Al Pacino is the definition of a Hollywood legend. The actor has had the kind of career
that others in the business can only dream of, with dozens of celebrated performances
and so many classic lines that even the most casual film fan can quote offhand.
"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
To celebrate the incredible career of Al Pacino, here's a look back at some of his most iconic
scenes of all time.
Pacino's role as Michael Corleone in the Godfather film series made him an instant A-lister and
netted him both his first and third Oscar nominations. All three films feature iconic
scenes. Arguably the best one comes in Part II, when he confronts his older brother Fredo.
Michael has long suspected Fredo's disloyalty to the family, and it's confirmed when he
accidentally reveals his connection to an assassination attempt on Michael.
In one of the most unforgettable scenes from the series, Michael confronts Fredo at a party
and, with nothing but a kiss and a single line, gives him a bitter warning of the revenge
still to come.
"I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart."
In the gritty 1975 crime drama Dog Day Afternoon, Al Pacino stars as Sonny Wortzik, a first-time
bank robber whose attempt to steal money from a Brooklyn branch goes terribly wrong. First,
he learns that the location has little cash on hand, and then he discovers that the authorities
have been alerted to their crime thanks to a small fire he started. He and his friend
Sal go into panic mode, taking hostages at the bank in order to keep the police at bay,
and things continue to devolve from there.
At a key moment during Sonny's showdown with the police, he takes a hostage for cover and
walks outside to face the first responders. When the police get too close, he decides
to stir up the crowd of spectators by referencing the 1971 prison riot that happened less than
a year prior.
"Go on back there, man. Get over there. He wants to kill me so bad he can taste it. Attica!
Attica!"
The crowd's sudden support gives them some unexpected leverage as they begin listing
out demands for what comes next. It also cements the scene as a rousing all-timer. Pacino received
his fourth Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for the role.
Al Pacino brought one of the greatest movie antiheroes to life in the 1983 film Scarface,
which was written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian de Palma. Pacino is captivating as
Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee with a criminal past who, through sheer determination and
ruthlessness, rises to become the biggest drug lord in Miami.
Tony's time at the top of his illegal empire is short-lived, however, once he runs afoul
of the IRS and a Bolivian cocaine supplier. From there, things begin to spiral out of
control very quickly for Tony, ultimately escalating to one of the most iconic scenes
in all of modern cinema. You know the one.
"You want to play rough? Okay. Say hello to my little friend."
After seven other Oscar nominations, Al Pacino finally won for Best Actor for his role as
Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in the 1992 drama Scent of a Woman.
"Hoo ah!"
Frank is a blind, alcoholic veteran who is extremely erratic and irritable. His niece
hires a financially-strapped prep school student named Charlie Simms to care for Frank over
Thanksgiving weekend.
Charlie is also grappling with his own personal woes. After witnessing fellow students pranking
his school's Headmaster Trask, Charlie must decide whether to turn his peers in for a
reward or face disciplinary actions against himself. Frank shows up to the formal hearing
to defend Charlie after he refuses to talk.,
"Mr. Simms, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar."
"But not a snitch!"
"Excuse me?"
"No, I don't think I will."
With the threat of expulsion hanging over Charlie's head, Slade delivers an impassioned
speech in which he dresses down Trask for attempting to bribe Charlie and then punish
him for refusing to "snitch."
"Sir, you're out of order."
"Out of order… I'll show you out of order. You don't know what out of order is, Mr. Trask.
I'd show you but I'm too old, I'm too tired; I'm too fucking blind. If I were the man I
was five years ago I'd take a flamethrower to this place."
Al Pacino starred in Oliver Stone's 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday as the down-on-his-luck
Miami Sharks coach Tony D'Amato, who faces pressure from all sides as his team struggles
to reclaim its former glory.
Ahead of the playoffs, D'Amato decides to level with his squad in the hopes of bringing
them back together. He admits his own personal failures and disappointments, while acknowledging
the stress they're all under. He then makes the choice clear to them, saying that if they
continue to be divided, they'll just keep losing.
"...or, we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell one inch at
a time."
His speech starts out methodical and modest before growing to a rousing, inspirational
boost that gets the team - and the audience - completely fired up.
"Now, what are you gonna do?"
Al Pacino starred as himself in Adam Sandler's 2011 comedy Jack and Jill, and he wasn't afraid
to lean into the slapstick nature of the pic - or to make light of his own legacy. In the
film, Pacino is inexplicably obsessed with Jill, the annoying twin sister of Jack who
wears out her welcome with her brother very quickly during a holiday visit. Pacino's fascination
with Jill proves to be useful, though, because Jack is asked to recruit Pacino for a Dunkin
Donuts commercial, and the actor agrees to do it - if Jack can arrange a date with Jill.
"You want to turn my name into some coffee drink chocolate donut thing?"
"Well...yeah, tastefully though, I think."
"Well then you get me the girl."
"Get you the girl?"
"Get me the girl."
Ultimately, the ploy pays off, and Pacino tapes the hardwon "Dunkaccino" ad, which features
him rapping with dancing Dunkin employees and giant swinging donuts. It's a complete
departure from his usual roles, which is what makes it so iconic. Not only is the scene
hysterical, but the lyrics feature clever references to some of his most iconic movie
lines of all time.
"You want creamy goodness, I'm your friend. Say hello to my chocolate blend. Attica, Hoo-ah,
latte lite, this whole trial is outta sight. They pulled me back in with hazelnut too.
Caramel swirl - I know it was you."
Al Pacino's ninth Oscar nomination came for his role as Jimmy Hoffa in Martin Scorsese's
celebrated biographical drama The Irishman. Pacino portrays the infamous Teamster from
the '50s until the bitter end of his life, with a particular focus on his relationship
with Frank Sheeran. As Hoffa grapples with massive legal troubles, competition, betrayals,
and the pressures of his affiliation with the mafia, Frank stands by his side.
However, Hoffa's mouth finally gets him into trouble with Frank when he rails against his
crew for bringing additional heat to him just as the feds are closing in. Though there are
half a dozen other men in the room, Frank takes the insults personally and walks out,
tendering his resignation right there on the spot. Hoffa changes his tone right away in
an about face that's striking and even a bit comical, which is yet another testament to
the immensity of Pacino's talent.
"You can talk to them like that; you can't talk to me like that."
"No, that didn't apply to you."
"Didn't apply?"
"Then you gotta let me know it didn't apply to me."
"I'm standing right there."
"I didn't even see you standing there."
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