Michael's apartment in GF III

During the film's party sequence which takes place in Michael's apartment, I always got the feeling the background in the windows is fake, like it was filmed in a studio. It seems that the background is meant to be the Hudson river/Manhattan bay, but it looks really soft which is why I get the feeling it's fake. They did film in Manhattan though.

Does anyone has more info on this?

You're right, Sonny. Here's what Harlan Lebo says in his definitive "The Godfather Legacy" (p.251):

"During the six weeks of filming at Cinecitta [Rome]...the crew erected massive sets on four enormous soundstages. The largest was Michael's lavish New York penthouse apartment; others included an Atlantic City luxury suite that was machine-gunned to pieces in a meeting of Mafia dons."

Great find TB! I think that answers the question. I must say I'm a little bit disappointed as I hoped that I was wrong. This whole sequence feels like a soap with it's visible fake interior. Imo, this is the worst sequence of the film and unfortunately also an important one.

If you're talking about the scene with Andrew Hagen about to go to Rome, I agree. It wasn't in the theatrical release--it was added for home video.

BTW: Sonny, a guy with your interest and knowledge of the Trilogy should really get Lebo's book--it's universally respected here.

What about the exterior scene where Michael tells Mary "I'd burn in Hell to keep you safe?"

That looked an awful lot like Sutton Place to me.

Sonny, if I'm right, Sutton Place overlooks the East River. The Hudson River is on the west side (just in case you ever visit ).

No, I mean the party sequence with the bad keyboard music in the beginning of the film. FFC used the same routine opening with a party as he did in Part I and Part II. However, this time, it didn't work out well.



I own the Godfather Legacy for years now, as well as The Godfather Book and the Annotated Godfather. All three books are great, but for overall information The Godfather Book really is the best.

You're right. I Forgot. And during this scene when Mike sits outside with Mary you can see the interior as well. I think it's the same apartment. So now I'm confused. Maybe it isn't fake afterall. Or maybe they only used a part of that interior while the room with the fake looking windows was a studio.

In GF I, part of the compound interior was real while the Don's office was filmed inside a studio if I remember correctly.

Well, nothing compares with Connie's wedding. But the party scene in III, while hokey, serves a useful purpose: to re-introduce us to some of the folks we know and love from the other films, and to provide some little parallels. For example, the opening music is Ernesto Lecuona's "Cuban Rhapsody," which was sung (with guitar) in the opening of the Havana sequence in II. And Neri has Zasa "waiting in the lobby," as was Frankie in II. Also the party scene showed Kay in a newly assertive role.