A wasted opportunity: The only movie Robert De Niro regrets making with Al Pacino
Noted as two of the greatest actors of their generation, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have created magic whenever they worked together, especially in films such as Michael Mann’s Heat, where they delivered some of the most memorable performances of their illustrious careers. It is this collaboration that any casual cinema fan would point to as a defining moment of the duo’s careers colliding. However, De Niro believes that there is one exception which tarnishes their joint legacy.
When, in 2019, it was announced that the two were reuniting for a brand new project under the direction of none other than Martin Scorsese, fans could not contain their excitement. The Irishman proved to be the perfect note on which to end their partnership since it is now considered to be one of the most important masterpieces of the last decade.
The movie, directed by their mutual friend Scorsese, allowed both men to do what they do best and deliver well-rounded characters built out of granular details and the deepest of emotions. With two heavyweights in one production, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a clash of egos was inevitable, but the two giants of their craft know better than to get in their own way.
However, like any working actors, the duo were forced to go up against one another from time to time, including for the movies Scarface and Godfather, both of which went to Pacino. De Niro explained: “It’s not that you’re competitive. You’re up for the same parts. Like Godfather—Francis wanted Al. But every actor knew about it, and I think the studio was forcing him to look [elsewhere], from what I understood of it. And I never confirmed this with Francis, but they were putting pressure on him to use somebody other than Al.”
Despite the potential friction in their acting careers, the two have maintained a friendship for almost 50 years now. While recalling their first meeting, Al Pacino claimed that he was blown away by De Niro’s magnetic presence from the very beginning, even though the latter hadn’t starred in any major productions at the time of their first encounter.
In an interview, Pacino elaborated on that memorable occasion: “I remember the meeting very clearly. Unbelievably, I saw this guy, I thought, Wow, he’s got such charisma. He wasn’t doing anything. He was just walking. Remember? You know, he was Bob. But you felt something from him.”
In light of The Irishman and the news that Michael Mann looks set to deliver a sequel to his magnum opus Heat, many have been revisiting some of the masterpieces starring Pacino and De Niro together. There is one particular project that neither of them wants you to watch. A notoriously reserved interviewee, there are very few occasions that De Niro has taken aim at his previous work – even Rocky and Bullwinkle has escaped his wrath – but there is one collaboration the Raging Bull star later claimed he truly regretted being a part of.
Titled Righteous Kill, the 2008 American production is an action thriller which features De Niro and Pacino as NYPD detectives who embark on a perilous quest to track down a dangerous serial killer. It would appear to be a perfect vehicle for the talent of Pacino and De Niro, but sadly, the writing didn’t stand up to the powerhouse performers at the helm. While it wasn’t a commercial flop due to the star power of the cast, it received widespread negative reviews due to the shoddy filmmaking and incompetent screenwriting.
In an interview, De Niro recalled how guilty he felt during the Rome premiere of Righteous Kill when both the stars met fans who were eagerly waiting for their new film. The actor remembered his promise to them: “I said: ‘This is a great reaction, but it would be nice if they were here for a movie that we really feel proud about. Next time, we’ll do one we like.'”
Thankfully, for fans of both actors, we got to enjoy the fourth instalment of their collaboration 11 years later, and The Irishman provided the closure we needed. The two men have since shared their love of the other’s work on numerous occasions, and while there is no definitive end to their working relationship, one suspects that this impressive partnership has ended.
