When Pacino was offered the part of Michael Corleone in The Godfather, he almost couldn’t take it because he had committed to the 1971 Jimmy Breslin adaptation The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight, according to a 2014 New Yorker profile. Producer Irwin Winkler refused to release Pacino, and so Pacino pleaded with playwright Israel Horovitz to intervene.
“I went crazy with Irwin, and he said, ‘You find me a young Italian actor that’s as good as Pacino, and I’ll let him out,’” Horovitz told The New Yorker. Horovitz said he took the producer to see De Niro in a play, and De Niro got the part. Winkler describes it a little differently in his book A Life in Movies. He said he had heard about Robert De Niro from De Niro’s early independent films, The Wedding Party and Greetings, and that after Pacino dropped out, “Bob De Niro came in, and we instantly wanted him to play Mario.”
A fun aside: Harvey Keitel referenced The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight while appearing with Pacino and De Niro at the Hollywood premiere of The Irishman. Director Martin Scorsese introduced Keitel, Scorsese, Pacino and the rest of the cast, and then there was confusion about which way they were supposed to exit. “The gang that couldn’t shoot straight!” quipped Keitel.
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Al Pacino leaves that dirt ball thug deniro in the dirt
No comparison
Al is better than deniro ever will be
You won't have to count on MY money to see ANY movie with DeNiro in it. I use to think he was a great actor...now he is on level of the employees of the set sandwich truck....
Here, here Cat!
You got that right!
So true
For sure. Slam dunk
moderate this
De Niro is known more now for his political garbage than his movies. I wouldn't cross the street to see him in a movie.
He just says what most people are thinking.
So true
So Billy, is it De Niro or Pacino? I would surmise you are likewise infested!
He may be known by YOU for his political "garbage" but for many of us he is an excellent actor and yeah, he's allowed to speak his mind.
I can see the comments section is infested with alt-right cult members following the link from the Drudge Report.
So what ???
Pacino has had a much wider body of excellent work (see Scent of a Woman, Devil's Advocate). DeNiro is good in Mob roles, but ordinary in others.
I also wouldn't mind seeing him stick to movies and away from politics.
Yes, I agree re politics! I think he uses the F word because he isn't able to do that !
I agree. Al Pacino has more breath and depth as an actor. DeNiro's ascent into that rarefied air was made possible through Scorcese's directorial balls and know how. Al Pacino's success can be directly related to Pacinos talent. Look at the movie historical perspective. Pacino worked with many talented directors. The same cannot be said of Mr. DeNiro
de Niro is an airhead with 5 great performances, each playing someone with brain damage. this is not that hard to do. otherwise he mugs and schticks, and for some reason everyone swoons.
Pacino hasn't had enough good roles for his talent, and has made some strange choices, but his is the greater talent, by far.
"The Irishman" is the third time Pacino and De Niro are united on screen. They never shared the screen in "The Godfather Part II". And to say "only" the fourth is stupid. Most stars aren't ever in the same movie much less four!