Godfather III

Was on one of my HBO channels yesterday afternoon so I tuned in for a while and noticed something I hadn't before. The scene where Mary and Vincent are on the street and Vincent points out the Genco Olive Oil bldg he says to her something like, "That's where our grandfather got his start, making $3 per week..." That's not correct. In II we see Vito working for Abandando at the grocery store. He then later founds Genco after taking out Fanucci as a front for his emerging empire.

Just thought that was sloppy. Anybody else pick up on this?

I did. However, I think FFC storied it that way so that audiences would make the connection with Vito and the company. Remember, not all viewers saw I & II.

Ah, so that's how GF3 got an Oscar Best Picture Nomination.

Well working in the grocery store wasn't really a start, it was more of a way Vito was able to live until Fanucci made Abbondando an offer he couldn't refuse. Vito's real "start" came when Clemenza got him to hide some weapons in his apartment and returned the favor by getting the rug from Vito from his "friend's" house. Vito then made fast work of Fanucci and founded Genco as the front for his truly lucrative operations. I am sure the family narrative that Mary always heard was, "Your grandfather came here as a boy, with nothing, started this olive oil company and got rich." That is how she came to say Genco is where Vito got his start. I do have a question though. Was the building she pointed out the same place where Vito gave that landlord all those problems in II? Ir looked like a different location, in which case the line should have been "That's where our grandfather expanded his business."

Besides, how does one fit the grocery store into the legend of Vito Corleone...

"Well kids, here's the grocery store where Grandpa started off, until Don Fanucci stole his job for his nephew. Then Grandpa knocked off Don Fanucci at the festival, took over the neighborhood and started Genco."

dt, nothing in the movie or the novel indicates that the Genco building was the same as Sr. Roberto's apartment house.

My point is, Vincent stating that Vito got his start making $3/hour at Genco is not accurate. It should have been worded something like, "That's were it all started for our grandfather." or something similar. To me it is just sloppy writing based on what we know from II.

Right, it's not accurate but I don't think it's sloppy writing or an oversight.

All family histories get a bit of unreality as the generations pass and it seems perfectly natural for Vincent to further the Family mythology about Vito's humble beginnings.

That comment makes more sense than him saying "That's where our grandfather set up a front company after murdering Don Fanucci and taking over his protection rackets."

Also, bear in mind that Vincent wasn't raised in the family so his information probably came from Lucy Mancini, who might not have known the true details of Vito's younger days.

"Our grandfather ... "

Doesn't enhance the romance, does it?

It does have the hint of banjos in the background...

You know, at the meeting in Rome about Immobiliere, it was made clear that despite any prior agreements the Immobiliere deal had to be ratified by the Pope. As the Cardinal stated, the Pope was gravely ill.

Well, two questions. First, the Cardinal also stated that "this is a brief delay, nothing more." Was he referring to the Pope recovering from his illness and ratifying the deal or was he referring to the Pope's successor ratifying the deal?

Second, why was Michael's lawyer so upset with those in attendance at the Vatican meeting? Despite any opposition from those at that meeting, the Corleones controlled the Immobiliere board (as he stated) and it was the Pope's (and the Pope's alone) ratification (or lack thereof) that would determine Michael's control of Immobiliere. With or without that ratification, Lucchesi and his cohorts could not affect Michael's control of Immobiliere.

Well, Oli, to raise a point that you and I have agreed upon many times: poor writing, which is rampant in III. The Melanoma Poster Boy got angry because he suspected chicanery which, as you point out, shouldn't have occurred--logically.