These Al Pacino performances will blow you away. Hoo-ah!

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

Kitty Winn and Al Pacino in The Panic in Needle Park, 20th Century Studios – Credit: C/O

This movie is not for the faint of heart, but if you can get past the graphic displays of heroin use, it’s worth it for the incredibly lively and endearing performance Pacino gives in his first leading role in a feature.

Directed by Jerry Schatzberg with a brilliant screenplay by Joan Didion and her late husband John Gregory Dunne, The Panic in Needle Park stars Pacino as Bobby, a wheeler-dealer petty criminal living around New York’s “Needle Park”. When he meets a naive homeless woman named Helen and introduces her to heroin, they fall into a passionate but toxic relationship that quickly begins to revolve around their next fix.

Also, without this movie, Pacino may not have gone on to star in The Godfather. Schatzberg let Francis Ford Coppola borrow some pre-release footage from the movie to help convince executives at Paramount to cast the unknown Pacino as Michael Corleone, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Godfather (1972)

Al Pacino in The Godfather, Paramount – Credit: C/O

In his career-defining role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Pacino delivers a chilling performance as a military veteran fresh home from the service who transforms before our eyes into the cold-blooded leader of a powerful New York crime family.

Every moment in The Godfather is an iconic moment, but one of the most unforgettable scenes is the baptism of Connie’s baby, when Michael becomes the child’s godfather and promises to renounce satan and all his works — while at that very moment, his henchmen are simultaneously carrying out the gruesome murders of the Corleone family’s five biggest rivals.

Perhaps one of the elements making Pacino so effective in this role is his cool and collected demeanor, which creates so much powerful contrast in the moments when he loses his temper.

Scarecrow (1973)

Gene Hackman and Al Pacino in Scarecrow, Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

In his third feature film, Pacino teamed up again with director Jerry Schatzberg to make Scarecrow, a road drama in which he stars opposite The French Connection star Gene Hackman.

The two play a pair of vagabonds: Hackman as Max, the ex-con, and Pacino as Lion, the former sailor. After forging an unlikely friendship, together, they make their way across the country with a plan to open a car wash when they arrive in Pittsburg. However, they fall into some dark and sobering events along their journey that make their bond stronger.

Pacino gives an incredible performance in this goofy and oddly childish role, showing range and depth.

Serpico (1973)

Al Pacino in Serpico, Paramount – Credit: C/O

This 1973 film directed by the legendary Sidney Lumet features Pacino playing the real-life cop Frank Serpico.

The biographical crime drama tells the true story of Serpico’s fight against corruption in the New York City Police Department and his role as a whistleblower leading to the Knapp Commission investigation of 1970.

Pacino is electric in the role of Serpico, which showcases one of his most iconic acting talents: going from perfectly calm to flying off the handle in a split second. It’s also one of the few times we see him with a full beard.

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II, Paramount Pictures – Credit: C/O

Returning to the role of Michael Corleone two years after the runaway success of the first Godfather, Pacino gives another extremely powerful performance in The Godfather Part II. This is one of those rare instances in which fans’ love for a sequel is just as intense as their love for the original.

But in The Godfather Part II, gone is the soft Michael Corleone of youth — here to stay is the older, wiser, and much harsher Michael, whose every waking moment revolves around maintaining the family’s position of power and staying one step ahead of his enemies.

In the iconic ballroom scene in Cuba, Pacino grabs the face of his on-screen brother, John Cazale, and says unforgettably: “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart”.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon, Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

In 1975, Pacino and Cazale were reunited in Dog Day Afternoon — this time as partners in crime instead of brothers. Pacino also reunited with Serpico director Sidney Lumet for this biographical crime drama based on the true story of the 1972 bank-robbery-turned-hostage-situation at a Chase Manhattan Bank in Brooklyn carried out by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile.

Pacino plays the brains of the operation, Sonny Wortzik (based on Wojtowicz) opposite Cazale as his bumbling sidekick, Sal.

Pacino’s intense stare is on glorious display in this film as his character bungles a bank robbery while also becoming a working class hero. The film was also pretty realistic, going so far as to recreate real-life conditions like the air conditioning being shut off in the bank during the hostage situation. As a result, Pacino gets progressively sweatier — and more risk-seeking — as the film goes on.

Bobby Deerfield (1977)

Al Pacino in Bobby Deerfield, Columbia Pictures – Credit: C/O

This romantic drama was critically panned when it came out in 1977, but there’s a case to be made that Bobby Deerfield deserves more respect than it got.

It’s about a famous American race car driver, Bobby Deerfield, who falls in love with Lillian Morelli, a terminally ill Swiss woman played beautifully by Marthe Keller. But it’s not nearly as somber an affair as you might assume. From the moment they meet, Lillian immediately starts poking fun at Bobby and challenging his cynical view of the world in a way that he finds… “irresistible.”

Bobby Deerfield starts out slow, but once it picks up stream, it becomes something really special. One could argue that it’s actually a romantic comedy. Pacino shines in his ability to give us real, convincing character development, taking a fame-hardened man out of touch with the real world and turning him into a hopeless romantic.

Come for the Formula 1 scenes, stay for Pacino’s endearingly goofy Mae West impression.

Scarface (1983)

Al Pacino in Scarface, Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O

This film needs no introduction. But if we were to give it one, it would be this: “Say hello to my little friend.”

Directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, Pacino stars in Scarface as Tony Montana, chronicling his rise to power from Cuban refugee to wealthy and powerful drug lord. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Tony’s romantic interest, Elvira Hancock.

With much gun-slinging and cocaine-sniffing, it’s definitely not what you’d call a family movie — but it is a classic. Pacino’s performance is so legendary, its become an iconic piece of cinematic history.

Scent of a Woman (1992)

Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O

Jumping forward to the 1990s, Pacino earned his first and only Oscar for best actor in Scent of a Woman.

He plays Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a blind, curmudgeonly alcoholic. Chris O’Donnell plays Charlie Simms, a prep school student who is hired to watch over Slade during Thanksgiving weekend.

Pacino’s iconic catchphrase from this movie is “Hoo-ah!” which he repeats several times throughout — there are entire YouTube video compilations dedicated to this — but most notably during his famous courtroom speech.

Heat (1995)

Al Pacino in Heat, Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

In Heat, Pacino stars opposite Robert De Niro, reuniting after they played father and son in The Godfather Part II. However, in the 1974 classic, they never actually appeared on screen together, so this is their first time interacting on camera.

De Niro plays criminal mastermind Neil McCauley, who is planning one last big heist before he retires for good. Meanwhile, Pacino plays Lieutenant Hanna, whose life begins falling to pieces around him as he makes it his mission to catch McCauley.

Pacino is amazing at sneaking humor into serious circumstances, like the great line from the movie when he tells the man that’s been having an affair with his wife that he can can do pretty much anything, but, “You do not get to watch my f—ing television!”

Any Given Sunday (1999)

Jamie Foxx, Al Pacino and Dennis Quaid in Any Given Sunday, Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

In this sports drama, Pacino reunites with Scarface screenwriter Oliver Stone, who is in the directing chair for Any Given Sunday.

Loosely based on the novel of the same name by retired football player Pat Toomey, the film follows the story of a fictional pro football team The Miami Sharks. Pacino plays head coach Tony D’Amato.

One highlight is the rousing speech he gives the players in the locker room, urging them to “fight for that inch” between winning and losing.

The Irishman (2019)

Netflix – Credit: C/O

Reuniting with De Niro, and working with director Martin Scorsese for the first time, Pacino is excellent as the mysterious and charismatic labor leader Jimmy Hoffa, whose fate is at the center of the film.

Pacino is also terrific in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, also released in 2019. And in Michael Keaton’s Knox Goes Away, released in 2023.

Liked This List of 12 Must-See Al Pacino Performances?

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You might also like this list of the 5 Times Al Pacino and Robert De Niro Almost Played Each Other’s Roles

Main image: Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon.