‘Godfather III’ Preview Draws Mixed Views : Movies: Comments from journalists, critics and industry executives range from ‘soap opera-ish’ to ‘satisfying sequel.’

It took 16 years, but Francis Ford Coppola’s third installment in the “Godfather” series was unveiled Wednesday night to critics, journalists and film industry executives, 13 days before the movie’s Christmas Day opening in 1,800 theaters across the nation. The reaction? Mixed.

Among many persons interviewed after the screening, comments ranged from “excellent” to “major disappointment.” Most respondents compared the movie to its two Oscar-winning predecessors, “The Godfather” in 1972 and “The Godfather Part II” in 1974.

“It’s opera,” said one viewer as she abruptly stood up just as applause greeted the first credits at the end of the $60-million production.

“I have a confession to make, I got bored,” said another viewer, over the sound of stronger applause for the name of Andy Garcia, who plays the mobster nephew of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. The movie also stars Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach and Joe Mantegna.

Jo Greenwald of Sierra Madre, who attended with a friend who works for National Public Radio, said, “I didn’t like it as much as the original, but it was better than ‘Godfather Part II’ . . . it was opulently filmed--I loved that. It was definitely well-worth seeing.”

A film critic, who did not wish to be identified, called it “soap opera-ish.”

Two hours and 41 minutes earlier, the lobby of Mann’s Village Theater in Westwood, was abuzz with chatter and the crush of frenzied guests who had just braved rush-hour traffic.

There was speculation about whether Coppola would attend. “He’s in Los Angeles, but he’s not here,” a Paramount publicist said. Would he slip in and sit in the back after the movie starts? “Who knows, he might,” she said. There were reported Coppola sightings at an afternoon screening for the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.

A few waiting to see the movie had placed calls to friends in New York to get the “early election returns” from the media screening that had just concluded there.

Talk before the screening also focused on that morning’s showings of “The Godfather Part III” for the business side of the movies--the all-important theater owners. Not only was Paramount’s investment and Coppola’s reputation riding on the outcome of the morning showings, but theater owners had postponed making final commitments for bookings during the lucrative holiday box-office season until they had seen Coppola’s latest.

Word was that the theater owners’ reaction had been lukewarm. One who had attended in the morning, called it “neither a flop nor an epic” but predicted “people will want to see it.”

“The consensus is it’s a very satisfying sequel to the two previous ‘Godfathers,’ ” said Dan Harkins, of Harkins Amusement Enterprises, which will show the film in theaters in Phoenix and Scottsdale. “But I’m not sure it’s as brilliant as the first one.”

Wednesday night’s media screening was one of the hottest tickets in recent memory. Since there were only press screenings in Los Angeles and New York, some feared a repeat of the overbooking that plagued the press preview of “Batman” more than a year ago. At that event, many invited guests had to be turned away. A Paramount spokesman said press screenings of “Godfather III” in other cities would not be scheduled until Dec. 20.

“When a man has made lightning strike twice, you’ve got to hope that lightning strikes a third time,” said “Entertainment Tonight” reviewer Leonard Maltin as he took his seat among the 1,500 other invited guests. Maltin’s reference, of course, was to the two predecessors by Coppola, both of which chronicled the life of the fictitious Corleone family and its involvement with the Mafia.

This third film in the trilogy is set in 1979 and finished prints weren’t readied until early this week. A source close to the project said Coppola sought to make some dialogue changes as late as Monday, but was told by the studio there was no more time. It was originally scheduled to open before Thanksgiving, but the date was pushed back to Christmas as it became evident the film wouldn’t be ready.

Rumors about the film occupied Hollywood for months--a need to reshoot some portions of the movie in Sicily between stars Al Pacino and Diane Keaton in September, and rumors had begun circulating that it wouldn’t make it into theaters before next Easter.

But finally the screening came.

Invitations were a hot property for days when they were mailed at the end of last week. Paramount took extra precautions by mailing tickets separately from the invitations to make sure the tickets didn’t fall into “wrong” hands. A note advised that if invitees experienced trouble with mail delivery, they could pick up their tickets in person at the studio.

A Paramount spokesman said the entire publicity staff was brought in to handle arriving guests Wednesday night, extra security was hired, and the theater was opened more than an hour early to accommodate the arriving crowd.

Curtis Michelini a security guard who helped control the entrance, said a number of people had to be turned away at 7:30, which was the announced starting time. “We had no problem with people trying to crash the door,” Michelini said. “ But people were disappointed when they got here late and were told they couldn’t get it because the movie had started and it was already too crowded.”

As the theater lights went down and the first strains of the familiar Nino Rota theme were heard, the audience’s sense of relief could almost be felt. There was applause for the first notes as “The Godfather” title appeared on screen. Then applause again and nervous laughter when “Part III” popped up a few seconds after.

Two hours and 41 minutes later. . . .

Jeff Yarbrough, west coast editor of EGG magazine, said it was “Andy Garcia’s film, even when Al Pacino was on the screen.” The magazine had featured Garcia on the cover of its November issue, and took a risk, Yarbrough said, “because no one from the magazine had seen a thing from the movie.” But Yarbrough feels EGG’s gamble, “definitely paid off. An early scene in which Garcia confronts two thugs will make him a star to remember.”

Los Angeles attorney Marty Roberts, came away thinking, “It was a repeat on the first two films and a set-up for a fourth.” But still, he said, “I enjoyed it.”

Many commented on the complicated storyline which involves a repentant Michael Corleone (Pacino) trying to make amends for his violent history by winning the backing of the Catholic Church and involving his family fortune in the intrigues of the Vatican’s banking business. But as he is about to realize his dream, Corleone discovers, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

The movie’s dramatic and bloody climax is filmed against a backdrop of a performance of the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

One exhibitor, who had seen the screening earlier in the day and did not wish to be identified, called the climax “masterful,” but said the movie’s plot, “tends to be convoluted.” Another said, “They didn’t know how to end it, so they ended up killing people.”

Overheard in the lobby after the Wednesday night screening were comments like, the film was “hard to follow” or “there was too much plot.”

Coppola’s daughter Sofia, in the featured role as Corleone’s daughter, appeared to rub several viewers the wrong way. “She didn’t photograph well,” said one, politely.

“Pacino should get a nomination,” said TV Guide writer Michael Logan. “I thought the movie was excellent, and I’m a big fan of the first two.”

Another journalist on his way out said simply: “It was my third favorite of the three.”