One of Hollywood’s greatest ever icons and acting talents, when listing Robert De Niro movies, it is a far harder task to decide which of his films to omit. True, his eight film collaboration with Martin Scorsese yielded his best work, and indeed half of those have been included here, but honorable mention must go to Mean Streets, Cape Fear and King of Comedy as other great Martin Scorsese picks. Away that director’s work, the New Yorker enjoyed an Oscar for his Italian speaking role in Godfather part 2, and found acclaim in films like Deer Hunter, Cop Land, The Untouchables and his own A Bronx Tale, phew!
When whittled down, here’s our top 5 Robert De Niro films.
Goodfellas
As far back as I can remember, I have loved this titan of mafia films. Goodfellas is quite simply a masterpiece and De Niro is on sizzling form. In fairness, so too are Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta as the main three set about earning for mob boss Paulie. Told in first person by Liotta’s Henry Hill, the real life rat on whose biography, the book and subsequent movie were based, the film details the rise of a criminal crew before their eventual demise. Filled with iconic moments, brilliantly and often quoted dialogue with far too deep a plot to digest in detail in my limited space here, Goodfellas is criminal cinema at its brutal best.
Raging Bull
The film that finally landed De Niro his leading actor Oscar and deservedly so. Raging Bull is based on the biography of Jake La Motta, real life boxer, The Bronx Bull. In reality, La Motta had his demons some of which played out in the ring, others were dished out to his family, especially his wife and his brother played by Scorsese stalwart Joe Pesci. The film tells the tale of the Bull as he achieves success in his career and all the plaudits that come with said success before, inevitably, he self-combusts. Making the film, De Niro, sparring with the real life La Motta, broke the boxer’s ribs before putting on an incredible amount of weight to film the fighter’s former years, such was his commitment to the role.
Heat
The film that finally brought Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together, albeit for only one scene, is so much more than just that. Titans of their fields, De Niro (Heists) is being hunted by Pacino (cop), in a film more about mutual respect than cops and robbers and explosions, although there are plenty of the above too. The two Hollywood legends have worked together again since – in the less than impressive Righteous Kill and once earlier in Godfather part 2, where they avoided shared screen time by being in different timelines. But this one single scene is really their best duel work as they head up a great cast in a great film.
Taxi Driver
The third Scorsese collaboration on our list sees De Niro take on the role of lone voyeur Travis Bickle as he finds post-Vietnam war employment as a taxi driver in New York. What Bickle finds as he criss crosses the city each night is a seedy city lost without morals. Pimps, porn and politics push Travis ever towards the edge of insanity, before rejection from his would be lover unsettles him further. He reaches his mental limits when he meets 13-year-old prostitute Irene, played here by then child actor Jodie Foster, whom he takes responsibility to save. When he finally cracks and makes his play on the city’s underbelly, he does so in the most bloodthirsty of ways. Taxi Driver is a study of haunted human mentality and De Niro pulls it off faultlessly.
Casino (1995)
In terms of cast and crew and, in many ways plot, Casino is kind of Goodfellas part 2. It is an entirely different film of course, no relation at all but the rise and fall themes of organised crime and the musically backed montage scene where all the perpetrators wind up getting whacked, is extremely reminiscent of a scene in in Goodfellas some five years earlier. If you didn’t already know, then you’ve probably already guessed, this is set in Las Vegas. The story centres on De Niro’s Samuel ‘Ace’ Rothstein a highly skilled professional gambler who is dispatched by the Chicago mob to look after their Tangiers Casino in Sin City. To look after Ace, the mob also send along his childhood friend and psychopath Nick Santoro, played by another member of the Goodfellas alumni, Joe Pesci who soon gets to work destroying the very thing he was supposed to be looking after.
One of De Niro’s finest movies, his work here saw him land a role in the 15-minute commercial for the mega Casino of Dreams in Macau. Macau itself is fast becoming a rival to Vegas, although both are worth a visit. One thing though; if you are thinking of visiting either and maybe visiting a casino while you’re in town, remember gambling equals risk. On that point, be sure to enhance your chances by playing at a reputable online casino before you go. You don’t have to deposit, so there is no risk. But, whether you’re thinking of playing poker, roulette, blackjack, craps or whatever, practice at an online casino before you go.