Connie

I'm just wondering what everyone thinks of Connie? At first when I saw her in Part I, I didn't like her at all. She was just so weak in every way imaginable. I didn't like her that much in Part II either, but in Part III, I LOVED her (hence my name. ). Her character evolved so much from Part I to Part III.

It always surprises me that Michael didn't get as angry at her as he could have for giving the order to kill Zasa. Do you think Michael would have been so tolerant if Connie had done something like that in Part II?

Since Michael got weaker, sicker and more vulnerable in III, it's not a coincidence that Connie (and Kay), portrayed as weak and wimpy in GF and II, were portrayed as stronger, more decisive, more assertive in III. In the wedding scene early in the novel, Puzo describes Connie as someone who was likely to become "shrewish" later in life. He was right.

I have said this elsewhere and often. Connie's arc as a character in all threee movies is astonishing. Starting off as the "spoiled guinea brat" in GF, she evolves first into the slutty divorcee, and then Michael's caretaker in GFII, and by GF III she is a real force in the family. She gives the order to have Zasa killed, she shepards the rise of Vincent to become Michael's successor, she becomes Michael's closest confidante, and even soothes his guilt about killing Fredo. Then she makes her bones by offing
Altobello with those cannoli. She was a late bloomer, but by the end of GF III she was most definitely her father's daughter.

What does the term "guinea brat" mean? I've always wondered and tried to find out but never got an answer.

"guinea" is a racial slur for an Italian.

Talia Shire. The worst actress on the face of the earth in GF1. She obviously got this job from her connection to her brother. Throwing the crockery around in the fight with her husband after she accused him of his infidelity, her hysterical scene at the end when she accused Michael of killing her husband. What a joke, her acting was laughable. In the sequences, she was better. But, in my humble opinion, Talia Shire was a total nothing.

Disagree severley.

Connie's transformation in all three movies is very evident. Still an innocent girl being beaten by her husband in part one, you feel sorry for her. By GFII, she turns to the dark side (in character) as she's used like a whore going to different men. It's easy to understand her transformation from GFI to GFII, but something I've really never understood is her power hungry craze in GFIII. She's basically the de facto Don while Michael's busy dealing with his acquisition of immobiliare and the handing over of power to his nephew. In a way, Connie's also grooming her nephew, Vincent for his role of the Don. Then, by the time Vincent takes over, the trilogy has ended. Guess we'll have to wait until Part IV to see how Connie developes again.

You're kidding.

Sorry, I think she was terrible. And she was terrible in the Rocky movies. Why didn't she go on to have a career after these movies! Her acting was second rate. In my humble opinion!

Maybe because she doesn't look like Halle Berry or Jennifer Lopez?

Talia Shire has had a fine career as an actress, a career on her own terms. She is an accomplished actress, and I feel her portrayal of Connie throughout the trilogy was exceptional and dynamic.

Do you really think the bombshells who presently get the starring roles in films do so because of their fine acting ability? Come on.

But you are entitled to your opinion, and I thank you for expressing it.

Talia Shire in my opinion is more attractive than either of the two.

Thanks guys! I should have said "in my humble opinion." I stand with what I posted about Ms. Shire, but I am so enamored and enchanted with Lorraine Bracco's performance in Goodfellas. Ms. Shire's performance didn't even come close to Ms. Bracco's.

Ms. Shire obviously didn't pass Drama 101. She was terrible. And I stick with my opinion.

And Halle Berry and JoLo! Escuse me! The worst excuse for actresses on the planet!

Thank you. Exactly my point, Janice.

Pretty darn good careers do not necessarily result from great acting. Likewise, a great ability to act does not necessarily result in a plethora of starring roles.

Yeah they should have someone like J "Junk in the Trunk" Lo or perhaps that ethnic looking Reese Witherspoon, or That greattalent Brittany Spears.


Talia Shire was GREAT in the GF Movies and in the First two Rocky Movies (I dont count the remaining Rocky movies as valid/

Janice Soprano stands by her original posts!