Michael Mann brought together Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in “Heat,” resulting in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.
In 1995, Heat was released on French screens, one of the best heist films in the history of cinema and Michael Mann’s best film with an average spectator rating of 4.3 out of 5. It is also the opportunity to see two legends oppose each other throughout its 2h50mn. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino then share the screen for the first time.
But you have to be patient to witness this historic meeting when the two find themselves seated opposite each other in a restaurant.
An iconic moment in the history of cinema
This scene features two of the greatest actors of their generation. Having these two pillars of cinema working together on the same project was a masterstroke for Michael Mann, and the director delivered a six-minute scene that allowed the two actors to come together in a moment worthy of a master class.
Although they both appeared in The Godfather Part II, this was the first time the Hollywood icons shared a stage together, and it was a success on every level. Especially because Michael Mann prepared it like a clash of the titans.
How Michael Mann prepared this legendary scene
Pairing two great actors together doesn’t always guarantee a memorable scene. It must be carefully crafted through character development, chemistry, location and cinematography of the film.
Al Pacino plays Lt. Vincent Hanna, lieutenant of the Los Angeles Police Department, a determined and unapologetic cop who will stop at nothing to corner his prey. On the other hand, Robert De Niro plays Neil McCauley, a professional robber, meticulous in his work and very proud of carrying out complex and large-scale heists.
Michael Mann carefully developed each character and their game of cat and mouse throughout the first half of the film. And the actors also prepared in advance for the confrontation. De Niro, using the familiar method that worked so well for him, talked with real criminals, and Pacino did the same by following interrogations with real criminals.
To not miss a beat, Mann decided to use three cameras. One to frame Pacino, another to frame De Niro, and a third to film the two together, sitting opposite each other at the table around a coffee.
Park Circus France
Capturing reality
In an interview given to the Directors Guild of AmericaMann discusses the technique he ultimately chose: “What I wanted to do was shoot with two cameras, two cameras on my shoulder. I also had a third camera that we filmed in profile and that we never edited in the film. I knew there would be an organic unit in one take and a different organic unit in another… Most of what you see is take 11.”
This is essentially an approach to “less is more” which ensures that each actor is perfectly framed as they face off in a masterfully paced exchange.
The scene was filmed around 1 a.m. in a Beverly Hills restaurant often frequented by professionals, Kate Mantilini’s. Lasting exactly six minutes and seventeen seconds, it captures the two characters sitting across from each other and letting go of all the pretenses that have led them to this point in the film.
Brutal honesty
These are two fascinating characters who strip away all the formalities in an exchange where Pacino and De Niro are at the top of their game.
Pacino, unflappable and gravelly-voiced, describes in detail the demands of his job, his troubled personal life and his attitude of not going out of his way to catch men like Neil McCauley who, in turn, doesn’t give in, as only Robert De Niro can. Chin tucked into his chest and gaze fixed on Hanna with his familiar facial expressions, he responds to the cop’s brutal honesty with his own.
The exchange is both calm and full of pent-up tension that has been building throughout the film. There is both a mutual respect and a palpable disdain that the characters have for each other as they sit very calmly and discuss their current situation, and what each of them is up to to do to achieve its goals.
And the scene ends with this memorable dialogue. McCauley said to Hanna:There is the other side of the coin. What if you can corner me and I have to kill you? Whatever happens, you won’t stand in my way. We came face to face, yes. But I won’t hesitate. Not for a second.“
Heat is available until May 31 on Netflix.
