The first time I saw Al Pacino on the stage was in the summer of 1977 when he appeared on Broadway in “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel.” I had a great seat on the front row, and since then, the actor I got to know and appreciate tremendously in his films up until then, “Me, Natalie” (1969), “The Panic in Needle Park” (1971), “The Godfather” (1972), “Scarecrow” (1973), “Serpico” (1973), “The Godfather, Part II” (1974) and “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975)–earning him four consecutive Academy Award and four Golden Globe nominations–became a lifelong hero of mine.

Why? Because he was Michael Corleone, or Frank Serpico, or Lion in “Scarecrow” and Sonny in “Dog Day Afternoon.” His fresh, inspiring, and innovative acting style, which became his landmark from the very beginning, and the huge variety of in-depth characters he portrayed since his early years as a screen actor, turned him into an established screen star right away. Now, over four decades later, Mr. Pacino (b. 1940) still is one of the greatest, most talented, most versatile, and most iconic actors ever to grace the screen.

So when the American Cinematheque announced that a mid-week screening of the political drama “City Hall” (1996) at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica would be followed by a Q&A with Mr. Pacino and film director Harold Becker, I knew this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see him again on the stage, this time with Mr. Pacino at the center of panel interview, followed by a very enjoyable Q&A.

Most questions were addressed to him, and that’s why I only focus here on his contribution to this event. Unfortunately, Mr. Becker’s audio was of poor quality. Considering the body of work of this highly acclaimed 90-year-old filmmaker, who also brought us the absorbing crime drama “The Onion Field” (1979) and prior to “City Hall” directed Mr. Pacino in “Sea of Love” (1989), that turned out to be a major disappointment.

This is a slightly edited and condensed version of the topics Mr. Pacino talked about.

Mr. Pacino, both you and Harold Becker were very successful on “Sea of Love” [1989]. Do you remember your initial conversations when you started to work on “City Hall”?

Well, somebody else was in the room first. I’ve never forgiven you, Harold [laughs]. He was a great actor, very well-known. But for some reason, they fell out. But I love Harold, his direction, and I loved working with him and John Cusack; we had a good script. It’s a great feature film, but that’s Harold. Don’t forget he did “The Onion Field” [1979]! I haven’t seen “City Hall” for a long time—I’m gonna see it!—but I remember liking it, just as I liked “Sea of Love.”  I really didn’t know how good it was and how good he directed it. It was much better than the way I remembered it; maybe it’s just age or something. Before we did the film, I talked to different mayors, like Ed Koch [mayor of New York from 1978-1989] and Rudy Giuliani [1994-2001]. You remember there’s a scene when they’re watching that carousel movie, and I’m outside in the lobby, hunched over like this—that’s Giuliani! It was great meeting those mayors and learning about New York.

“City Hall” is one of the great New York movies made in the last thirty years. How difficult are the logistics when you’re shooting movies on this scale in the city? Is it all worth it, and what are the challenges?

New York gives you such an energy, it feeds you.

Everybody in the movie is great, down to the smallest parts and the actors who have only one or two lines. That’s amazing, isn’t it?

You know, that reminds me of this actor who has hardly ever worked, he’s just depressed, and he goes to his agent, and this man says, ‘Listen, I got something for you.’ And the actor says, ‘Really??’ ‘It’s just one line, it’s a play, and it’s going on tonight.’ ‘So what’s the line?’ ‘You have to say, Is that a bomb right here?’ So the guy gets on the train, and he’s just practicing… Is that a bomb right here? Is that a bomb right here? And he’s doing it over and over again, but he’s really late for the show. So when he arrives there, they say, ‘Where the hell were you!’ ‘There was something on the train!’ And he puts his outfit on, saying, Is that a bomb right here, is that a bomb right here… When he’s backstage waiting, the stage manager and the actors say, ‘You go on, go!’ and he runs out, he hears this huge explosion, and he says, ‘What the f*ck was that!’ [Laughs].

You have a ton of lines in this movie, like the monologue at the funeral scene. How did you do that? Did you rehearse for that scene?

We had two versions, remember Harold? I thought, can I do what mayors do sometimes when there are in those situations when they revive—so I took that kind of preachy approach, and I remember when I was doing that, Harold just let me do it—that’s what I love about him. But to this day, I don’t know if the other version was better.

I also like the final scene you had with John Cusack.

It was beautifully written and directed, with all the sadness and the tragedy.

This particular scene could be considered as a trademark of yours. How do you compare it to your work in films like “Dick Tracy” [1990] or “The Devil’s Advocate” [1997] ?

If you look at the film, there’s a reason why I was like that in the church scene, while in the final scene with John Cusack, there’s a different approach. I usually go by what the script is telling me. I know that sometimes risibility is appreciated; sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes I like it; sometimes I don’t. But if it calls for it, I do it. Usually, the variety is in the script.

Who are your favorite directors you worked with, other than Harold Becker? Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Coppola,…

…and Martin Scorsese! [“The Irishman,” now in post-production, is Mr. Pacino’s first Scorsese film.] I’ve been very lucky to have worked with those people, so it’s very hard to say anyone that’s my favorite. Of course, I started with Sidney Lumet [“Serpico,” 1973; “Dog Day Afternoon,” 1975], and he rehearsed, which was very important to get his group together. I also liked the way he directed. When we did the opening scene of “Dog Day Afternoon,” the bank robbery, he just said, ‘You go there, you go there, and you go there.’ He gave you things to do. When you started doing it—just by doing—you felt you were robbing a bank. You’re in it, because he directs that kind of vision. So I loved working in that way, but all those other directors, I love them. And Francis Ford Coppola made me famous; he was the only one who wanted me in “The Godfather” [1972], nobody else wanted me. They simply wanted to fire me.

Many of the directors you have worked with have different styles, different approaches. What do you look for in a director? what helps you to deliver your best work?

Sometimes you don’t know what a director will bring out in you, but I completely trusted Harold. But you simply know that when you’re with those film directors, like Warren Beatty for example—I loved working with him—a lot of people don’t know I was in “Dick Tracy” [1990]. Those directors have this kind of sensibility, it’s infectious to you, no matter what you do, they will pick what has the kind of nutrition that is needed. So it’s very liberating when you work with these people. I just worked with Quentin Tarantino [“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”]: it’s very great to work with great directors. It also took “City Hall” fifteen weeks to shoot, but that’s what you see up there on the screen: you see fifteen weeks up there. So it’s difficult to make a movie in, let’s say, five weeks. Sometimes it works, but five weeks to make a movie… What am I talking about? [Laughs.] You know what it is? I’m thinking about certain movies and stuff, I don’t want to go into it because of names I’d have to say, so I think of them… I don’t know why I’m talking [laughs].

What of your roles would you consider a favorite?

Well, you have me there. It’s always very different; there are always so many components into what makes a role. You’re talking about films—it’s difficult to say, I know that “Scarface” [1983] is a very interesting film and has so many things in it that have lasted so long. I like that because at the time my life was pretty good. So that’s part of what made it interesting for me; I mean, you’re always going on. And “City Hall,” that film has a certain intelligence in it.

What would your advice be to a less experienced director?

Give the actor a really good script. As time goes on, it’s also good to think of the director first, but in the end, it’s the script—it’s the word. That’s how it works with me. I was offered “Star Wars” [1977] and turned it down because I didn’t understand it! I mean, at the time, it was innovative and groundbreaking, but I still didn’t understand what was going on. I gave it to a friend and a mentor of mine and I asked him, ‘Would you mind reading this thing? They offer me a lot of money, but I just don’t get it.’ So he read it, he called me back, and he said, ‘Oh Al, I don’t get it!’ [Laughs.]

And what would you advise to young actors?

If acting is something that you really want to do, just keep doing it; whatever you can, however you can, do it. And if you can help yourself, don’t go for the part just to get work. Sometimes you do it and you get more work, I know. But it’s not about work, it’s about finding things in yourself that you really want and that you connect to with a role or something. I’ll give you an example. When I was young—like nineteen, twenty—I didn’t want to do any auditions, I didn’t want to go and see agents. I just rang the doorbells. ‘What have you done?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely nothing.’ I mean, what have I done? I got here, I’m in this office here, with you! So I got there, but I didn’t know what to say. But if you go and audition, and tell the joke, like, Is that a bomb right here—that’s the idea. So at auditions, sometimes they hand you this crap to read, you know, and what are you gonna do with it? Then I’d say, ‘Excuse, do you mind, I’ve prepared something for you…’ ‘You’ve prepared something?’ And then I’d burst into something by Eugene O’Neill or Shakespeare, and of course, they thought I was nuts and wouldn’t get the part. But I can tell you this; you make sure you don’t want the part—that’s the best advice, and you might get it.

How old were you when you decided you wanted to become an actor?

I was very young. I was always acting in school, in high school—I was always nicknamed ‘the actor.’ I just kept going, not knowing why I was doing this. I was floundering with it, I was very troubled, did a lot of stuff, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And then finally I was in a play, some off-off-off-Broadway play, and I started saying the words—and something happened to me. I thought, ‘Yes, this is something I want to do now, because I can speak through this medium. That was it. And I didn’t know if I was good or bad or if I was talented. But once I knew I could do that, I didn’t care about anything, I didn’t care about money or getting paid, because I had that. Now, I don’t know how long that would have lasted, I was twenty-one years old. I felt I could speak, and that provoked me, that put the juice. So for me, it’s not about getting the part, it’s about having that opportunity to express.

When will you be doing another play?

I don’t know, right now I’m doing a series for Amazon called “The Hunt”—I’ve been doing that for a while, and if I survive it, I will come back, and once I get myself in some sort of frame, I might do another play somewhere. It’s hard to find, but you never know.

In “Bobby Deerfield” [1977], you did an imitation of Mae West. Would you like to do that again?

You know something? “Bobby Deerfield” was my favorite film, even though nobody liked it and it got terrible reviews. But something that I was going through in my life was coming out in the film. I was criticized for that Mae West scene because when I did it, they were saying, ‘Why is he really acting like Mae West?’ But I played a character having a hard time living, much less remembering anything, but the real emotion was if he could remember what it was like if he played Mae West. I was playing a character that couldn’t remember his past, and he couldn’t get through—he tried, he struggled, and the girl knew that. That was a very exceptional scene. I couldn’t do it now; I’m not there. But if you give me about six seconds… [laughs].

Santa Monica, California
March 27, 2019

FILMS

ME, NATALIE (1969) DIR Fred Coe PROD Stanley Shapiro SCR A. Martin Zweiback (story by Stanley Shapiro, A. Martin Zweiback) CAM Arthur J. Ornitz ED Sheila Bakerman, John McSweeney Jr. MUS Henri Mancini CAST Patty Duke, James Farentino,  Salome Jens, Elsa Lanchester, Martin Balsam, Bob Balaban, Al Pacino (Tony), Ann Thomas

THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK (1971) DIR Jerry Schatzberg PROD Dominick Dunne SCR Joan Didion, John Gregory Dunne (book by James Mills) CAM Adam Holender ED Evan A. Lottman CAST Al Pacino (Bobby), Kitty Winn, Alan Vint, Richard Bright, Keil Martin, Michael McClanathan, Raul Julia, Rutanya Alda

THE GODFATHER (1972) DIR Francis Ford Coppola PROD Albert S. Ruddy SCR Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo (novel by Mario Puzo) CAM Gordon Willis ED William Reynolds, Peter Zinner MUS Nino Rota CAST Marlon Brando, Al Pacino (Michael Corleone), James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, Richard Conte, John Marley, Al Lettieri, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Al Martino, Carmine Coppola, Sofia Coppola

SCARECROW (1973) DIR Jerry Schatzberg PROD Robert M. Sherman SCR Garry Michael White CAM Vilmos Zsigmond ED Evan A. Lottman MUS Fred Myrow CAST Gene Hackman, Al Pacino (Lion), Dorothy Tristan, Ann Wedgeworth, Richard Lynch, Eileen Brennan, Penelope Allen, Richard Hackman, Rutanya Alda

SERPICO (1973) DIR Sidney Lumet PROD Martin Bregman SCR Waldo Salt, Norman Wexler (book by Peter Maas) CAM Arthur J. Ornitz ED Dede Allen, Richard Marks MUS Mikis Theodorakis CAST Al Pacino (Serpico), John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire, Barbara Eda-Young, Cornelia Sharpe, Tony Roberts, M. Emmet Walsh, F. Murray Abraham, Sam Coppola, Judd Hirsch, Tony Lo Bianco

THE GODFATHER, PART II (1974) DIR – PROD Francis Ford Coppola SCR Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo (novel by Mario Puzo) CAM Gordon Willis ED Richard Marks, Peter Zinner, Barry Malkin MUS Nino Rota CAST Al Pacino (Michael Corleone), Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Marianna Hill, Lee Strasberg, Michael V. Gazzo, Joe Spinell, Abe Vigado, Fay Spain, Harry Dean Stanton, Danny Aiello, Kathleen Beller, Peter Donat, Roger Corman, James Caan, Roman Coppola, Sofia Coppola, Richard Matheson

DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975) DIR Sidney Lumet PROD Martin Bregman, Martin Elfand SCR Frank Pierson (book by Leslie Waller; magazine article by Thomas Moore, P. F. Kluge) CAM Victor J. Kemper ED Dede Allen CAST Al Pacino (Sonny), John Cazale, James Broderick, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, Penelope Allen, Sully Boyar, Carol Kane, Lance Henriksen, Kenneth McMillan

BOBBY DEERFIELD (1977) DIR – PROD Sydney Pollack SCR Alvin Sargent (novel ‘Der Himmel kennt keine Günstlinge’ [1961, a.k.a. ‘Heaven Has No Favorites’] by Erich Maria Remarque) CAM Henri Devaë ED Fredric Steinkamp MUS Dave Grusin CAST Al Pacino (Bobby Deerfield), Marthe Keller, Anny Duperey, Walter McGinn, Romolo Valli, Stephen Meldegg, Gérard Hernandez

…AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (1979) DIR Norman Jewison PROD Norman Jewison, Patrick J. Palmer SCR Barry Levinson, Valerie Curtin CAM Victor J. Kemper ED John F. Burnett MUS Dave Grusin CAST Al Pacino (Arthur Kirkland), Jack Warden, John Forsythe, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Lahti, Sam Levene, Craig T. Nelson

CRUISING (1980) DIR William Friedkin PROD Jerry Weintraub SCR William Friedkin (novel ‘Cruising’ [1970] by Gerald Walker) CAM James Contner ED Bud Smith MUS Jack Nitsche CAST Al Pacino (Steve Burns), Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Joe Spinell, Jay Acovone, Edward O’Neill, Powers Boothe

AUTHOR! AUTHOR! (1982) DIR Arthur Hiller PROD Irwin Winkler SCR Israel Horovitz CAM Victor J. Kemper ED William Reynolds MUS Dave Grusin CAST Al Pacino (Ivan Travalian), Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld, Bob Dishy, Bob Eliott, Ray Goulding, Eric Gurry

SCARFACE (1983) DIR Brian De Palma PROD Martin Bregman SCR Oliver Stone (screenplay SCARFACE [1932] by Howard Hawks, Ben Hecht; novel by Armitage Trail) CAM John A. Alonzo ED David Ray, Gerald B. Greenberg MUS Giorgio Moroder CAST Al Pacino (Tony Montana), Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Miriam Colon, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Shenar

REVOLUTION (1985) DIR Hugh Hudson PROD Irwin Winkler SCR Robert Dillon CAM Bernard Lutic ED Stuart Baird MUS John Corigliano CAST Al Pacino (Tom Dobb), Donald Sutherland, Nastassja Kinski, Joan Plowright, Dave King, Steven Berkoff, Annie Lennox, Dexter Fletcher

SEA OF LOVE (1985) DIR Harold Becker PROD Martin Bregman, Louis A. Stroller SCR Richard Price CAM Ronnie Taylor ED David Bretherton MUS Trevor Jones CAST Al Pacino (Detective Frank Keller), Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, Michael Rooker, William Hickey, Richard Jenkins, Paul Calderon, Gene Canfield, Samuel L. Jackson

THE LOCAL STIGMATIC (1990) DIR David F. Wheeler PROD Al Pacino, Michael Hadge SCR Heathcote Williams (also play) CAM Edward Lachman ED Norman Hollyn MUS Howard Shore CAST Al Pacino (Graham), Paul Guilfoyle, Joseph Maher, Michael Higgins, Brian Mallon

DICK TRACY (1990) DIR – PROD Warren Beatty SCR Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr. (characters created by Chester Gould) CAM Vittorio Storaro ED Richard Marks MUS Danny Elfman CAST Warren Beatty, Madonna, Charlie Korsmo, Al Pacino (Big Boy Caprice), Mandy Patinkin, Seymour Cassel, Charles Durning, Paul Sorvino, Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Henry Silva, Michael J. Pollard, Estelle Parsons

THE GODFATHER, PART III (1990) DIR – PROD Francis Ford Coppola SCR Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo CAM Gordon Willis ED Barry Malkin, Walter Murch, Lisa Fruchtman MUS Carmine Coppola CAST Al Pacino (Don Michael Corleone), Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, George Hamilton, Sofia Coppola, Raf Vallone, Helmut Berger, Catherine Scorsese, Carmine Coppola, Gia Coppola

FRANKIE AND JOHNNY (1991) DIR – PROD Garry Marshall SCR Terrence McNally (also play) CAM Dante Spinotti ED Battle Davis, Jacqueline Cambas MUS Marvin Hamlish CAST Al Pacino (Johnny), Michelle Pfeiffer, Hector Elizondo, Nathan Lane, Kate Nelligan, Jane Morris, Greg Lewis, Al Fann, Ele Keats

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992) DIR James Foley PROD Stanley R. Zupnik, Jerry Tokofsky SCR David Mamet (also play) CAM Juan Ruiz Anchía ED Howard E. Smith MUS James Newton Howard CAST Al Pacino (Ricky Roma), Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Pryce, Bruce Altman

SCENT OF A WOMAN (1992) DIR – PROD Martin Brest SCR Bo Goldman (screenplay PROFUMO DI DONNA [1974] by Dino Risi, Ruggero Maccari; novel by Giovanni Arpino) CAM Donald E. Thorin ED Michael Tronick, Harvey Rosenstock, William Steinkamp MUS Thomas Newman CAST Al Pacino (Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade), Chris O’Donnell, James Rebhorn, Gabrielle Anwar, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Venture, Bradley Whitford

CARLITO’S WAY (1993) DIR Brian De Palma PROD Martin Bregman, Willi Bär SCR David Koepp (novels by Edwin Torres) CAM Stephen H. Burum ED Kristina Boden, Bill Pankow MUS Patrick Doyle CAST Al Pacino (Carlito), Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo, Ingrid Rogers, Luis Guzmán, James Rebhorn, Joseph Siravo, Viggo Mortensen, Paul Mazursky

TWO BITS (1995) DIR James Foley PROD Arthur Cohn SCR Joseph Stefano CAM Juan Ruiz Anchía ED Howard E. Smith MUS Carter Burwell CAST Al Pacino (Grandpa), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Jerry Barone, Patrick Borriello, Andy Romano, Donna Mitchell, Mary Lou Rosato, Joe Grifasi, Rosemary De Angelis

CITY HALL (1996) DIR Harold Becker PROD Harold Becker, Ken Lipper, Edward R. Pressman, Charles Mulvehill SCR Paul Schrader, Ken Lipper, Bo Goldman, Nicholas Pileggi CAM Michael Seresin ED David Bretherton, Robert C. Jones MUS Jerry Goldsmith CAST Al Pacino (Mayor John Pappas), John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello, Martin Landau, David Paymer, Anthony Franciosa, Richard Schiff

HEAT (1995) DIR – SCR Michael Mann PROD Michael Mann, Art Linson CAM Dante Spinotti ED Pasquale Buba, William Goldenberg, Dov Hoenig, Tom Rolf MUS Elliot Goldenthal CAST Al Pacino (Lieutenant Vincent Hanna), Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Bud Cort

DONNIE BRASCO (1997) DIR Mike Newell PROD Barry Levinson, Mark Johnson, Louis DiGiaimo, Gail Mutrux SCR Paul Attanasio (book by Richard Woodley, Joseph D. Pistone) CAM Peter Sova ED Jon Gregory MUS Patrick Doyle CAST Al Pacino (Lefty), Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Anne Heche, Zeljko Ivanek, Gerry Becker, Val Avery, Paul Giamatti

THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE (1997) DIR Taylor Hackford PROD Arnold Kopelson, Anne Kopelson, Arnon Milchan SCR Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy (novel by Andrew Neiderman) CAM Andrzej Bartkowiak ED Mark Warner MUS James Newton Howard CAST Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino (John Milton), Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Tamara Tunie, Ruben Santiago-Hudson

THE INSIDER (1999) DIR Michael Mann PROD Michael Mann, Pieter Jan Brugge SCR Michael Mann, Eric Roth (article by Marie Brenner) CAM Dante Spinotti ED William Goldenberg, David Rosenbloom, Paul Rubell MUS Lisa Gerrard, Pieter Bourke CAST Al Pacino (Lowell Bergman), Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora, Philip Baker Hall, Lindsay Crouse, Debi Mazar, Stephen Tobolowsky, Bruce McGill, Rip Torn

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY (1999) DIR Oliver Stone PROD Lauren Shuler Donner, Clayton Townsend, Dan Halstead SCR Oliver Stone, John Logan (story by John Logan, Daniel Pyne) CAM Salvatore Totino ED Stuart Levy, Thomas J. Nordberg, Keith Salmon, Stuart Waks MUS Paul Kelly, Richard Horowitz CAST Al Pacino (Tony D’Amato), Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, James Woods, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, Jim Brown, Ann-Margret, Aaron Eckhart, Charlton Heston, Oliver Stone

CHINESE COFFEE (2000) DIR Al Pacino PROD Robert Salerno, Michael Hadge, Larry Meistrich SCR Ira Lewis (also play) CAM Frank Prinzi ED Noah Herzog, Pasquale Buba, Michael Berenbaum MUS Elmer Bernstein CAST Al Pacino (Harry Levine), Jerry Orbach, Susan Floyd, Ellen McElduff, Michel Moinot, Judette Jones, Paul J.Q. Lee, Joel Eidelsberg

INSOMNIA (2002) DIR Christopher Nolan PROD Edward L. McDonnell, Broderick Johnson, Paul Junger Witt, Andrew A. Kosove SCR Hillary Seitz (screenplay of INSOMNIA [1997] by Nikolaj Frobenius, Erik Skjoldbjærg) CAM Wally Pfister ED Dody Dorn MUS David Julyan CAST Al Pacino (Will Dormer), Robin Williams, Hillary Swank, Paul Dooley, Nicky Katt, Jay Brazeau, Lorne Cardinal, Maura Tierney

S1MONE (2002) DIR – PROD – SCR Andrew Niccol CAM Edward Lachman ED Paul Rubell MUS Carter Burwell CAST Al Pacino (Viktor Taransky), Catherine Keener, Rachel Roberts, Winona Ryder, Evan Rachel Wood, Jay Mohr, Benjamin Salisbury, Darnell Williams, Jason Schwartzman

PEOPLE I KNOW (2002) DIR Daniel Algrant PROD Michael Nozik, Leslie Urdang, Karen Tenkhoff SCR Jon Robin Baitz CAM Peter Deming ED Suzy Elmiger MUS Terence Blanchard CAST Al Pacino (Eli Wurman), Kim Basinger, Ryan O’Neal, Téa Leoni, Richard Schiff, Bill Nunn, Robert Klein, Mark Webber

THE RECRUIT (2003) DIR Roger Donaldson PROD Jeff Apple, Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber SCR Roger Towne, Kurt Wimmer, Mitch Glazer CAM Stuart Dryburgh ED David Rosenbloom MUS Klaus Badelt CAST Al Pacino (Walter Burke), Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht, Kenneth Mitchell, Mike Realba, Ron Lea, Karl Pruner

GIGLI (2003) DIR – SCR Martin Brest PROD Martin Brest, Casey Silver CAM Robert Elswit ED Julie Monroe, Billy Weber MUS John Powell CAST Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Al Pacino (Starkman), Christopher Walken, Lainie Kazan, Justin Bartha, Lenny Venito

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (2004) DIR Michael Radford PROD Jason Piette, Barry Navidi, Cary Brokaw SCR Michael Radford (play by William Shakespeare) CAM Benoît Delhomme ED Lucia Zuchhetti MUS Jocelyn Pook CAST Al Pacino (Shylock), Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins, Zuleikha Robinson, Kris Marshall, Heather Goldenhersh, John Sessions, Mackenzie Crook

TWO FOR THE MONEY (2005) DIR D.J. Caruso PROD Jay Cohen, James G. Robinson SCR Dan Gilroy CAM Conrad W. Hall ED Glen Scantlebury MUS Christophe Beck CAST Al Pacino (Walter), Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Armand Assante, Jeremy Piven, Jaime King, Kevin Chapman, Ralph Garman

88 MINUTES (2007) DIR Jon Avnet PROD Jon Avnet, Gary Scott Thompson, Randall Emmett SCR Gary Scott Thompson CAM Denis Lenoir ED Peter E. Berger MUS Edward Shearmur CAST Al Pacino (Jack Gramm), Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, Deborah Kara Unger, Neal McDonough, Alicia Witt, Ben McKenzie

OCEAN’S THIRTEEN (2007) DIR Steven Soderberg PROD Jerry Weintraub SCR David Levien, Brian Koppelman (characters created by Jack Golden Russell, George Clayton Johnson) CAM Peter Andrews ED Stephen Mirrione MUS David Holmes CAST George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino (Willy Bank), Carl Reiner, Elliott Gould, Shaobo Qin, Jerry Weintraub, Oprah Winfrey

RIGHTEOUS KILL (2008) DIR Jon Avnet PROD Jon Avnet, Rob Cowan, Daniel M. Rosenberg, Alexandra Milchan, Avi Lerner, Lati Grobman SCR Russell Gewirtz CAM Denis Lenoir ED Paul Hirsch MUS Edward Shearmur CAST Robert De Niro, Al Pacino (Rooster), 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, Tribly Glover, Saidah Arrika Ekulona

THE SON OF NO ONE (2011) DIR – SCR Dito Montiel PROD Dito Montiel, John Thompson CAM Benoît Delhomme ED Jake Pushinsky MUS David Wittman, Jonathan Elias CAST Channing Tatum, Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, Juliette Binoche, Al Pacino (Detective Charles Stanford), James Ransone, Ursula Parker, Dito Montiel

JACK AND JILL (2011) DIR Dennis Dugan PROD Adam Sandler, Todd Garner, Jack Giarraputo SCR Adam Sandler, Steve Koren (book by Ben Zook) CAM Dean Cundey ED Tom Costain MUS Waddy Wachtel, Rupert Gregson-Williams CAST Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes, Al Pacino (Al Pacino), Elodie Tougne, Rohan Chand, Eugenio Derbez, David Spade, Nick Swardson, Tim Meadows, John McEnroe, Bruce Jenner [Caitlyn Jenner]

STAND UP GUYS (2012) DIR Fisher Stevens PROD Sidney Kimmell, Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, Jim Tauber SCR Noah Haidle CAM Michael Grady ED Mark Livolsi MUS Lyle Workman CAST Al Pacino (Val), Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies, Mark Margolis, Lucy Punch, Addison Timlin, Vanessa Ferlito

WE ARE NOT ANIMALS (2013) DIR Alejandro Agresti PROD John Cusack, Pablo Bossi, Kevin Norris SCR Alejandro Agresti, John Cusack CAM Alejandro Agresti, Hans Bonato ED Pablo Barbieri Carrera CAST John Cusack, Paul Hipp, Kevin Morris, Alejandro Agresti, Al Pacino (The Agent), Norman Briski, Edda Bustamante, Leticia Brédice

SALOMÉ (2013) DIR Al Pacino PROD Robert Fox, Barry Navidi SCR Oscar Wilde CAM Benoît Delhomme ED Pasquale Buba, Jeremy Weiss, David Leonard CAST Al Pacino (King Herod), Jessica Chastain, Roxanne Hart, Kevin Anderson, Ralph Guzzo, Phillip Rhys, Joe Roseto

THE HUMBLING (2014) DIR Barry Levinson PROD Al Pacino, Barry Levinson, Jason Sosnoff SCR Buck Henry, Michal Zebede (novel by Philip Roth) CAM Adam Jandrup ED Aaron Yanes MUS Marcelo Zarvos CAST Al Pacino (Simon Axler), Greta gerwig, Dianne Wiest, Nina Arianda, Kyra Sedgwick, Charles Grodin, Mary Louise Wilson, Dan Hedaya, Billy Porter

MANGLEHORN (2014) DIR David Gordon Green PROD David Gordon Green, Christopher Woodrow, Derrick Tseng, Lisa Muskat, Molly Conners SCR Paul Brad Logan CAM Tim Orr ED Colin Patton MUS David Wingo, Explosions in the Sky CAST Al Pacino (Manglehorn), Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, Chris Messina, Skylar Gasper, Brian Mays, Herc Trevino, Angela Woods, Marisa Varela

DANNY COLLINS (2015) DIR – SCR Dan Fogelman PROD Jessie Nelson, Nimitt Mankad CAM Steve Yedlin ED Julie Monroe MUS Ryan Adams, Theodore Shapiro CAST Al Pacino (Danny Collins), Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Cannavale, Christopher Plummer, Katarina Cas, Giselle Eisenberg

MISCONDUCT (2016) DIR Shintaro Shimosawa PROD Bill Delaney, Ryan S. Black SCR Adam Mason, Simon Boyes CAM Michael Fimognari ED Henrik Källberg, Gregers Dohn MUS Federico Jusid CAST Josh Duhamel, Al Pacino (Charles Abrams), Anthony Hopkins, Alice Eve, Malin Akerman, Byung-Hun Lee, Julia Stiles, Glen Powell, Marcus Lyle Brown

THE PIRATES OF SOMALIA (2017) DIR Bryan Buckley PROD Claude Dal Farra, Matt Lefebvre, Mino Jarjoura SCR Bryan Buckley (book ‘The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World’ by Jay Bahadur) CAM Scott Henriksen ED Jay Nelson MUS John Nau, Andrew Feltenstein CAST Evan Peters, Barkhad Abdi, Melanie Griffith, Al Pacino (Seymour Tolbin), Carol Peña, Philip Ettinger, Mohamed Hakeemshady, Russell Posner

HANGMAN (2017) DIR Johnny Martin PROD Arnold Rifkin, Michael Mendelsohn SCR Charles Huttinger, Michael Caissie CAM Larry Blanford ED Jeffrey Steinkamp MUS Frederik Wiedmann CAST Al Pacino (Ray Archer), Karl Urban, Brittany Snow, Joe Anderson, Sarah Shahi, Sloane Warren, Chelle Ramos, Steve Coulter

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) DIR – SCR Quentin Tarantino PROD Quentin Tarantino, Shannon McIntosh, David Heyman CAM Robert Richardson CAST Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell, Luke Perry, Al Pacino (Marvin Schwarzs), Tim Roth, James Marsden, Emile Hirsch, Michael Madsen

THE IRISHMAN (2019) DIR Martin Scorsese PROD Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Irwin Winkler, Troy Allen, Gerald Chamales, Randall Emmett, Gastón Pavlovich, Jane Rosenthal, Emma Tillinger Koskoff SCR Steven Zaillian (book by Charles Brandt) CAM Rodrigo Prieto ED Thelma Schoonmaker CAST Robert De Niro, Al Pacino (Jimmy Hoffa), Anna Paquin, Jesse Plemons, Bobby Cannavale, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham

AXIS SALLY (2020) DIR Michael Polish PROD Vance Owen, Randall Emmett, Shaun Sanghani, Luillo Ruiz, George Furla SCR Darryl Hicks, Vance Owen (book by William E. Owen) MUS Kubilay Uner CAST Al Pacino (James Laughlin), Meadow Williams, Thomas Kretschmann, Lala Kent, Mitch Pileggi, Carsten Norgaard, Swen Temmel

KING LEAR (2020) DIR Michael Radford PROD Al Pacino, Barry Navidi SCR Michael Radford (play by William Shakespeare) CAM Benoît Delhomme CAST Al Pacino (King Lear)

TV MOVIES

YOU DON’T KNOW JACK (2010) DIR Barry Levinson PROD Scott Ferguson TELEPLAY Adam Mazer CAM Eigil Bryld ED Aaron Yanes MUS Marcelo Zarvos CAST Al Pacino (Jack Kevorkian), Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Deirdre O’Connell, Todd Susman, Adam Lubarsky, Jennifer Mudge

PHIL SPECTOR (2013) DIR – TELEPLAY David Mamet PROD Michael Hausman CAM Juan Ruiz Anchía ED Barbara Tulliver MUS Marcelo Zarvos CAST Al Pacino (Phil Spector), Helen Mirren, Jeffrey Tambor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rebecca Pidgeon, John Pirruccello, Jame Tolkan, David Aaron Baker

PATERNO (2018) DIR Barry Levinson PROD Amy Herman TELEPLAY John C. Richards, Debora Cahn CAM Marcell Rév ED Ron Patane, Brad Turner MUS Evgueni Galperine, Sacha Galperine CAST Al Pacino (Joe Paterno), Kathy Baker, Larry Mitchell, Kenneth Maharaj, Michael Mastro, Jushua Morgan, Ross Degraw, Mitchell L. Mack

TELEVISION MINI-SERIES

ANGELS IN AMERICA (2003) DIR Mike Nichols PROD Celia D. Costas TELEPLAY Tony Kushner CAM Stephen Goldblatt ED Antonia Van Drimmelen, John Bloom MUS Thomas Newman CAST Al Pacino (Roy Cohn), Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Mary-Louise Parker, Patrick Wilson, James Cromwell, Brian Markinson, Robin Weigert

TELEVISION SERIES

THE HUNT (2019) DIR Wayne Yip, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (and others) PROD Kris Baucom TELEPLAY David Weill MUS Cristobal Tapia de Veer CAST Al Pacino (Meyer Offerman), Lena Olin, Carol Kane, Tiffany Boone, Greg Austin, Dylan Baker, Logan Lerman, Saul Rubinek, Louis Ozawa Changchien