- I know things they don't know I know.
- [Narrator] Have you ever wondered what it is exactly
that gives Al Pacino a rare acting talent
that seemingly nobody can argue with?
- Me, I always tell it to him
even when I lie.
- [Narrator] Just how has he been able
to mesmerize audiences so consistently for decades?
Well, wonder no more.
This video will break down four specific traits
that give Pacino his signature edge.
Also, we would love to know
your favorite Pacino performance,
especially if it's one that isn't mentioned here,
let us know in the comments below.
- I've been around, you know.
There was a time I could see
and I have seen
boys like these, younger than these,
their arms torn out,
their legs ripped off,
but there is nothing like a sight of an amputated spirit,
there is no prosthetic for that.
- [Narrator] Usually the first sign of a great actor
is how easy they make it look.
- It's gonna have a psychological effect
on how the audience perceives you.
- [Narrator] Pacino fits into all of his characters
like a glove.
- This is what it comes to.
- [Narrator] It always feels genuine and never forced
whether he's playing a gangster,
a bank robber, a cop,
or an everyday businessman.
- I slice like a goddamn hammer.
- [Narrator] His natural charisma makes it almost impossible
to find a role where he's miscast.
And this is because Al Pacino not only pretends
to be his characters,
he finds himself within each one of them.
Even though he is most often quoted from scenes like these.
- Say hello to my little friend!
(gun firing)
- [Narrator] Pacino's a master at building his characters
from the inside out
by establishing clear motivations.
- I swear I'll make it up to you.
Al, I'm gonna change.
- [Narrator] And harnessing sensitivity
and nuance whenever possible.
- I want you to marry me.
I want you to be the mother of my child.
How's the baby?
- [Narrator] He rose to fame
during the period of cinema in the 1970's,
called New Hollywood.
This was a point in filmmaking
where the tropes of the obvious good guy
found in older John Wayne movies,
were waning in popularity.
- No, don't kill me please.
- I won't kill you.
- Oh Christ, thank you.
- Get off.
Manolo, shoot that piece of shit.
- No, no, no!
- [Narrator] With the changing nature of the world
during and after the Vietnam War,
audiences, especially in America,
began to identify with and relate to characters
that no longer cleanly fit into the binary of good or evil.
Hence, Pacino's classic characters
are iconic class who don't rely on cliche and character
but rather empathy and understanding
for the morally ambiguous and misunderstood.
- I did what I could, Kay,
to protect all of you from the horrors of this world.
- But you became my horror.
- [Narrator] The first major example we have of this
is Pacino's breakout performance
as Michael Corleone in the Godfather,
who starts out from the beginning
as just a convincing average Joe family man.
- I miss may, Kay, it's not me.
- [Narrator] But is pushed into the role of mafia boss
all in order to protect his family,
he's a violent character,
but his ruthlessness is born out of love and loyalty.
- Don't me you're innocent
because it insults my intelligence,
it makes me very angry.
- [Narrator] Then there's Tony Montana aka Scarface,
a Cuban immigrant
who perhaps has less than humble ambitions.
Scarface is a story of the darker side
of the American dream
when taken to it's most extreme conclusions.
These characters may often be misguided,
but they're never cartoonishly evil
and are often more relatable to the average audience
than the major protagonists of previous generations.
No matter how natural some skills
may appear to the outside world,
most of the work is done behind the scenes
often being a culmination of years, even decades of work.
- I guess I'm a workaholic.
- [Narrator] Like many great screen actors
throughout film history,
Pacino began on stage
and was heavily influenced
by the tragic roles of William Shakespeare,
especially in his case, that of Richard the third.
It's very likely that Pacino was attracted to
and played out his most famous roles
through the lens of a deep understanding of Shakespeare
and other classic melodramas of the stage.
- Get out of here!
- Get on with your life would ya?
- What life!?
I got no life!
I'm in the dark here,
do you understand?!
I'm in the dark!
- [Narrator] Pacino exhibits tremendous dynamic
and unpredictability in nearly all of his performances,
meaning he can play calm, soft spoken roles,
which can still erupt at any moment into erratic anger.
(hitting table)
- You're not listening to me!
- Kay had a miscarriage, she lost the baby.
- Was it a boy?
- Mikey, after three and a half months.
- Can't you give me a straight answer anymore?
Was it a boy?!
- [Narrator] In short, Pacino's most memorable works
tend to showcase him as a ticking time bomb.
Later in his career, particularly after Scarface,
Pacino became more commonly known
for the more bombastic side of his acting dynamic.
- Hooha!
- Ping, pow, zoom.
- [Narrator] However, in Martin Scorsese's, The Irishman,
Pacino is showcasing a return type of performance
that gave him original fame almost 50 years ago.
Surprisingly, this is the first time
the acclaimed director has ever worked with Pacino.
Scorsese has always been a master
at capturing some of the most provocative characters
in modern gangster cinema
and this long overdue pairing
has given Pacino a chance
to flex his greatest acting muscles once again.
- That's good,
it makes me feel good.
Oh, I can breathe.
- [Narrator] Many actors as they grow into their older years
often settle for Hollywood typecasting,
but with role such as this,
Pacino has proven that he's still as sharp as ever,
and reminds us yet again,
why he's such an iconic American actor.