A Day for the ‘Godfather’ : Movies: The long-awaited continuation of the gangster series opens with a Christmas record. But the real test of the Corleone saga comes this weekend.

Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part III” opened Tuesday with an all-time Christmas Day record. With a single-day’s ticket sales of $6.4 million, the long-awaited sequel was ranked third among the five-day holiday weekend’s Top 10 titles.

The $55-million film--which is reportedly being bolstered by some $20 million in marketing and distribution costs--opened on 1,820 screens, for a per-screen-average of $3,509. That’s a high figure for a day that is not traditionally a big moviegoing day, and for a film with a lengthy running time (2 hours 40 minutes) that limits many theaters to three or four screenings daily. But weighed against the level of anticipation, and the enormous amount of publicity that accompanied the film’s release, some exhibitor sources expressed disappointment.

As several sources noted, the film was standing room only in the big cities--not in smaller cities, where some exhibitors expected bigger crowds. Exhibitors also expressed concerns about whether the Christmas Day crowd--reported to be largely dominated by adults--will widen to include the teen-age audience.

Paramount Pictures was quick to counter any dimming of its bright Christmas Day performance. “We are ecstatic! This movie has exceeded our expectations,” declared Barry London, Paramount’s motion picture group president in charge of distribution. London added that he has been in touch with Coppola about the figures, “and he is delighted.”

It has been 16 years since the last entry in the saga of the Corleone family. Winners of a combined nine Academy Awards, the original “The Godfather” (1972) and “The Godfather II” (1974) have combined worldwide grosses of $700 million.

Though news about “Godfather III” dominated the reports of moviegoing over the five day holiday period--Friday through Tuesday--it was “Home Alone” that once again dominated the charts.

The 20th Century-Fox comedy about an 8-year-old who must fend for himself over the holidays had ticket sales of $14.8 million on 2,108 screens, for a per-screen average of $7,020. That’s an impressive number considering the film had already played for five weeks. The season’s PG-rated runaway sleeper has now grossed $118.6 million.

In the No. 2 spot, with receipts of $11.2 million, was Universal Pictures’ just-out “Kindergarten Cop,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a tough cop who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher. The PG-13-rated film, which drew critical complaints because of its mix of violence and comedy, played on some 1,833 screens, where it had a per-screen average of $6,143.

Among the other new titles in wide release, MGM/UA’s “The Russia House” was No. 7 with ticket sales of $4.4 million. Based on John le Carre’s best-selling espionage thriller, and starring Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer, the film opened on 717 screens where it averaged a solid $6,186.

Warner Bros.’ “Bonfire of the Vanities”--starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith--debuted in eighth place with receipts of $4.2 million on 1,373 screens, for a disappointing per-screen average of $3,071. Directed by Brian De Palma, and based on Tom Wolfe’s acclaimed satirical novel about a Wall Street executive whose life falls apart following a car accident in the South Bronx, the film opened to mixed reviews--some of them scathing--and reports that Wolfe himself was displeased with the adaptation.

The end-of-the-year film flurry also saw a number of titles debuting in limited release. Columbia Pictures’ “Awakenings,” directed by Penny Marshall and starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, earned $417,076 on 12 screens, for a per-screen average of $29,244. Warner Bros.’ “Hamlet,” starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, earned $116,975 on four screens, an average of $29,244. Orion’s latest Woody Allen title, “Alice,” opened on Christmas Day on three screens, where it grossed $36,274, for a per-screen average of $12,091.

Rounding out the weekend’s limited release titles, with estimated ticket sales: Fox’s romantic period drama, “Come See the Paradise,” $63,005; Buena Vista’s romantic comedy “Green Card,” $47,781.

Among the holdovers, Fox’s romantic fantasy, “Edward Scissorhands,” directed by Tim Burton (“Batman”) and starring Johnny Depp as a young man with scissors for hands, was fourth with estimated ticket sales of $6.2 million on an estimated 1,079 screens (a per-screen average of about $5,746). Orion Pictures’ Western epic “Dances With Wolves” took fifth place, with receipts of $5.9 million on 1,254 screens, for a per-screen average of $4,710. In its second week of release, Tri-Star Pictures’ talking baby comedy, “Look Who’s Talking Too,” earned $5.8 million for sixth place. In release on 1,616 screens, it averaged $3,625 per screen.

Rounding out the weekend’s Top 10 were the holdover titles “Misery” (Columbia, $4.1 million) and “Three Men and a Little Lady” (Buena Vista, $3.5 million). “Mermaids” (Orion), starring Cher and Winona Ryder, plummeted to 11th place in its second weekend with ticket sales of just $3.3 million on 968 screens for an average of $3,433.

Also taking a tumble over its opening week was the big star vehicle, “Havana.” Starring Robert Redford, and marking his seventh collaboration with director Sydney Pollack--the last being the 1985 Oscar winner, “Out of Africa”--the film fell to 12th place. With receipts of $1.6 million on 831 screens, it had a weak per-screen average of $1,970.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

Movie Weekend Screens/ Weeks in Total (Studio) Gross Average Release Gross 1. “Home Alone” $14.8 2,108 6 $118.6 (20th Century Fox) Million $7,020 Million 2. “Kindergarten Cop” $11.2 1,833 1 $11.2 (Universal Pictures) Million $6,143 Million 3. “The Godfather Part III” $6.4 1,820 1 $6.4 (Paramount Pictures) Million $3,509 Million 4. “Edward Scissorhands” $6.2 1,253 3 $15.0 (20th Century Fox) Million $3,569 Million 5. “Dances With Wolves” $5.9 1,254 7 $46.2 (Orion Pictures) Million $4,710 Million 6. “Look Who’s Talking Too” $5.8 1,616 2 $16.0 (Tri-Star Pictures) Million $3,625 Million 7. “The Russia House” $4.4 717 1 $4.5 (MGM/UA) Million $6,186 Million 8. “Bonfire of the Vanities” $4.2 1,373 1 $4.2 (Warner Bros.) Million $3,071 Million 9. “Misery” $4.1 1,320 4 $31.8 (Columbia Pictures) Million $3,126 Million 10. “3 Men and a Little Lady” $3.5 1,320 4 $44.4 (Buena Vista) Million $2,229 Million

SOURCES: Exhibitor Relations Co., Times estimates