Since both of these actors are always compared to each other I thought I'd post a poll. Needless to say, they are both perfect for the crime/action films, but when it comes to other genres, I'd pick De Niro. Seems that any film he is in he is perfect for the role (King of Comedy, Cape Fear, Awakenings, even Meet the Parents/Fockers). In the 70's/early 80's Pacino was excellent with his roles in And Justice For All, Author Author, Dog Day Afternoon, etc. but for the last 10-15 years he seems to play the same part over and over and I can't really picture himself doing anything else.

Whoops...not the poll I was expecting. Thought we were going to play Marry / Kill / Screw

How to compare? Let's pick a not-so-random film:

"You see me doin' thrill-seeker liquor-store holdups with a 'Born to Lose' tattoo on my chest?"
"What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone. 'Cause there is a dead man on the other end of this fuckin' line."

Not bad, not bad.

"A guy told me one time, 'Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.'"

Oh, that's good. Now the other guy:

"Don't waste my motherfuckin' time!"
"You get killed walkin' your doggie!"
"Cause she's got a great ass, and you got your head all the way up it!"

And my favorite:

"You know, you can ball my wife if she wants you to. You can lounge around here on her sofa, in her ex-husband's dead-tech, post-modernistic bullshit house if you want to. But you do not get to watch my fucking television set!"

Advantage Michael Corleone.

das

Thank God we've never had this poll before.

Deniro is better over the span of the career...

but Pacino?... even lately in the 'Insomnia' remake?...

when he's in a good film... he's damn good...

i agree with the "he's done the same part for 15 years" except for 'Insomnia' and 'Donnie Brasco'...

the fact that Pacino is DARING to work in a remake of 'Rififi'?... "this pisses me off to no end!"... (think Lo Pan)...

so i voted Deniro...

yeah he was excellent in DB and Insomnia. DB i didnt really count bc it is a mafia movie.

I wonder who will be upstaging who in that movie they were in together thats supposed to come out over the summer.

I voted for DeNiro based on his overall work, although I think that Pacino has done better since Heat.

I think this thread should closed and someone should search next time!

Just compare their performance of the same part.
Which is the devil. DeNiro's was better.

They've both earned their way. But, Deniro had better scripted roles. It's close. Good poll. Hard choice.

Robert Deniro for his overall body of work.

Both incredibly powerful actors in their own right, but De Niro has had so many veritable classics. The man has made some of the best films EVER in cinematic history. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Godfather II right there make him my pick.

DeNiro's the better actor, but I have to be honest...I enjoy watching Pacino more.

The thing that cements DeNiro as the better actor for me:

I don't think that Pacino could have pulled off DeNiro's best roles (could you see Pacino in Taxi Driver or Raging Bull?) but I think that DeNiro could have pulled off Pacino's best roles (The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, etc.).

Although I think Pacino gives the better performance in their head-to-head movie (Heat).

They're both good in their own way, but De Niro has a far better range than Pacino. I liked his small role in The Godfather: Part II over Pacino's in the whole movie, for instance. Pacino's acting style and ragged voice makes all his characters seem to be the same.

I think both are great, but I enjoy watching Pacino more. He's got more energy, which I like.

I selected DeNiro...I love Pachino, but he tends to overact.

= J

DeNiro.

DeNiro, and it's really not even close.

DeNiro did audition for the part of Michael.

The top two living actors. But i give it to Pacino and here's why.

No one was better than Pacino in the 70s/80s. Nicholson came close, Scorsese held DeNiro's hand. See his two-gear performances in Last Tycoon and 1900, his costars show more devotion. Pacino has range when he wants to, even in their comedies DeNiro can't lose his toughguy act while Pacino went whimsical in Author Author.

This would be my answer.

***** (5 star)__________________________*** (3 star) Because DeNiro acts more naturally than Pacino.

Another for DeNiro. I like Pacino, but compared to effortlessly natural DeNiro, his acting seems forced.

Pacino is amazing, but Deniro edges him out. Deniro in Goodfellas when he finds out Tommy is gone is just amazing. very quiet but deeply sad.