Al Pacino Called One Robert De Niro Performance the Best in Film History

Two giants of cinema, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, share a bond forged in the fire of 1970s Hollywood. Recently, Pacino singled out one of De Niro’s performances as the greatest in film history—a bold claim from a man who’s seen it all. That role was Jake LaMotta in the 1980 masterpiece ‘Raging Bull’.

‘Raging Bull’ is a raw, unflinching look at the life of LaMotta, a middleweight boxing champion whose personal demons outpunched his ring opponents. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film dives into LaMotta’s rise, fall, and search for redemption, fueled by jealousy, violence, and guilt. De Niro’s transformation was staggering—he packed on 27 kilograms to show LaMotta’s later years, earning him an Oscar for Best Actor. Pacino called it ‘mind-blowing’, saying De Niro’s work as the troubled fighter set a bar no one’s touched.

Pacino and De Niro go way back, first crossing paths in ‘The Godfather Part II’ in 1974, though they never shared a scene. Their careers exploded during the New Hollywood era, when directors like Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Brian De Palma shook up the industry with gritty, bold stories. Both actors thrived, delivering iconic roles—Pacino as Michael Corleone in ‘The Godfather’ and Tony Montana in ‘Scarface’, De Niro as Travis Bickle in ‘Taxi Driver’ and Vito Corleone in ‘The Godfather Part II’.

What makes Pacino’s praise for ‘Raging Bull’ hit hard is their shared history. They’ve teamed up in films like ‘Heat’ and ‘The Irishman’, but also stumbled together in the 2008 dud ‘Righteous Kill’. Pacino’s seen De Niro’s range up close, from quiet menace to explosive rage. He didn’t just call the LaMotta role great—he said it redefined what acting could be. De Niro himself pushed Scorsese to make the film after reading LaMotta’s memoir, convincing a reluctant director who wasn’t into sports movies. Scorsese later said it wasn’t about boxing but about a man’s fight with himself.

‘Raging Bull’ wasn’t a box office smash, grossing $23 million on a $18 million budget, but its legacy is untouchable. Shot in stark black-and-white, it’s often ranked among the best films ever, with a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. De Niro’s prep was insane—training with LaMotta himself to nail the fight scenes, then ballooning his weight to show the boxer’s decline. Pacino’s nod to this role isn’t just a pat on the back; it’s a testament to De Niro’s grit.

Both men are still at it. Pacino, 85, recently starred in ‘Knox Goes Away’, while De Niro, 81, took on dual roles in ‘The Alto Knights’. Their friendship endures, rooted in respect for each other’s craft. When Pacino says De Niro’s LaMotta is the best, it’s not just hype—it’s one legend saluting another for a performance that changed the game.