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Vincent Corleone
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Real name Vinnie
Vincent Santino Corleone (Mancini) is a fictional character in the 1990 feature film The Godfather Part III, in which he is portrayed by Andy García, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. Vincent is the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone and his mistress Lucy Mancini. He eventually succeeds his uncle Michael as head of the Corleone family. Retroactive continuity ("retcon") was employed to create the character's existence for The Godfather Part III, as it is evident from Mario Puzo's original novel that Lucy did not conceive a child with Sonny.
Coppola has said that Vincent is, roughly speaking, an amalgamation of the five Corleone family males, having Vito's cunning, Michael's ruthlessness, Fredo's sensitivity, Sonny's fiery temper and Tom Hagen's absolute loyalty.
Biography
The Godfather Part IIIIn The Godfather, Sonny Corleone and Lucy Mancini were having an illicit affair; Vincent Mancini is the result of that union. Being illegitimate, as a youth he was not included in the Corleone family. When Michael Corleone offers him employment in one of the family's legitimate businesses, Vincent declines, preferring to work for Joey Zasa who runs the remnants of the Corleone New York City criminal empire. Vincent attempts to ingratiate himself with his uncle by attempting to protect him from rival Mafia families. The aging Michael is initially hesitant, preferring to operate lawfully, but he sees that Vincent has inherited Sonny's temper and fears Vincent will suffer his father's fate. Encouraged by Connie, his sister, Michael takes Vincent under his wing, telling him he wants Vincent to take the Corleone name.
Vincent saves Michael from an assassination attempt orchestrated by Zasa. That same night, Michael is hospitalized following a diabetic stroke. Believing Zasa will make another attempt on Michael's life, Vincent murders Zasa (with Connie's and Al Neri's approval). Michael is angry that Vincent acted without his permission, even though Michael once did the same when he murdered Virgil Sollozzo 35 years earlier to protect his own father. Troubled by Vincent's burgeoning romance with his daughter (and Vincent's cousin) Mary, Michael fears that his nephew's growing involvement in the "family business" will endanger her life. Mary asks Vincent about the stories concerning Sonny and Michael during their youth. Vincent tells her that he has heard numerous stories about Sonny, and says he was a legend and the "prince of the city". Vincent calls Michael a "hero" who saved the Corleone family. Mary asks if her father killed his own brother, Fredo, but Vincent claims it is only a story.
When Don Altobello, Michael's old ally, betrays him, Michael has Vincent spy on him. Vincent learns that Licio Lucchesi, a powerful Italian politician, was the mastermind behind the assassination plot against his uncle.
Vincent wants permission to retaliate. Michael tacitly agrees, then formally retires as don and names Vincent his successor. Michael's influence has changed Vincent into a new man: wiser, patient, and understanding his status as the new Don. His first act is to order Lucchesi, Frederick Keinszig, and Archbishop Gilday to be murdered. In return for being made don, Vincent agrees to end his and Mary's romance. That same night, the assassin Mosca attempts to kill Michael. An enraged Vincent kills Mosca with a single shot--but not before Mary dies from a bullet intended for Michael.
Abandoned sequel
What follows in Vincent's story, according to author Mario Puzo and director Francis Ford Coppola, is not exactly known. However, on The Godfather Part III 's DVD commentary, Coppola explains that both he and Puzo had envisioned a storyline depicting Vincent's reign heading the Corleone family. Vincent, deviating from his predecessors' morals, would have entered the family into the drug trade, driving the Corleone clan back into corruption and eventual decline. Vincent's story ends with him being killed similarly to Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, and presumably ending the Corleone crime family.
This proposed film would have been titled either The Godfather Part IV or The Godfather: The Final Part. Flashbacks would include Vito Corleone's early days as Don, and the childhood days of Sonny, Fredo, Michael and Connie Corleone, when they discover exactly the nature of their father's business. The film would have portrayed the early days of Tom Hagen, Luca Brasi and Johnny Fontane, and Vito's first meeting with Hyman Roth. According to Coppola, Puzo had composed a rough draft alternating between Vincent's reign as boss and the "Happy Years" of 1926–1939. Leonardo DiCaprio, Luis Guzmán, Ray Liotta, and García himself all expressed interest in the film. However, this project has lain dormant since Puzo's death in 1999.
Played by the actor
Filmography of Vincent Corleone (1 films)
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The Godfather Part III (1990)
, 2h43Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Mob film, Action, Crime
Themes Films about immigration, Mafia films, Seafaring films, Films about religion, Transport films, Gangster films
Actors Al Pacino, Andy García, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Sofia Coppola, Eli Wallach
Rating75%
In 1979, as Michael Corleone is approaching 60, he regrets his ruthless rise to power, and is especially guilt-ridden for having his brother, Fredo, murdered. He has semi-retired from the Mafia, leaving the Corleone family's criminal interests under enforcer Joey Zasa's control. Michael uses his tremendous wealth and power in an attempt to rehabilitate his reputation via numerous charitable acts. Michael and Kay divorced in 1960, and Kay was given custody of their children, Anthony and Mary.