Godfather Part II is as great as you remember - or greater!

Sorry haven't posted for a while because haven't been "watching" for a while - been traveling - but made up for lost time last night and watched "The Godfather Part II," the Coppola restoration, which clocked in at 3 hours and 22 minutes, a true epic, and worth every second. If you wonder whether it's worth re-watching this movie, the answer is an emphatic yes - it's as great as you remember or greater. It builds on the first part in amazing ways, by not only advancing the life story of the Corleone family, this part of the cycle focused on their life in Nevada and attempts to control the gambling industry there and in Miami and Cuba, but also, memorably, on the back story of Don Corleone, his childhood in Sicily, immigration to New York, and most interesting how he took on the local boss in Little Italy and became a player. Part II not as gorgeous visually as The Godfather, which was composed like a series of Renaissance paintings, but far grander - man amazing crowd scenes, notably the street scenes in Little Italy, the revolution in Havana, and the Senate hearings. Some of the (many) great scenes include the assassination attempt in Lake Tahoe ("why are the blinds open?"), the revenge in Don Cicci in Sicily, Kay leaving Michael ("it was an abortion!"), and everything involving Fredo. The restoration version is, I think, longer than the theater version - I wasn't complaining, but I think in some ways shorter is better. My memory of this may be wrong, but I think the theater version begins with the party in Tahoe - this one begins with the childhood in Sicily - and the Tahoe makes a stronger opening and a good match with The Godfather; also, in my memory the Nevada senator plays no role after the whorehouse scene in the theater version, but appears again a few times in the restoration, to diminished effect. In any case, movie is a good or better than you remember and you should definitely see it.