Midmorning With Aundrea 12/08/20 (Part 4)

(Part 4 of 4) After harsh criticism, Francis Ford Coppola has re-cut the finale of his legendary "The Godfather" trilogy.

We hear from the legendary director about his thoughts on this project.

30 years ago this month, the final film of the epic godfather saga had its premiere.

But "th godfather part three" would tak a critical drubbing.

Now, director francis ford coppola has re-cut the film, altering not only the beginning and the ending, but the title itself .

In his ÁfirstÁ t-v interview about the film, now called "mari puzo's the godfather: coda, the death of michael corleone," coppola tells anthony mason the epilogue has been given "a new life.

Nat: narr: it was the long-awaited finale to the iconic godfather series& nat sot : "friends, ou business together is done" narr: and it took 14 years for director francis ford coppola to agree to make it nat sot : "just when thought i was out, they pull me back in&" narr: in the film, which coppola co- wrote with mario puzo, the now aging mafia don, michael corleone, played by al pacino, tries to launder his millions in a vatican enterprise & go legitimate.

Nat sot : "don' overestimate the power of forgiveness" coppola: "we bot imagined the film was gonna be sort of a battle for michael corleone's soul."

Narr: but the godfather part iii famously flopped with critics.

And it's bothered coppola ever since.

Mason: you had the washington post which said, "th film isn't just a disappointment, it's a failure of heartbreaking proportions."

Coppola: "sam thing happened on apocalypse.

I-- i had reviews of apocalypse saying, "it's the greates movie disaster in 40 years," by a ver important critic.

And i said, // is it really the worst movie ever made in fourty--" i wa heartbroken.

Nat : "tony said that i' a front for the foundation" narr: some of the most vicious criticism of the godfather part iii was aimed at coppola's then 19- year-old daughter, sofia.

Nat : "my daughter mary corleone" narr: he cast her after winona ryder dropped out.

Sofia's performance was widely panned.

Nat : "hi vincent& narr: one critic called her "hopelessl amateurish."

Nat : "you know, yo haven't kissed me hello yet" coppola: when the film came out, the bullets that sofia got were meant for me, just as in the story, ironically.

// mason: "when sh got those bullets, how did you feel?

Coppola: : "after we mak the move to nevada, you can break off from the corleone family and go on your own&" narr: casting conflicts plagued the godfather films from the start.

Mason: "the studio in-- in- in the beginning with the first film didn't want you to cast pacino, did they?"

Coppola: that's right, because he was short and-- and not a typical, he wasn't a handsome guy like robert redford, you-- you know."

// i had me pacino // and when i read the book, i saw his face.

And when you see someone's face in a part, it's hard to get that // outta your head.

// you know, i had no power.

I had no money.

I had no real clout.

But i had my convictions.

Nat sot: "the winner i francis ford coppola for the godfather part ii" narr: though his first two godfather films were epic successes& coppola resisted revisiting the corleones.

Mason: how did they finally convince you to make the third film?

// coppola: i had lost a studio i had.

I was in bankruptcy.

I was losing my vineyard.

I was in-- a terrible financial--// distress.

Narr: it was an offer he couldn't refuse& and the godfather part iii did receive seven academy award nominations.

But, three decades later, coppola feels he finally got it right: nat : "what's wron with being a lawyer?"

"nothing, except h doesn't want it."

Coppola: it was sort of like pulling on the thread of a sweater that annoyed you, and then you end up reknitting the whole sweater.

// if an audience does not understand what's going on, it's very hard for them to be emotional about it.

Narr: and, he says, the new version "vindicates" h daughter& now an award-winning filmmaker herself: mason: have you shown sofia the new cut?

Coppola: i showed all the cast the new-- the new cut.

She didn't want to see it // but she thought that the whole thing was better // i can't watch the movie without breaking in tears at the end.

You know, i really, you know, because-- not only is it my child i'm seeing, but // you see a man's soul die nat: "mary, woul you please&" narr: in the climactic scene, mary corleone takes a bullet aimed for her father.

Its the kind of epic filmmaking to which coppola always aspired: nat" coppola: "when i works, when an audience comes alive with a film, you remember all your life.

//i will remember going with george lucas, the two of us, to see-- lawrence of arabia together.

And // we were just, our mouths open, and we were changed forever."

// we were in love with the cinema.

We wanted-- we wanted to make beautiful cinema like that."

Mason: "are yo happy now to-- that-- that you've-- that you've-- that you've redone the last godfather film?"

Coppola: "i find it very moving film and the concept of w-- what the story is very intriguing and very original.

Hope and wish and dream i could make-- a last big film."

Mason: "so you- you're not done yet."

Coppola: "i don' feel i am, no."

Anthony mason, cbs news, new york.

"mario puzo's th godfather: coda, the death of michael corleone" will be available in select theaters this week, and on blu-ray and digitally on amazon december 8th.