I agree in most regards so my idea for the 'modern-day' sequences would boil away most of the superflous plot ideas (that is, no Vatican/Immobilaire baloney), and concentrate almost completely on the relationships WITHIN the Corleone Family. (With Mary dead, thankfully the pseudo-incest romance subplot is gone.)

The family would face threats from other gang figures and from the Feds, but I wouldn't waste half the movie on a long involved subplot like the Vatican deal. :rolleyes:

As far as the 'flashback' sequences to the 1927-1941 era are concerned, we really don't need to make up much of anything new - we already know what sections of the original GF novel by Puzo havn't been covered in I, II and III, so the general outline of what would happen in the "flashback' story line is already pretty much set.