After seeing the deleted, extended scence between Michael & Gilday, where Michael offers the $$ in exchange for control of Immobiliare, I think the scene belonged at the beginning of the film. FFC screwed up by putting it later in the film as opposed to the beginning. If that scene begins the film and is followed by Michael receiving the honor by the Pope, the storyline has a better flow.
And given the extensive set of examples of parallels to the first two films, having that deleted scene as the opening scene made obvious sense. With the camera behind Michael, showing him with his head slightly tilted to the right, with his fingers propping it up, and silently listening as the camera focuses on the favor-seeking Gilday, it would have been a nice parallel to the opening scene of GFI.
