Archbishop Gilday
Encyclopedia
Archbishop Gilday is a fictional character
and one of the main antagonists in The Godfather Part III
. He is portrayed by Donal Donnelly
. His character is said to have been based on Paul Marcinkus
.
Gilday is an Irish
archbishop
in the Roman Catholic Church
, and also the head of the Vatican Bank
. At the outset of the film, he bestows one of the Church's highest honors, the Order of St. Sebastian, on Michael Corleone
. Later, at a meeting with Michael and B.J. Harrison, he convinces Michael to deposit $600 million in the Vatican Bank
in exchange for majority control over International Immobiliare, a European real estate company in which the Church owns a quarter interest. However, it is all a scam: Gilday, along with the Bank's chief accountant Frederick Keinszig
and Don Licio Lucchesi
, had conspired to swindle Michael out of the money and give it to pezzi da novanta (bigshots) in high political places. He even backs Michael when his ownership of Immobiliare is threatened by other shareholders, in order to give Michael the impression that he is his ally, but constantly brings up the ill health of Pope Paul VI
(whose approval was needed to ratify the deal) in order to stall the deal and highlight his own supposed powerlessness in the situation.
However, when his scam is about to be exposed by Cardinal Lamberto
(the new Pope John Paul I), Gilday conspires with Lucchesi and Keinszig to poison the Pontiff's tea. After Vincent Mancini-Corleone
succeeds Michael as head of the Corleone family, he orders the deaths of Gilday, Keinszig, and Lucchesi as revenge for swindling Michael. Accordingly, Al Neri
steals into the Vatican at night and shoots Gilday as the latter climbs a set of circular stairs. Neri then throws the Archbishop's corpse down the gap between the circular stairs.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and one of the main antagonists in The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...
. He is portrayed by Donal Donnelly
Donal Donnelly
Donal Donnelly was an English-born Irish theatre and film actor. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, but raised in Dublin, Ireland....
. His character is said to have been based on Paul Marcinkus
Paul Marcinkus
Paul Casimir Marcinkus was an American archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He was best known for his tenure as President of the Vatican Bank from 1971 through 1989.-Early life:...
.
Gilday is an Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and also the head of the Vatican Bank
Vatican Bank
The Institute for Works of Religion , commonly known as the Vatican Bank, is a privately held institute located inside Vatican City run by a professional bank CEO who reports directly to a committee of cardinals, and ultimately to the Pope...
. At the outset of the film, he bestows one of the Church's highest honors, the Order of St. Sebastian, on Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. He is also the main character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his...
. Later, at a meeting with Michael and B.J. Harrison, he convinces Michael to deposit $600 million in the Vatican Bank
Vatican Bank
The Institute for Works of Religion , commonly known as the Vatican Bank, is a privately held institute located inside Vatican City run by a professional bank CEO who reports directly to a committee of cardinals, and ultimately to the Pope...
in exchange for majority control over International Immobiliare, a European real estate company in which the Church owns a quarter interest. However, it is all a scam: Gilday, along with the Bank's chief accountant Frederick Keinszig
Frederick Keinszig
Frederick Keinszig is a fictional character appearing in The Godfather Part III. He was portrayed by Austrian actor Helmut Berger.-In the film:Nicknamed "God's Banker," Keinszig is the Swiss chief accountant of the Vatican Bank...
and Don Licio Lucchesi
Licio Lucchesi
Licio Lucchesi, often referred to simply as Don Lucchesi, is a fictional character in The Godfather Part III, in which he is, along with Don Altobello, one of the two chief antagonists...
, had conspired to swindle Michael out of the money and give it to pezzi da novanta (bigshots) in high political places. He even backs Michael when his ownership of Immobiliare is threatened by other shareholders, in order to give Michael the impression that he is his ally, but constantly brings up the ill health of Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
(whose approval was needed to ratify the deal) in order to stall the deal and highlight his own supposed powerlessness in the situation.
However, when his scam is about to be exposed by Cardinal Lamberto
Cardinal Lamberto
Cardinal Lamberto is a fictional character appearing in The Godfather Part III. He is portrayed by Raf Vallone.-In the film:Lamberto is a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, and the man favoured to succeed the terminally ill Pope Paul VI as head of the Church...
(the new Pope John Paul I), Gilday conspires with Lucchesi and Keinszig to poison the Pontiff's tea. After Vincent Mancini-Corleone
Vincent Mancini-Corleone
Vincent Santino Corleone is a fictional character in the 1990 feature film The Godfather Part III, in which he is portrayed by Andy García, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance...
succeeds Michael as head of the Corleone family, he orders the deaths of Gilday, Keinszig, and Lucchesi as revenge for swindling Michael. Accordingly, Al Neri
Al Neri
Albert "Al" Neri is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the three films based on it. In all three motion pictures, he is portrayed by actor Richard Bright. In The Godfather: The Game, he is voiced by Gary Chalk...
steals into the Vatican at night and shoots Gilday as the latter climbs a set of circular stairs. Neri then throws the Archbishop's corpse down the gap between the circular stairs.