5 Reasons Why Scarface Is Al Pacino's Best Performance

 5 Reasons Why Scarface Is Al Pacino's Best Performance

"Some actors play characters, Al becomes them." It's hard to argue with this statement from Al Pacino's former drama teacher, Lee Strasberg. When you look at Pacino, you can't help but imagine that he's actually a real mobster, fresh from shooting a snitch. Strasberg's sentiments may suit other dedicated actors like Heath Ledger and the late Sopranos star James Gandolfini, but none of them had a decorated career like Al Pacino.

In reality, Al Pacino is just a normal man. Wait! Is he? Not really. He is an extraordinary actor who has appeared in nearly 60 movies and won more than a dozen awards. For an actor like him, it is impossible to decide on one of his performances and label it as the best. For that reason, we'll narrow it down to two roles that have been discussed for years: Tony Montana (Scarface) and Michael Corleone (The Godfather).

Here is an argument for both performances.

10 Scarface: The Accent

One of the things that make or break an actor's performance in a movie is the way they talk. The consonants, the vowels, they all matter. Think of Forrest Whitaker as the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. In Scarface, Al Pacino talks like French fries are popping into his mouth and he doesn't plan on swallowing them.

But that's what makes it great. As he talks this way, Pacino seems very believable and intimidating as the gangster Tony Montana. His manner of speaking emphasizes his arrogance. Every time he opens his mouth, you get the feeling that he's going to do something crazy like put a bullet in a dog or beat up another gangster's wife.

9 The Godfather: Transition From Good Boy To Bad Boy

In Scarface, Montana is a total rebel from the start. He gets a job as a dishwasher, but quits because he has his mind set on crime. There is no major transition. In The Godfather, Michael Corleone starts out as a nice guy. He is an ex-military man who has no interest in going into the family business. Then everything changes after his father is shot.

At one point, he suggests to the other family members that he is out to kill the man who shot his father. They find him funny because he is not that kind of person. Then Michael unleashes the classic date. "It's strictly business Sonny, it's not personal." That's when everyone realizes old Michael is gone. In the future, he never shies away from violence.

8 Scarface: Memorable Quotes

Scarface is awash with memorable quotes. The most popular comes when Montana's house is being attacked by mercenaries hired by his enemy Alejandro Sosa. "Say hello to my little friend," he says. The friend here is an M16A1 rifle with a custom grenade launcher. Oops Friends Better run. It doesn't look like the little friend is about to offer him tea.

There's also the quote, "In this country you have to make money first, then you get power, then you get women." Not forgetting the boast, "Who put this together? Me, that's who. Who do I trust? Me!"

7 The Godfather: Michael Corleone's Revenge

It is seen by many as Pacino's best scene. Director Francis Ford Copolla could take a bit of credit for the sounds and camera angles, but it's Pacino's facial expressions that made it memorable. The tension when Michael Corleone is sitting across the table with Virgil 'The Turk' Solozzo and McCluskey makes for a riveting watch.

Solozzo, who actually tried to murder Michael's father Vito for refusing to go into the drug business with him, talks a lot. Michael doesn't answer. He looks scared, or maybe worried. But is it him? His eyes dance around the table. Train breaks screech from a distance. Before they know it, both Solozzo and McCluskey have become bullet takers, blood gushing from their bodies. A classic gangster moment.

6 Scarface: Violence

Scarface finds Pacino in his most violent form. The film is as gory as the 1932 Howard Hawks film from which he steals the title. Montana is often angry and unstable, but he's also fun to watch. Sometimes watching Scarface makes you want to play Grand Theft Auto. Someone is about to be killed or knocked out the next minute and it's going to be fun.

In total, 42 people die in the film. Montana is responsible for making these stats as high as they are. Would you really blame him? It was the '80s. Every major action figure back then, from Rambo to John Matrix, was really just a mass murderer on screen, shooting hundreds of bad guys. However, the violence in Scarface is more stylish. It is not just about a group of exploited people. At one point, Montana even dismembers a boy with a chainsaw. It's a shame Pacino wasn't the villain in the Sierra franchise.

5 The Godfather: Pacino's Age

With his performance in The Godfather, Pacino made fast learners around the world proud. He was 31 years old when he played Michael Corleone and this was only his third film. At that age, Pacino still had a lot to learn about acting, but he still managed to carry himself like an industry veteran.

Credit goes to controversial Marvel-hating director Francis Ford Copolla, who liked Pacino's performance as a heroin addict in 1971. The needle panicked and he decided to kick him out. Since that moment, Pacino has never looked back.

4 Scarface: A Vulnerable Gangster

In Scarface, Pacino is not as superhuman as he appears to be in The Godfather. He is a vulnerable gangster, a drug addict. At one point, he even buries his face in a mountain of coke. Still, even these outrageous indulgences don't make him happy. If you love villains, you end up pitying him and hoping he'll act together. If you hate villains, you rejoice, knowing his runaway emotions will eventually kill him.

The Godfather, on the other hand. portrays Michael Corleone as a man who has it all figured out. There don't seem to be any problems in the future. This takes the fun out of the movie. We'd love to see some weakness, sir.

3 The Godfather: A Cunning Gangster

In The Godfather, Michael Corleone is a smart character who knows all the right moves to make. He is almost as if he is the model for Carlo Gambino, one of the few mob bosses who will never be caught or shot dead. He knows the enemies and none of them see it coming when he decides to defeat them.

He compares that to Montana, who is driven by impulses. Also, Corleone doesn't do all the killing himself. Delegation is a valuable strategy. That's a stark contrast to Montana, who enjoys being the shoppingmode person who pulls the trigger.

2 Scarface: Flamboyance

Tony Montana has been referenced by various musicians over the years and there is no doubt that his lifestyle inspired many. In Scarface Tony he is the shining don. He has a gold convertible, heavy gold chains, crystal decanters, million dollar watches and sparkly suits.

The world of crime is full of wackiness and Pacino portrays it well in this film. Think of Pablo Escobar buying hippos or John Gotti posing for photos for the press. Gangsters can't help but brag. Tony is no exception.

1 The Godfather: Recognition

Ultimately, we have to go with the movie that old Al Pacino received the most recognition for. The clear winner here is The Godfather. Pacino received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He also received ten other nominations/awards for the same role.

For Scarface, Pacino only earned a Golden Globe nomination. The film itself was initially panned by critics for being too loud and excessively violent. Over time, opinions eventually changed.