Al Pacino is an American film and theater actor, director, screenwriter. He made the world fall in love with himself, playing the role of negative characters. The godfather and the devil in the guise of a man, a bank robber and a casino owner – each character played by a Hollywood star became a cinema event. This success of the artist was preceded by almost 10 years of work on the theater stage, which he has not left to this day.

Films

Pacino's film career, like other actors, began with cameo roles. Often, his name did not even appear in the credits. The first film where an American was noticed was the tragicomedy “I, Natalie”. The performer played a more significant role in 1971 in the film Panic in Needle Park. The image of the drug addict Bobby, skillfully shown by the actor, so impressed the famous director Francis Ford Coppola that he did not even consider other candidates for the role of Michael Corleone in the crime action movie The Godfather.

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (still from the movie “The Godfather”)

The film received a resounding success, the tape is called the best in the creative biography of the film actor today, and Al Pacino himself was nominated for an Oscar for the first time. In the film, he managed to masterfully convey the main plot line – the transformation of Michael from a modest young man into a ruthless head of a mafia clan. His father Don Vito Corleone was played by Marlon Brando. James Caan and Robert Duvall also appeared in the film.

The following year, the films “Scarecrow” and “Serpico” appeared. For the role of police officer Frank Serpico, the actor was again nominated for an Oscar and an award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and also became a winner of the Golden Globe. The bright, albeit late start of the actor in the cinema allowed him to choose only the roles he liked. At various times, he refused to star in the films “Kramer vs. Kramer”, “Pretty Woman”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Star Wars”.

Al Pacino (still from the movie “Serpico”)

In 1974, the sequel to The Godfather was released, and Pacino was nominated for an Oscar for the third time in a row. This role, along with his portrayal of Santino in the thriller “Noon Dogs”, earns an award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and a prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

This is followed by the drama “Bobby Deerfield”, the crime thriller “The Wanted”, the melodrama “The Author! Author! “, Historical drama” Revolution “, melodrama” Sea of Love “and other films. But most of these pictures are coolly received by film critics and audiences. In the 80s, only the crime drama Scarface, in which Al plays a Cuban drug lord, stands out. The film was criticized by experts, but it received a high box office, eventually becoming a cult. For his role in this picture, Pacino was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer (still from the movie “Frankie and Johnny”)

The 90s began successfully for the actor. First, a gangster film based on the comics “Dick Tracy” was released, for which Al was nominated 6 times for an Oscar and 11 times for a Golden Globe. In the same year, the next sequel to the famous mafia drama “The Godfather – 3” was released. And in 1991, Pacino performed in a duet with Michelle Pfeiffer in the main roles in the tragicomedy “Frankie and Johnny”.

1993 brought the actor the long-awaited Oscar statuette for the role of the blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in the drama The Smell of a Woman. Most memorable to viewers is the episode where Al performs tango with actress Gabrielle Anwar.

Al Pacino (still from the movie “The Smell of a Woman”)

This was followed by successful filming in the films “Fight”, “City Hall”, “Every Sunday”, “Own Man” and “Chinese Coffee”. The audience especially remembered the film “Fight”, because in this film Al Pacino played along with Robert De Niro. Another project with an artist in the lead role – “Donnie Brasco” – was highly praised by critics and received many prestigious awards. In 2005, this film was nominated for the AFI's 100 Famous Quotes from American Films in 100 Years rating.

In the 1996 film Finding Richard, Pacino acted as director and producer. Thanks to his success on the screen, the talented actor got into the top four of the “100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time” rating in 1997 according to the Empire edition.

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro (still from the movie “Fight”)

An interesting project in the filmography of the celebrity turned out to be the detective thriller “Insomnia” by Christopher Nolan, in which Pacino appeared on the screen as a police detective investigating the murder of a young girl. The popularity of the artist was brought about by the mystical picture “The Devil's Advocate”, in which he plays the role of Satan. Keanu Reeves, who played the main role, became a partner on the site.

In the new millennium, critics note other works of the actor: in the crime drama The Right People, the action movie The Recruit, the adaptation of the Shakespearean play The Merchant of Venice, the detective The Right to Kill and the television film You Don't Know Jack, for which he has won Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards. These roles have become very prominent in the American career.

Al Pacino and Christopher Plummer (still from the movie “Second Chance”)

In 2014, the film “Second Chance” appeared on the screens. The real story of folk singer Steve Tilston was liked by the audience, critics again noted Pacino's acting talent. At the same time, at the Venice Film Festival, critics appreciated two films with the participation of the “Oscar-winning titan” – the drama “Manglehorn” and the comedy “Humiliation”. In the first film, Al played the role of a criminal who broke with his past life, in the second – an elderly actor experiencing a creative crisis.

In 2016, the movie “Worse Than Lies” was released. The film was expected to fail, as it earned less than £ 100 in its first week in the UK. This result clearly disappointed directors and producers. The filmmakers were sure that the star cast (Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins and Josh Duhamel), who participated in the filming, would help conquer the world film market, but this did not happen. It is assumed that the budget of the tape was $ 11 million.

Al Pacino (still from the movie “Worse than Lies”)

Also in the media there was information that Al will play the role of the great American playwright Tennessee Williams. For this, the actor returned to Broadway, signed a contract to play the leading role in a play called When God Turned His Back. This production is an adaptation of the biography of the great playwright Tennessee Williams.

Rehearsals for the play began in Los Angeles, directed by Robert Allan Ackerman. Pacino last appeared on the stage in the play “Chinese Doll” by David Mamet in 2015. The start of the play was not very successful due to a series of delays caused by the desire of the producers to make the final changes. The production was criticized. However, Al Pacino said that the role helped him refute negative predictions. The performance grossed over $ 1 million in a week.

Childhood and youth

Alfredo (Al) Pacino was born in New York, in the East Harlem area of Manhattan. The parents of the future celebrity – Rosa and Salvatore Pacino – were immigrants from Italy. When the boy was 2 years old, his mother and father decided to leave. Alfredo stayed with his mother, who moved to live with his parents in the South Bronx.

Actor Al Pacino

The Hollywood star grew up in a crime district. Pacino was not an exemplary child, although initially he studied well at the School of Performing Arts, for which he received the nickname Actor in early childhood. But Al was considered a hooligan boy, started smoking at the age of 9, and at 12 he was already drinking alcohol. He often became the instigator of quarrels, fights and clashes. This behavior was reflected in my studies. In high school, the teenager could not pass a single exam, so at the age of 17, Pacino was expelled.

This turn of events led to a serious conflict with his mother, and the young man leaves his home. Al gets a job as a janitor, later as a messenger, waiter, postman. As a young man, he began performing at the amateur non-profit theater HB Studio, where he met Charlie Loughton, who taught acting classes.

Later, Pacino was mentored by Lee Strasberg, who used a methodology based on the principles of the Konstantin Stanislavsky system. Its alumni at one time included Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Mickey Rourke and others.

Al Pacino in his youth

In 1966, the young man was admitted to a professional acting studio. After studying, the novice actor had a theatrical career. He has played dramatic roles in Wake Up and Sing !, America Hurray, The Indians Want the Bronx, Richard III, and Does the Tiger Wear a Tie? For playing in the latter, he received the prestigious Tony Theater Award in 1969.

This success will be repeated by Pacino in 1977 with the production of “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummell”. Even becoming a famous film actor, Al Pacino did not leave the stage and played in the plays American Bison, Salome, Huey, Orphans … and the production of The Merchant of Venice, which in 2010 was able to raise more than $ 1 million in a week. …

Al Pacino's first film roles

The first roles, however, episodic and practical unpaid, Alfredo began to receive in the first weeks of training at the Actors' Studio. In 1968, he made his debut on NYPD (episode “The Deadly Circle of Violence”) as a third-rate character named John James.

In 1969, Alfredo got his first role in a feature film (“I, Natalie”). The talented acting of the actor was noticed by Martin Bregman, one of the best producers of that time, and offered Pacino cooperation. Looking ahead, the partnership turned out to be fruitful: Bregman produced such films with Al Pacino as “Serliko”, “Scarface” and “Dog Afternoon”.

In 1971, Al Pacino played the drug addict Bobby in the film Panic in Needle Park by Jerry Shezberg. The film became the first major work of the young actor.

Al Pacino's theatrical career

As a teenager, Alfredo, or, as his first pseudonym, Sonny Scott, said, wanted to become a professional baseball player, but later, after watching the production of Chekhov's The Seagull, this desire was displaced by the dream of an acting career: “The play began … and immediately ended. Flew by like an instant. It was magic. I remember thinking: “Who do you have to be to write this, eh?”. I immediately got hold of a collection of Chekhov's stories. ” Soon the young man entered the famous Fiorello La Guardia School of Performing Arts in New York, for which he received the nickname “Actor” from his comrades.

Regular school was of little interest to Alfredo: in his senior year, he failed all exams except English and was expelled, which caused a quarrel with his mother. The hot-tempered young man left home, wandered and wandered among friends, took on any job – a messenger, a cleaner, a waiter, a postman, and everything in order to pay for his studies in an acting studio.

In 1960, “The Actor” became part of the New York theatrical underground: together with a friend, he acted out scenes in public places, and then threw a donation hat in a circle. Later, he joined Herbert Berghof's studio, where he met the teacher Charlie Layton, who taught the guy to act and later became his best friend.

In 1962, 43-year-old Rose died of leukemia, and a year later her grandfather died, replacing Alfredo's father. In 1966, after many unsuccessful attempts, Alfredo Pacino auditioned for the Actors Studio in Manhattan. He studied on the course of Lee Strasberg, who taught the Stanislavsky system to students.

The first roles in commercial theaters followed in 1967. He first performed at Boston's Charles Playhouse for a more than modest salary of $ 125 a week. At this time, the actor came up with a sonorous pseudonym, reducing “Alfredo” to the first syllable. At the same time, Al Pacino made his Broadway debut in the play “Does the Tiger Wear a Tie?”, For which he received rave reviews from the audience and the Tony Award (the American analogue of the “Golden Mask”).

In 1968, the actor already played in New York's Astor Place: in his repertoire there was only one role – street punk Murph in the production of Indians Want the Bronx, where John Cazale, a close friend of the actor, also played.

Godfather

The famous crime saga tells the story of the Corleone mafia family. Don Vito marries off his daughter. At the same time, his beloved son Michael returns from the war. The latter does not want to get involved in the cruel family business, but times change, and soon Vito Corleone is assassinated.

Francis Ford Coppola spotted young Al Pacino in Panic in Needle Park and offered to play Michael Corleone. The producers considered him not tall and experienced enough for this image. But the director insisted on his own. And for the role of Michael, Al Pacino received his first Oscar nomination. He got into the category “Best Supporting Actor”, although he played the main role in the film. Because of this, Al Pacino did not attend the ceremony. Best Actor winner Marlon Brando also boycotted the award.

This role became decisive in the fate of the actor. He stunningly portrayed the changes in the character of the hero from the noble war veteran to the new leader of the crime family. In subsequent films of the trilogy, he returned to the image of Michael, showed the development of the character and his retirement.

Scarecrow

Fresh out of prison, Max and former sailor Lionel decide to travel across America in search of a better life. They have completely different personalities and dreams. But both heroes are lost and do not know how to live on. On the way, a lot of adventures and interesting meetings await them.

Aspiring director Jerry Schatzberg relied on the more famous actor Gene Hackman, who had already become famous thanks to “The French Connector”. But young Al Pacino is not lost against the background of an experienced colleague, and often even draws attention to himself in general scenes.

Serpico

New York police officer Frank Serpico discovers that at his station, almost all of his colleagues are involved in a network of corruption. He refuses to join fraudulent schemes and becomes an outcast. The more Serpico tries to figure it out, the better he realizes that almost all police officers are corrupt to the very top.

This painting by Sidney Lumet is based on the real story of Frank Serpico, who published information about police corruption in The New York Times. And Al Pacino perfectly managed to convey the character of the hero and the difficult choices he faces. For this, the actor received another Oscar nomination, but lost to Jack Lemmon, who played in the movie Save the Tiger. But the “Golden Globe” that year was included in the collection of Pacino.

Dog afternoon

Several criminals are robbing a bank. They think they have everything well planned. But one of the participants in the operation escapes. The remaining two Sunny and Sal find themselves in a difficult situation: there is almost no money in the bank, and the police are immediately involved in an attempt to burn documents. And now they have long negotiations ahead.

Another collaboration between Sidney Lumet and Al Pacino. Again a story based on real events, and again a triumph. The film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay and received five more nominations. Al Pacino also claimed the statuette for the role of Sunny. But this time the prize went to Jack Nicholson for his role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Face with a scar

Cuban criminal Tony Montana arrives in Miami in the early eighties. He wants to start a new life, but soon again gets involved in dark affairs related to drugs and murder. Tough character and intelligence allow Tony to rise to the very top of the underworld.

In the early eighties, Al Pacino's career began to decline. He starred in the disastrous films The Wanted and The Author! The author! ” But then he received an offer to play the role of Tony in Brian De Palma's film – a remake of the classic 1932 film. The movie came out very cruel and at first all the bloodiest scenes were cut out of it. But “Scarface” was appreciated by critics and audiences alike. The actor himself considers this role to be the best in his career.

Glengarry Glen Ross

Several experienced real estate agents find themselves in a difficult situation – the management sent them a new business coach. He promises the best employees expensive gifts and the worst employees firing. Competition reaches the point that someone steals documents from the office at night.

After the success of Scarfaces, Pacino had another setback, and for several years he even completely stopped acting. But the comeback came out great. In the film Glengarry Glen Ross (also known as The Americans), the actor has a supporting role. But Al Pacino attracts attention no less than Jack Lemmon, who played the central character.

Wanted (1980)

IMDb rating: 6.4

Director: William Friedkin

Cast: Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Joe Spinell, Jay Acovone, Randy Jurgensen, Barton Hayman, Gene Davis.

After a series of violent gay crimes, Detective Stephen Burns sets out to find the killer. He needs to infiltrate all New York hot spots, pretending to be his boyfriend in the BDSM community. And after all, he himself may turn out to be the key to solving this case …

In order to demonstrate the realities of the “leather” bars, where representatives of the LGBT community gather, the filmmakers, including William Friedkin himself and Al Pacino, visited similar establishments in New York as believably as possible.

The first screenings of the tape were extremely negative.

Thousands of homosexuals hindered the filming in every possible way.

The picture is distinguished by unusual music due to the fact that the composer Jack Nietzsche used specific sounds, made, for example, by rubbing glasses against each other.

According to many actors and film producer Jerry Weintraub, they never found out who the killer was.

Initially, the director wanted to make the picture in black and white.

The Godfather (1972)

Don Corleone's family has weight in the city. People come to him with different requests and remain debtors in return. The beloved son of the mafia returns from the war. Unfortunately for his father, Michael is in no hurry to join his family and continue the business. Vito is used to a certain lifestyle and is not ready to change. Competitors are stepping on his heels. As it will not be before, you will have to adapt.

The Godfather 2 (1974)

Becoming Vito as head of a mafia clan is a long journey. He lost loved ones in childhood, rose from the very bottom of society, earned a reputation. All this in order to pass on our heritage to children. Michael continues his father's work. He tries to turn off emotions and make decisions guided by logic. The threat to life and other twists and turns make adjustments to the already painted plans of the hero.

The smell of a woman (1992)

Charlie is hired as a weekend nurse and looks after the blind lieutenant colonel while his family is away. To the young man's surprise, Frank has plans for the weekend. Instead of staying at home, the man is going to comfortably travel to New York, dine in a good restaurant and enjoy the company of a woman on call. There is another item on the list that Charlie does not yet know about.

Justice for All (1979)

Arthur Kirkland, a lawyer, was not having the best period in his career. He is a true idealist who believes in the law. The strong must be judged as well as the weak. This is a utopia that has nothing to do with reality. One client of Arthur is sent to jail because of a formality, a case against another is fabricated, and the hero himself is forced to represent the interests of a person whom he does not respect.

Fight (1995)

A well-organized gang works effectively. Only the last robbery is not going according to plan. An accomplice attracted from the outside commits the murder of the guard, which was not in the plan. We have to finish off the rest and escape with only securities. Now the hunt has been announced for the heroes. The culprit is hiding from colleagues. They also want to sell the stolen goods to the previous owner. His desire is to punish the insolent people.

Carlito's Way (1993)

Carlito leaves prison ahead of schedule. He does not intend to continue to engage in criminal affairs. However, at the request of his nephew, he participates in a drug deal. It all ends with victims, but the hero gets the money. He invests izx in an entertainment establishment. Carlito has no time to manage the club, because he needs to help his friend Dave. If he does not pull the mafioso free, he will die.

Devil's Advocate (1997)

Kevin is once again showing himself in the courtroom. His success attracts the attention of John Milton, the head of a large law firm. Having received a place there, Kevin and his wife Mary-Anne move to New York, where they will work. The woman starts having visions and the condition worsens. Her husband is immersed in Milton's tasks and also sees some oddities associated with the boss.

Donny Brasco (1997)

Joe Pistone is a police officer and works undercover. He successfully infiltrated one of the criminal gangs in New York. This happened thanks to the help of an experienced gang member Benny Ruggiero, nicknamed “Lefty”. Benny has been in the service of the mafia for decades, but he has not won much laurels and wealth. He is imbued with sympathy and trust in Joe and wants to devote him to all the intricacies of the criminal world and share his rich experience.

Gradually, a couple works great. Over time, the young man really becomes attached to the “Lefty”, so much so that he seriously thinks about the possibility of helping his new friend: after all, if the mafia finds out that Joe is an informant, then Benny, who brought the “rat” to the clan, will pay with his life.

Insomnia (2002)

From sunny Los Angeles, detectives Will Dormer and Hap Eckhart come to gloomy Alaska. In a small town in the state, young Kay Connell was murdered. The main suspect is Randy's boyfriend. Experienced Dormer is not satisfied with this version, and he continues to search.

The detectives go on the trail of the criminal, but during his pursuit in the forest, Will accidentally kills his partner and hides the trail of what he had done. However, the real killer of the girl witnessed Dormer's crime and intends to profitably use this information.

He gets in touch and offers the main character his conditions.

Bonus: Irishman (2019)

The most recent film by Al Pacino, for which he also received an Oscar nomination. An epochal both in terms of timing and coverage of events, Martin Scorsese's film with the sensational technology of rejuvenating actors has already entered the list of the director's best creations.

The crime drama is based on the novel by Charles Brandt “I Heard You Paint Homes”, and Pacino played the role of a real person – the American trade union leader Jimmy Hoffa.

What is your favorite Al Pacino movie and is it on this list?

Insider

In His Man, Pacino goes far beyond the usual criminal role, playing the ambitious SBC figure Lowell Bergman, who is involved in the production and editing of his program. He is constantly in a state of confusion and conflict with others. The role of Bergman is another proof that the versatility of the actor knows no boundaries.

Angels in America

Here, the actor got the unique role of the successful lawyer Roy, who has connections everywhere, right down to the White House itself. He devoted his entire life to building a career. To win the case, the lawyer is ready to do anything. But everything in his life changes when a doctor diagnoses him with AIDS.

Every Sunday (1999)

Tony D'Amato has been coaching the Sharks for a long time and made them a formidable team. Only this season did not work out. The reasons are the injuries of the quarterbacks and the inept management of the new owner. However, all the bumps fall on the coach. The new promising player quickly became a star. This puts the club's prospects into question. Tony is experienced and doesn't look cornered, although the situation gets worse with each loss.

Frankie and Johnny (1991)

Frankie has bad luck with relationships, one boyfriend comes across worse than the other. She wants to fall in love and start a family, although after being beaten by a previous boyfriend, she will not be able to give birth. Johnny is released from prison, where he was imprisoned for fraud. He gets a job as a cook in a cafe. Frankie also works there as a waitress. They get closer, but are afraid to take the relationship to a new level. Heroes need to take risks to find happiness.

Sources used and useful links on the topic: https://24smi.org/celebrity/1305-al-pachino.html https://uznayvse.ru/znamenitosti/biografiya-al-pachino.html https://Lifehacker.ru/ al-pacino-filmy / https://factik.ru/al-pacino-top/ https://SuperSpisok.ru/filmy-s-al-pachino/ https://twizz.ru/10-luchshix-filmov- s-al-pachino / https://www.adme.ru/tvorchestvo-kino/11-luchshih-rolej-al-pachino-907160/

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