Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, praised Pacino's performance and said Coppola was a master of mood, atmosphere and period.
The three-star grade is joked to be a little better than Poseidon, like a Simmons review of The Irishman.
Ebert wrote that the flashbacks gave Coppola the greatest difficulty in maintaining pace and narrative force, a structural weakness from which the film never recovers.
Ebert later amended the review in a re-review as a four-star movie; he did hundreds of re-reviews, and in his Great Movies book rarely notes that he originally disliked a film.

Casting What-Ifs

James Cagney; Peter Sellers as Hyman Roth; Richard Castellano as Clemenza

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 01:47:47Read transcript

Coppola offered James Cagney a part, possibly Roth or Senator Geary, but Cagney refused.
Peter Sellers was considered for Roth, which would have been a different movie.
Richard Castellano declined to return as Clemenza after demanding to write his dialogue, and Gazzo was brought in a day before filming.
In a New York Post interview Castellano disputed this, saying Coppola told him to lose weight and that Clemenza would not betray the family.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Hagen affair with Sonny's widow; Spradlin writing his own lines; the Mosulu

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 02:01:20Read transcript

An early script had Tom Hagen having an affair with Sonny's widow.
Spradlin reportedly wrote many of his lines, including the anti-Italian speech, which is doubted.
The Mosulu is also visible in Rocky and the ending of Blowout and is now a floating restaurant in Philadelphia.

Recasting Couch

Harvey Keitel as Janko; Joe Pesci as young Clemenza or Janko

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 02:02:16Read transcript

Harvey Keitel as Janko fits the era, though he is not Italian and Janko speaks Italian throughout.
Pesci could have played Bruno Kirby's part or Janko.
A Kay recasting is requested; Meryl Streep is rejected and the problem is the character, not the actress, which is disputed.

Picking Nits

Young Vito presented as dim-witted; unexplained Clemenza death; Pentangeli's sudden importance; Bussetta's single outfit; who opened the drapes

In the discussion (13)

Approx. transcript time · 02:03:54Read transcript

Young Vito is presented as dim-witted, though others say he is just mute and his mother lies to save him; a better child actor is wanted.
Clemenza's death is thrown away with "that was no heart attack"; the late Castellano exit explains it, but 30 seconds on it is wanted.
Frankie Pentangeli suddenly matters and takes over the house without having been in the first film.
The turtleneck assassin wearing one outfit is counted as a nit.
The drapes: Kay only notices after an hour in the bedroom, and nobody normally notices drapes.
A friend was once told not to stand near the windows in a mob family's house.
The bigger question is who opened the drapes: Fredo either gave them the house plans or opened the drapes, or it is a director mistake.
Listeners are invited to tweet other explanations. — Brian Koppelman
If Fredo opened the drapes, Michael is justified; an internet theory says Fredo thought it was only to scare Michael, like in The Irishman.
Fredo's behavior in Tahoe and his shock at Johnny Ola's call suggest he did not know it was a hit, which the drapes line confuses.
By the rules of the movie Fredo deserves to die, though a king can forgive; Italian and Irish grudges are compared.
After 300 viewings it is unclear who opened the drapes or what Fredo knew; Coppola might not know either.
Rocco's remark that the dead killers are from New York, which does not add up, and Fredo blurts out at the sex show that Johnny Ola brought him.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Did Pacino actually hit Diane Keaton?; Was Michael justified in killing Fredo?; Would Fredo have betrayed the family again?; Did this movie create the Hail Mary?; Is the chronological saga the best way to watch?; Which film uses Italy better?

In the discussion (10)

Approx. transcript time · 02:18:47Read transcript

Did Pacino actually hit Diane Keaton in the abortion scene? Actors talk that through carefully, but it looks like an accident and the most realistic punch of the 70s.
A Rollerball episode is proposed as the first great sports movie that foreshadows the NFL, with jokes about ruining the show.
Was Michael justified in murdering Fredo? We will never know.
Would Fredo have betrayed the family again? One answer is no because he seemed relieved to be back; Puzo reportedly resisted Michael killing Fredo and added waiting until the mother dies.
Nobody in the house objects because such orders were given quietly, as in real mob books.
An internet claim says the original script had Fredo think it was a kidnapping, which is called unforgivable and would have mirrored the first film.
Did this movie create the Hail Mary in football? The 1975 Drew Pearson catch is cited, with Tom Landry's relationship with God and a report that the phrase came from Pearson after the game.
Is the chronological saga the best way to watch? One view says no because the back-and-forth is essential; others enjoy the complete epic and want a Godfather channel.
The De Niro material is called the least favorite part of the first two films, and the Sicilian opening lacks the shotgun burst of the first film's wedding.
Which film makes you want to go to Italy more is raised and dismissed.