splice it in. We can't always get what we want though.

I like the Roth, Pentangeli, Fredo parts more than the flashback scenes. IMO, the flashback scenes were quite slow (and too long at some places). Especially the landlord increasing the rent scenes, the carpet robbery and Fanucci's death scene. FFC says he wanted the Fanucci killing to stand out, so he put in the big sequence.
I think the reason I cared less about the flashback scenes is that I was more interested in michael's story than vito's. I viewed all the 3 parts as michael's story. But I do like the flashback scene where vito discusses with clemenza and tessio about killing Fanucci. Also all the scenes with Don Ciccio were great. But nothing compares to Pentangeli scenes => my favorite.

The first time I saw the Trilogy ever was the chronological version. I much prefer watching Part II intercut, with the two parallel storylines of a father on the rise and a son on the fall.

First couple of viewings I much prefer the Vito sequences. But there's something about the whole Cuban sequence; betrayal, family, and inevitable hurt are just three themes of several in that sequence that pretty much sum the movie up, and the character of Michael. Excellent.

Mick

Really, I cant call it a fall. Temporary difficulties. And I must say, wiewing GF2 without flashbacks makes you understand where GF3 begins. Not to such an extent, thank God, but with many flaws in logik and characters already. And really too much of Roth & Co.