No law-breaking citizens are better romanticized on screen than mobsters. They’re everyone’s favorite antihero. These rebels operate under an eccentric set of rules and are pretty fricking cool. The greatest mobsters to ever make us fuggedaboutit have been, of course, portrayed by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Unfortunately, in the criminal underworld, bad things happen and people die. It takes a puissant crime boss to navigate the tumultuous waters of criminality. As these wise guys now grace our Netflix accounts with The Irishman, let’s see which “capomandamento” has had more success (and gotten dirtier) running a “legitimate business.”
Cover Photo: Netflix
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It’s really no contest. Robert De Niro is the most revered gangster in cinematic history; no one has done it better. Al Pacino is a great actor but his outings as a crime boss are few compared to De Niro’s many. The former’s characters are more traditional (in the mobster sense), iconic and inimitable. Al Pacino may play the crime boss Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman, but it’s his muscle who will always be the king of crime.
Overall Winner: Robert De Niro
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Mandatory Mobsters: Robert De Niro V. Al Pacino
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Ambition
Rising to the top of criminality is all about sniffing out opportunities. First off, De Niro's take on the role Marlon Brando made famous, Vito Corleone, epitomizes the rags-to-riches grind. Secondly, characters like Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Casino) and Neil McCauley all refuse to fail. Pacino's gangsters are ambitious, but none are as hungry (and desperate) as De Niro's.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Loyalty
An argument can be may that no mobster has ever been more loyal than Pacino's Lefty (Donnie Brasco). However, whether it be as Vito Corleone, Jimmy Conway, or Victor Tellegio (American Hustle), De Niro has shown a respect for the game not seen in characters like Tony Montana, who just kills his best friends.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Ruthlessness
If you want to make an omelet, you gotta break some eggs. De Niro's proclivity for acts of warranted and unwarranted violence can be seen in almost all of his wise guy roles. His quintessential ruthlessness can be seen underappreciated roles like Louis Gara in Jackie Brown; the burnt-out gangster shoots Bridget Fonda's surfer girl character in cold blood just because he has a zero-tolerance policy for mockery. While Pacino has played some pretty ruthless characters (Tony Montana obviously), De Niro's recklessness is unparalleled—he does not give a fuck.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Business
The Chicago Mob's golden goose, Sam 'Ace' Rothstein. Enough said.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Charity
In Goodfellas, everyone called Jimmy Conway "The Gent" because he took care of people. Jimmy tips everyone: drivers, bartenders, and doormen. His charitable nature made him an extremely likable character and one all the other characters looked up to...until he started whacking everyone.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Family
The idea of running a legitimate business revolves around leading the perfect double life. Many gangsters (Michael Corleone, for example) overcompensate, constantly insisting they will go legit. They almost always miss the mark. No man ever embraced life and cared for his family better than Vito Corleone. The killing of Don Fanucci by Vito will forever live in infamy as one of the greatest (and most family-oriented hits) of all time.
Winner: Robert De Niro
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Consigliere
Every good crime boss needs a trustworthy right-hand man. De Niro almost always seems to have Joe Pesci and while Pesci will never be a clown, he does not compare to Steven Bauser as Manny Ribera (Scarface). The best friend and confidant of Tony Montana is perhaps the most loyal sidekick in gangster cinema (other than the whole banging Tony's sister thing), which makes Tony's rage all the more heartbreaking.
Winner: Al Pacino
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Intellect
Al Pacino's Michael Corleone had all of the criminal knowledge anyone could ever want. Being the son of Don Vito Corleone, he was set up as the prodigal son. On top of his heritage, he was also a gifted strategist, eliminating the competition while attending a baptism—the man has his own red right hand. No loose ends.
Winner: Al Pacino
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Personality
Even though Tony Montana isn't a mobster in the traditional Sicilian sense, he most certainly is a gangster. The Cuban refugee rises through the ranks with nothing but his brass cojones and haphazard charisma. If it were not for his confidence, he would have been nothing; Scarface would have ended with Al Pacino flipping burgers.
Winner: Al Pacino
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Survival Rate
Gangsters don't have a long life span. More often than not, they are either gunned down or arrested. Michael Corleone made it through three Godfather movies and took his last breath as an old man (we can't say the same for members of his family).
Winner: Al Pacino
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Films
Let's be honest, De Niro's mob-centric filmography is far superior to Pacino's. De Niro has graced the screen as characters like Sam Rothstein (Casino), Johnny Boy (Mean Streets), Paul Vitti (Analyze This), Louis Gara (Jacki Brown), Vito Corleone (The Godfather Part II) , Al Capone (The Untouchables), Johnny Boy (Mean Streets), Jimmy Conway (Goodfellas), and David 'Noodle' Aaronson (Once Upon a Time in America) and then shared the scene with Pacino as Neil McCauley (Heat). Pacino's most notable roles in this genre included Micheal Corleone (The Godfather trilogy), Tony Montana (Scarface), Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero (Donnie Brasco) and Carlito Brigante (Carlito's Way).
Winner: Robert De Niro
