Flickgrrl

I wrote about this a few years ago and included some pictures of Pacino's face over time -- take a look.

I can't help but think of Jennifer Grey, who had plastic surgery to "correct" her nose, but in doing so, took away her most distinctive feature. Her career definitely took a hit after the surgery, and I can't help but think it's because she no longer looks like the girl from Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller's Day Off and nobody recognizes her. She recently had a small role on HBO's John From Cincinnati, and I had to double check the credits to confirm it was in fact Jennifer Grey.

That's an interesting idea. I definitely think that massive surgery harms good actors over time. Look at what has happened to Faye Dunaway. Her facial muscles seem stuck and at times she resembles Nicholson as The Joker when he put flesh paint on. Still, Pacino can dial it down when he wants to. One of his best performances was in "Donnie Brasco," and that was a fairly quiet one. I don't think he's quite as skilled as Nicholson who can do subtle and quiet and over-the-top, but he usually makes all sides work for him.

Contrariwise, I believe Streisand's never had work done. That's perhaps why her face is still so mobile in "Meet the Fockers" and why she's still got the same voice at 65 that she had at 25. I like your theory, Carrie.

Favorite Pacino performances? Easy: the first 2 installments of The Godfather trilogy. Two of the greatest movies in history revolve around his ability control almost every important scene.

I disagree. De Niro has jumped the shark, and I thought Pacino had too (for the reasons you mention) till I saw, Angels in America and, Merchant of Venice. He's still got it. Those under-seen performances are nothing short of extraordinary (and certainly comparable to his Godfather movies).

Sure, those performances weren't necessarily subtle, but they were a far cry from the bombastic stereotypes like Devil's Advocate.

Tom:

As you can tell from my list, I rank "The Merchant of Venice" and "The Insider" pretty high in my Pacino pantheon. Still, I feel that he'd have more great recent performances if he hadn't limited his facial mobility.

Best,

For me he trails Ford, Nicholson, DeNiro and Eastwood when it comes to presence on film.

Something about those four just really eat up scenes and take the whole production to new heights with merely their presence.

As to the issue of plastic surgery, I’m not convinced that is what sets his newer films so far apart from the older, as much as the over all quality of the films.

Technology aside, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather I & II and Scarface are some of the greatest films ever made. Raw emotional scripts and performances before the days of PC BS and product placement.

The other obvious (but we often choose to ignore it) reason is, we tend to romanticize what is past, it is hard to separate the illusion from the reality. Was Pachino a better actor when he did the Godfather then when he did Oceans 13? Maybe, or maybe the first time you saw the Godfather you were young and blown away by the film in a way that no movies before and few (if any) movies since have managed to blow you away, for more reasons then one performance.

Paul Simon I guess said it best; “If you took all the girls I knew when I was single, and brought them all together for one night, they would never match my sweet imagination, and everything looks worse in black and white.”

"Clutch Cargo." Ah, Carrie, only a student of film and culture would make such an astute reference. I agree. An actor compromises his or her art when the face is altered to remain young. Yes, I've a hunch that Pacino has had work done. Nicole Kidman, too, for some bizarre reason. But women can often get away with it. Phyllis Diller - someone who I consider to be the last word on facial-enchancement surgery - noted that when men have face lifts it ofen feminizes them, making their skin unnaturally smooth. That's what seems to have happened with Pacino. He no longer has a shadow on his face. That coupled with his change-of-life red hair makes it difficult for one to abandon oneself in his performances. It's almost clown-like. Thank God that his two immediate peers, Hoffman and Deniro, have avoided such "enchancements." So far.

I waited until the Godfather films were being shown on the big screen at the Prince a few years ago to see them, and I was completely blown away by the young Pacino. When I remarked to one of my colleagues (a total "Godfather" fanatic) about the insane hotness of Pacino in his youth, he recounted the following exchange with his girlfriend after he sat her down to see Parts I and II for the first time:

Her: "Wow, I had no idea Al Pacino used to be so sexy. What happened?"

Him: "Smoking, baby."

As far as DeNiro goes, he seems to take so many roles for the paychecks, you'd think he become a British citizen. When was the last time he gave a truly interesting performance? It's not that he's bad now, just lazy.

Subject: Pacino

Love your piece on his face. I think you're right. Answer is obvious
when you look at the two pictures. Hooded eyes are GONE. Suspect
that
is why you picked those two.

Three favorites; Serpico (the believer), Michael in II (ice). But
John Milton is my over-the-top favorite; debauched indeed. And
actually
pretty good in a sleeper, Any Given Sunday, the big messy Oliver Stone
movie where I first noticed Jamie Fox (the weary believer).

As always, thanks.

Robert M.

Carilto's Way!
anyone got some coke!

my favorite pachino role has to be "serpico". the first time i saw serpico it took me a while to stop wondering "why is michael corleone acting like a cop"? but once that wore off, or to put it more accurately, when serpico grew his beard, did i fully appreciate the job pachino was doing. his portrayal of serpico is still my all-time favorite pachino role.

as far as other aging actors who can still dominate the screen, i look to paul newman and robert redford. think redford in "spy game" or newman in "hudsucker proxy". i go back and forth with myself about who i like better, newman or redford, so i compromise and watch "butch cassidy" or "the sting".

Hey YT:
There's no romanticizing of Pacino's performance in DDA and the the first 2 Godfathers - it was great acting in an era when acting and storylines were still what drove a movie's success. I agree with the numerous posters who think he takes too many jobs for the paycheck, because he can still turn it on when he wants to (see: Shylock).

Also, if the Ford you are referring to is Harrison, please don't put him in the same breath with Pacino, Nicholson, and DeNiro. He can't act without relying on the one-liners and silly facial expressions.

I’ve always loathed Jack Nicholson. I remember going to see “The Last Detail” and thinking “Who is that idiot? I’ve never seen anyone overact to that degree. He’ll never go anywhere.” OK, so I was wrong… but I have never enjoyed any of his performances. His smarmy, over the top, “hey, look at me—ain’t I cool” approach to acting just drives me insane. And as for Faye Dunaway’s face: I see that as one of the great tragedies of American cinema. She used to be so beautiful. At least some people, such as Helen Mirren, realize that older can be beautiful too.

His turn as Lowell Bergman was stellar. Love that movie...

"Has any other actor of his generation created (or reinterpreted) more memorable characters?"

Matta, I do not claim to be an accredited expert on the art of acting, but I do think Ford (yes Harrison) is an answer to this question.

Indian Jones, Han Solo, Jack Ryan, Rick Deckard (Blade Runner), John Book (Wittness), Dr. Richard Kimble, Tommy Lillard (Frisco Kid).

Do any of those qualify as memorable? This is a bit of strange double standard you have here, given that Nicholson has played the same character for more than a decade.

I think he qualifies.

The problem I've had with Pacino is not so much his face, but his hair. It seems to be acting in a different movie other than him. Not sure if it's a toupee or wig or what, but check it out in SImone, the Recruit, Any given Sunday, Gigli or Two for the Money. It seems to have a life of its own. Appears to be a spray painted base (styled by Ron Popiel?) with a raccoon top. At least in "Oceans 13," it fit the character.

Sometimes winning an Oscar isn't reflective of a single performance (shocking, I know!) but of a body of work. I think Pacino's reputation and craft took a hit when he was so honored for "Scent of a Woman." Had the Academy instead recognized him for his better peformance in Donnie Brasco, we might still be seeing measured, introspective performances. Instead, like a baseball slugger who finds success with the dramatic longball, he feels the need to swing for the fences in so many roles. When you consistently swing for the fences, more often than not, you strike out.

Jordan,
Glad you mentioned that Pacino got Oscared for one of his most mannered, least interesting performances. I think that Pacino knew he was getting the "oops! Oscar, the statuette awarded for his body of work rather than the performance in question. (Denzel Washington, who won for "Training Day," and Paul Newman, for "The Color of Money" likewise are "oops!" recipients.) I don't think getting an Oscar for a hammy performance inspired Pacino to play it hammy, as his subtler performances in "The Insider," "Donnie Brasco" and "The Merchant of Venice" attest. I think when he doesn't have enough time to prepare that he defaults to declamation mode because he can control his voice and not his over-cosmetized face.

You're absolutely right, Carrie. Pacino now carries that perpetually surprised look that spells f-a-c-e-l-i-f-t. Ever wonder about Nicole Kidman, too? Since "Cold Mountain" and maybe earlier, her eyebrows appear pulled up, giving her something of a witchy effect. Actors today truly are on the horns of a dilemma, having to trade off natural aging for the full command of their means of expression.

I think Pacino's hammier performances are more a result of the actor's contempt for the material rather than any innate loss of craft; i.e., when you're in a movie playing the devil to Keanu Reeve's Daniel Webster, directed by the guy who made WHITE NIGHTS, you know you're not in THE GODFATHER II. This is an actor fulfilling a contract, collecting a check and moving on. As cavalier as that might sound, wasn't that often the m.o. of Brando? I remember equally bad performances from Pacino in the 70's (hello! "BOBBY DEERFIELD?" "ARTHUR! AUTHOR!"). That is not to say over the top Al isn't entertaining: as annoying as he was in "...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL", his bombastic "opening statement in court is the cinematic equivalent of a musical number from WEST SIDE STORY. And his clown-ish performance in SCARFACE is as seminal a clownish performance as Nicholson's was in THE SHINING. When the right material comes along, and he is challenged, Pacino can still pull it out. Maybe not to the consistent, subtle degree of a peer of his like Gene Hackman, but few actors still command the screen the way he does.

YT:
I'm no cinematic expert either, but my 2 cents on the "characters" that Ford plays is that he's always the slightly flawed, world weary man that needs to save the day, but it comes off without any shock or surprise (try Matt Damon in the recent Bourn movies or even Good Will Hunting for a better try at that genre). Even Alec Baldwin played a better Jack Ryan than Ford did. You may think Nicholson plays the same character time and again, but I would posit that his role in The Departed last year might have been one of the better perfomances by ANY actor in a decade.

I assume we'll agree to disagree.

hi, did most if not many people see the movie, cruising, with al pacino, one of his earlier movies not often mentioned or shown on tv.He is one of the most versital actors out there. If you haven't seen this movie, it's advised that you do. Not for the young or sensitive kind.

I have to step up and defend Jack. While you almost always know it's Jack, much in the same way that Bogie was always Bogie and Cagney was always Cagney, he does know where to draw the line and most of the time there are degrees of differences in his performance. Though I don't think he should have won for As Good As It Gets, it's the first time I've seen him play someone who is scared. In About Schmidt, his downtrodden, broken man was a revelation. While he's not subtle in The Departed and probably goes a bit overboard at times, his performance overall is so good and entertaining, that he makes up for it. His performance in 2001's The Pledge is one of his most subdued. Where he often comes off worse is when he is in awful films such as Mars Attacks!, Something's Gotta Give or Anger Management, where he alone can't save the movie.

You nailed it. Looking at the older movies he did not have to even speak to convey his message. OC 13 was degrading to him as a great actor.

I think Pacino's greatest performance is in the woefully overlooked 1973 gem Scarecrow. Both he and Gene Hackman give inspired performances as two down on their luck bums hitching cross country. They are opposites but not in the stupid, cliched modern way of trading one-liners. Hackman is the hotheaded misanthrope who wears multiple layers of clothes to shield him from the world, while Pacino is the childlike optimist but with a dark side he tries to hide. It is both funny and sad. The dramatic climax in a Detroit park fountain where Pacino loses his mind is gut-wrenching. If you haven't seen it, forget about Ocean's 13 and rent Scarecrow!

Great point about Donnie Brasco--my favorite Pacino performance ever, and a great (though temporary) relief after his overcooked turn in "Heat"... which wasn't a bad movie, but far from Al's finest hour. What was so great about his "Brasco" effort was that, for probably the only time since I first saw Godfather Parts I and II, I forgot at times that it was Al Pacino on screen. I agree that if he'd won for that rather than "Scent of a Woman," his subsequent career might have gone in a different direction.

Pacino has never surpassed his "Big Boy Caprise" role in Dick Tracy. "I love 'ya but I wanna kill 'ya". He's all ham now so why 'dis him for a little nip/tuck!

I think Pacino has given some fine recent performances, like "Insomnia" and "The Insider." But I agree he usually plays over-the-top.

I disagree with the person who said that Denzel Washington's Oscar for "Training Day" was an 'Oops!' award. He had already won an Oscar for "Glory" a decade earlier. Personally I would have awarded Russell Crowe that year, but Washington was deserving for that role.

De Niro has been out of it for a while. His last really good role was in "Casino," although "City By the Sea" was alright.

Also, I believe that Nicholson's "Something's Gotta Give" was hugely entertaining. He, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves do some of their better work.

All of these men have major movies being released this year! Nice to see them still working, but let's hope some of them deliver performances worthy of their careers.

Don't leave out Pacino's greatest performance as an addict in Panic in Needle Park

Godfather I and II best movies ever made.

I suppose I stand alone in this but my absolute favorite Al Pacino role was as
Ricky Roma in Glen Gary Glenn Ross. Everyone said that Jack Lemmon stole the show but if their was ever a case to be made againts
'over-acting', it should be made againts Lemmon. Al's performance was both subtle and nuanced. As for his face...Who cares?

Braaap. You're right about Glengarry Glen Ross (Al was brilliant) but wrong about Jack Lemmon. Except for "The Great Race" and a couple others he's brilliant. Ever see "Missing"? Youch.
Al is the best despite every other performance being hammy. For every "Devil's Advocate" there's a "Donnie Brasco" or "Carlito's Way". Sheesh, I even liked "Frankie and Johnny".

Pacino's periodic creation of stage-work for himself to do proves his devotion to craft. His filmed Shylock is terrific, too, a focused creation attentive to the actors surrounding him-- more even than usual, Shakespeare's script folds after his post-trial disappearance. LOOKING FOR RICHARD is a different kind of delight with this unexpected fillip: Baldwin, Spacey, and (delightfully) Winona Ryder show skill in their scene fragments that indicate Pacino's sense of purpose is infectious. I'm not a Nicholson devotee but one great Jack performance that isn't mentioned as it should be is in THE PLEDGE.

Phooey on Slate and Carrie, Pacino is hardly bombastic in "Oceans 13" !

He is quite simply the most gifted American actor ever along with Brando and there was nothing on target at all about Ms. Winter's article in Slate which managed to completely ignore a fascinating boxset (which theoretically is what the article was supposed to be about).

I defy anyone to watch those performances in LOOKING FOR RICHARD, CHINESE COFFEE and THE LOCAL STIGMATIC and tell me that there's ever been anyone quite like Pacino in American film history.

Besides he is still regularly great - Merchant of Venice, Angels in America, Insomnia. De Niro and Hoffman would kill for 3 performances on that level in recent years.

As for the plastic surgery - well, I don't think he's had as much as you do Carrie - I think he had a face lift (or something) around the time of HEAT (oh look : another great performance) - and I can't "see" it at any other point although I suppose it's possible. Between "Carlito's Way" (great there too !) and "Heat" though I think it's noticeable.

Oh, I forgot to chime in on "Scent of a Woman" which is a remarkable performance that for some reason has fallen victim to a historical revisionism.

Right off the bat that is a stunning technically evocation of blindness - for that alone the performance is extraordinary. Pacino in that role does what only he can (for an American) and that is play "big" and add nuance. Usually when actors play large like that they lose all coloring in the character - only a few have had the ability to play big and nuanced at the same time - Pacino, Finney, Depardieu in his great French performances, a handful of others.

The fact that the performance has been so imitated and parodied and indeed that Pacino has taken roles similar to it and evoked it should not be confused with that being an unworthy performance in and of itself. The fact that he hadn't won before wasn't the only reason he beat Washington that year.

"Scent" was a hit, "Malcolm X" was not. Pacino won the Golden Globe for "Scent" - he was runner-up for the NBR that year (behind Jack Lemmon) and he got great reviews for that performance. The race that year was always between Pacino & Washington - and sure the fact that he'd been robbed for years got him over.

But it was not a total make-up job like Newman's in "Color of Money" or something like that. I'd bet a huge chunk of the Academy truly thought Pacino deserved the win for that performance - there is alot of virtuosity on display there.

In answer to the ever-popular "Pacino or DeNiro?" question, I say "Jeff Bridges."

The Contender: A "big" performance, but still nuanced. The best Bill Clinton we're likely to see on film.

The Big Lebowski: May turn out to be his most iconic role. "Man, I hate the fuckin' Eagles" is at least as valid as anything Michael Corleone said.

Wild Bill: Imagine either Pacino or DeNiro in a Western. Or just look at James Cagney in "The Oklahoma Kid," if you want to get a good idea of how painful that would be.

Fearless: I find this to be a remarkably unusual and interesting movie. One of the rare recent American movies that would have been at home in the 1970s.

The Fabulous Baker Boys: I appreciate how Bridges remains charismatic, yet never asks for the audience's approval or love. One of the best depictions of sibling rivalry and affection between Jeff and Beau.

The Morning After & The Jagged Edge: Similar characters, one good, the other not. The former is also one of the better movie depictions of LA and its showbiz fringe. The latter is a solid piece of entertainment.

Starman: Not a great movie, but memorable work from Bridges. I'm not sure either Pacino or DeNiro has ever excelled at this kind of physical acting. (I don't think the latter's weight gain for "Raging Bull" is the same thing.)

Cutter and Bone: Underseen, undervalued depiction of the last dregs of Sixties idealism, with strong work from both male leads (Bridges and John Heard), as well as Lisa Eichhorn.

Hearts of the West: If this had come out in the 1930s, it would be a highly regarded screwball comedy. It was a work out of time in the 1970s, though, so not enough people have seen it. Notable for Bridges charming naif, as well as a good character study from Andy Grifiith as an aging, down-on-his-heels cowboy actor. It's also the one time Blythe Danner had a role that showed what a smashing leady lady she should have been.

Bad Company: Nice blend of revisionism and (new) myth-making from Benton and Newman, carried by Bridges's central performance. Again, hard to picture either Pacino or eNiro in a Western.

Fat City: The start of John Huston's late career renaissance, with key work from Bridges.

The Last Picture Show: Bridges gives us a not-so-bright hick, without condescension. Revisited in "Texasville," a lesser picture with a deeper performance from Bridges.

Bridges has certainly had his share of clunkers, just like Pacino and DeNiro, but I've never see him either coast or ham it up the way both of the other actors have over the past two decades.

A few posts have noted Jack Lemmon and when I read Carrie's question of Pacino's cosmetic surgery, I though of my deep disappointment when Lemmon -- sometime between "Grumpy Old Men" (1993) and "Grumpier Old Men" (1995) -- had probably everything imaginable done to his face. His wonderful crinkly smile was gone, replaced with a smooth, shiny mask. (And then he goes and plays older parts, like Morrie Schwartz -- his last great role.)