Who is the better actor, DeNiro, Pacino, or Brando???

My vote goes to DeNiro.

DonVito,

Why would you start a brand new thread about a subject that is already being discussed over in the other post?


Don Cardi

Well, first of all, that thread is suppossed to be about DeNiro playing Sonny, not DeNiro vs. Pacino. Second of all, I want this to be discussed in one thread, and I want a poll to see how you guys feel.

Ok, I see what you are trying to do! My bad!

Don Cardi

Who was in the most movies?Im not sure but I think Pacino did something like 45+.

Damn, you guys really like Al Pacino on this board.

No votes for Brando?

My vote goes to Pacino To me he is the best Actor of all time, a living legend!

2nd would be De Niro (who btw has the most movies), and Brando 3rd....

I voted for Brando. IMHO Brando was the greatest actor of my lifetime.

I think Pacino is an excellent actor, but (again IMHO) he can't be compared to Brando.

From Imdb:

De Niro: 70 movies
Brando: 42 movies
Pacino: 40 movies

I voted Pacino, but it was a HARD choice. Brando, I will always think of him as the sexiest male ever in his sweat-soaked T-shirt playing Stanley Kowalsky in "A streetcar named desire" (a real masterpiece where you cannot easily tell who is the best)....
De Niro is a legend, he got a tremendous amount of talent (I recently rewatched GF2 and realized he was acting in SICILIAN!!!!) and it's a shame he's playing so many stupid roles lately (even though he's such a great actor he manages to let you bear watching). I admit my favorite actor was Bob, in fact, for a long long time. But now my pick is Al Pacino. I happened to rewatch many of his most important movies lately (Carlito's way, Scarface, Donnie Brasco and the GF saga) and his outstanding talent impressed me to the point that if I ever were given the chance to meet a movie star I'd ask for him, just to say him: "Thank you, Al. I love you, all of us love you"

I agree, overall it's Pacino!
Now if you're talking about Pacino as Michael, DeNiro as the "young" Don Vito and Brando as Don Vito, well that's too hard to call for me.

btw - according to IMDb, DeNiro has made 70 movies, Brando made 42 and Pacino 40.

They are great, all of them. But Pacino has those eyes...
I read somewhere, that Pacino actually had some grandfathers coming from the city Corleone, Sicily...

I gotta agree to that. I love De Niro to death, but damn, he has to be selective regarding the movies and roles he is doing...On the other side, this guy has already proven that he's an AMAZING actor, and played any kind of role, has been in many masterpieces, so hes just having some liberty and fun...Id love to see himin an another Scorsese Movie, to make another great performance since in Heat...

Pacino has been in like 2 or 3 less good movies and thats it. And even in wack movies, he played great. Something that hasnt hurt his career is that hes been very selective (wished he wouldve accpeted Apocalypse Now though).

*waiting to see Pacino as Shylock*

Robert DeNiro is the best actor of all time. He completely divulges himself into a character. Not like Pacino doesn't do that, but I don't think he does it as well as DeNiro. Just watch him in Taxi Driver. Watch him in Raging Bull. Watch him in GF pt 2. He's amazing.

Al Pacino is my favorite actor, so I am partial to him.

brando aint 2 happy round here is he

I have thought about which is my favorite actor several times... and to tell the truth. I really like them both.

While Pacino is a good actor, Marlon Brando is far superior. He is the one always emulated by actors today, although Pacino and Deniro are more popular b/c of the size of their work.

With Brando out of the picture [literaly] who is the greatest living actor now between the two? It's like comparing apples and oranges --->

Pacino has perfected going where the character takes him. He has become so emotional caught up in certain performances he has often times been rushed to the hospital after the shoot due to exhaustion. One example is in GFII when he learns Fredo has betrayed him. He collapsed and was sent for medical treatment. This has happened more than once. --->

On the other hand, Deniro is a minimalist; not a bad quality, b/c it seems to work hands down. For him, less is more.

You simply cannot compare the two. It's a loaded question. And for that you get an orange.

I shouldn't answer here, because it is obvious to my board buddies. But, in case you guys don't know, it's Bobby D . And DonVitoCorleone, you can ask a few other board members here, I'm a sucker at making these Pacino vs. De Niro polls.

1.Pacino
2.De Niro
3.Brando

But this thread is in the godfather section,and if you ask about the best actor in the godfather,then I cant choose.Its a tie.Just like I cant choose between Pacino and De Niro in Heat...

DeNiro without question. Pacino's slipped a bit with age and Brando's out of the equation now that he's room temperature.

For me, Pacino without question. There is something about his intensity that blows me away. I think all three are outstanding, and all my favorites, but my list would be:

Pacino
DeNiro
Brando

Of course, this doesn't mean I've liked everything they've done. I think DeNiro's made too many comedies, and although he is good, much of his later work I don't even care to see, cause they don't sound good. Same with Pacino.

TIS

If you are talking about overall talent, not just their performanse in GF, I think Brando stands alone. Most actors of the DeNiro, Pacino generation used him as the yardstick by which they measured each other. I have heard this in numerous interviews over the years. Brando gave performances in his ealier movies so personal and intense that "it was almost too painful to watch" (Dustin Hoffman).

This is very true...if you watch him in "On the Waterfront" you get so emotionally caught up in his character, you want to cry when he cries.

I almost did cry when he was holding the gun to his union bosses at Johnny Friendly's bar, and when the priest tried to take it away from him and talk some sense into him, and Brando said, "It's none of your business!! It's none of your business!!"

It captured me.

Also in the last scene when he went to the docks and yelled out, "Hey Friendly!!!" I can't remember the exact lines, but when he said, "I'm glad what I done to you, and I'm gonna keep doin' it..." Beautiful acting.

"You was my brudda Cha'lie, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money."

"Oh I had some bets down for you. You saw some money."

"You don't unda'stand, I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody.... instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Cha'lie."

I recently rewatched "A streetcar named desire" (a real masterpiece, please rewatch it!). Brando was SUPERB, you are literally disgusted by Stanley Kowalsky's brutality....You can't help hating his character....and loving his acting... I think both DeNiro and Pacino owe him a lot.

it's obviously a damn hard call, for me probably like most of you they're my 3 favourite actors.

i'd say if all i were judging on was the godfather films i'd say pacino, i think his performance is probably the finest in movie history. The transformation of the character is somewhat extreme but he makes it seem almost natural, when you rewatch godfather 1 you can see the later michael in the younger michael if you know what i mean.

All 3 were genius's but id just say brando over all, because he was first, he lead the way, before brando actors in hollywood tended to be so uncharismatic and really lacked depth. Marlon changed all that and led the way for guys like Pacino and De Niro so he gets my nod, even if you cannot really say that his performances were any better than the other guys, he was the groundbreaker.

Kinda like comparing Elvis to those that followed him

I'm almost hurt that there aren't more votes for Marlon Brando. I'm only 20 years old, but in my 20 years, I've come to appreciate his art, his work. Marlon Brando, hands down, is the absolute greatest actor of all time. There are no wrong opinions, so I'll state mine. In my opinion, Brando shouldn't even be compared to any other actor. That's like comparing Jimi Hendrix to every other guitarist out there. Or comparing B.B. King to every other blues artist. They stand alone. De Niro: brilliant actor. Pacino: brilliant actor. But as for Brando, it's like you need to invent a different word to describe his talent. He's not even acting in his performances, he becomes the character, and reacts according to how that character would react. I could ramble forever, but hands down, it's Brando.

Pacino without a doubt.

I know you probebly dont like threads bumping up when they are old. But ive only just joined so im not sure how long a thread is left before you stop posting in it. However seeing as the last reply was only posted today, i figured it would be ok to post.

I actually thought id be the only one, but it looks liek everyone is voting for Pacino. Brando is good, but i havnt seen much of his earlier stuff. And obviously DeNiro is excellent. But i dont think many actors would have been able to turn from Young war hero to Godfather making it as believable as Pacino did.