The Actor Profile Series: Robert De Niro

In typical fashion, I give feedback on particular films in my blogs. However, I think it's also critical to appreciate the work of the people starring in these films. These are the people that bring life to the characters written on paper. They are the ones that invite an audience to join them in a different world for a couple of hours. They allow strangers across the world to form emotional connections to their characters. That being said, actors do not always do their work effectively. But there are some that truly stand out.

The first edition of my actor profile series is dedicated to the one, the only, a Mr. Robert De Niro. It is no secret that Martin Scorsese is one of my all-time favorite directors, but where would he be without his leading man De Niro? (Fun fact, the honest answer is not good- De Niro convinced Scorsese to kick his drug addiction by bringing him a new movie idea- "Raging Bull- when he was at his lowest). De Niro is a New York man through and through, which shows, since his works primarily takes place in NYC. He left traditional school at the age of 16 to attend an acting school.  Though I wish with all my heart I could say I've seen every De Niro film, this is no easy task, considering the man has credit in over 100 films. However, there are some standout De Niro films that truly showcase his sheer talent:

The first on the list is the 1973 Scorsese classic, "Mean Streets".

In this film, we meet De Niro as mobster Johnny Boy, who is trying to move up the mafia ladder in New York. This movie is brilliantly done- it goes so much deeper than simply being a crime film about gangsters. It showcases a major pressure placed on people by the Catholic church- the notion of sin. In this time period, many people were placed under a great burden, continuously worrying about sinning, which would result in an eternity in flames- sounds like enough to drive anyone crazy. The eternal flames of hell are symbolically apparent throughout the entirety of the film as the color red. All scenes shot in the bar have a clear red lighting, signifying guilt. The tone of the movie is clear straight from the beginning, where we hear a voiceover from Scorsese say "You don’t make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. All the rest is BS and you know it.” While De Niro does not play the main character of the film, he gives an outstanding performance as an incautious hustler who is always in debt. He's a jokester in the film, blissfully ignoring the potential consequences of sin that haunt the other characters. The first action his character performs is blowing up a mailbox. Moviegoers have grown accustomed to big-budget gangster films from high-up mobsters, so it was refreshing to see a gangster movie that seems more grounded in reality. It is evident even in this early film that De Niro commits himself to fully embracing his role. His complete transformations are even more evident when you view multiple De Niro films, particularly in his collaborations with Scorsese. His character, Johnny Boy, works in great juxtaposition to Harvey Keitel as the lead. Honestly, I'd be much less invested in this movie if it weren't for De Niro's performance. He gives a great spirit to the film. This movie is exceptionally done but certainly feels dated- I can certainly imagine it packing a punch when it was first released. It is definitely the springboard into the wonders of De Niro's career. 

Next up is Taxi Driver, one of my all-time favorite films. This is also my favorite role for De Niro. In this movie De Niro stars as Travis Bickle, a psychotic (you guessed it-) taxi driver. Bickle is a Vietnam veteran turned paranoid insomniac, and this film brilliantly shows the mental effects war had on veterans. We see his madness rise along with the temperature in this 1970s New York summer.  Travis frequents Times Square and 42nd Street to observe the hookers, pimps, and other "street freaks" that he becomes fixated on. In an effort not to spoil the film, I'll just say that De Niro's performance allows for a psychological buildup that leads to an urban nightmare. De Niro casts a dark smile into the camera, not dislike Heath Ledger's expressions as the Joker in "The Dark Knight". Scorsese has a knack for subtly showcasing emotions, and this is most evident in the film "Taxi Driver". The emotional buildup in De Niro's character is one of the best collaborations between Scorsese and De Niro. De Niro's iconic line in the film is "You talkin' to me?"- who would've guessed that this was improvised! If that doesn't demonstrate De Niro's brilliance I don't know what will. This movie stands the test of time and shows excellence in every division. De Niro's performance raises its mastery to a new level.

Since I was a kid I've always had an affinity for boxing films, oddly enough. Combine De Niro, Scorsese, and boxing, and I'm sold. "Raging Bull", while not commercially successful upon its release, goes down as a classic in the books. This 1980 film depicts the true story of middleweight boxer Jake LaMotta. Once again, beneath a fabulous plot Scorsese skillfully portrays the emotional and psychological confusion of his character. Scorsese is so gifted, but I'll save that analysis for another time. If there is one word to describe De Niro as LaMotta, it would be tumultuous, or, well, raging. The film's title serves as a double entendre, crediting LaMotta's boxing name, as well as the emotional aggression that built up inside him throughout his career. There are many parallels between "Raging Bull" and "Taxi Driver".  La Motta's rage is obviously expressed in the boxing ring, but is most evident through his jealousy surrounding his wife. LaMotta convinces himself that his wife is cheating on him, although there is no evidence demonstrating so. There are so many great components of the film that I can analyze, such as the effects and tactics used to film the fight scenes, but once again, it is De Niro's performance that blows this film out of the water. De Niro gained a significant amount of weight to portray the older LaMotta- so much so that Scorsese forced him to stop since he was concerned about his health. Time and time again, De Niro commits himself to his role, changing his entire mental processes during filming. This film, in classical Scorsese fashion, takes one subject and uses it as a backdrop to brilliantly expose the mental breakdown of the lead. I'd suggest a back-to-back "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull" viewing for optimal Scorsese-De Niro glory.

The next film is "The Deer Hunter" from 1978. This provided a unique role for De Niro- no Scorsese, no New York, no gangs. However, once again we see the emotional turmoil of his character unravel before our eyes. This film also demonstrates the emotional impact of the Vietnam War. De Niro plays Michael, who leaves his job at a steel mill to serve in the war. He and his two friends are often seen playing Russian Roulette, which serves as the ultimate symbol of the film. It represents the suddenness of US involvement in the Vietnam war, and the randomness of the epic violence. De Niro is the leading man, ushering his friends through the horrific scenes they find themselves in in Vietnam. The true emotional impact is evident when De Niro goes home, and has great difficulty being welcomed as a war hero. I do not think this is the MOST spectacular performance of De Niro's career, however De Niro still demonstrates his mastery of subtleties. I can only imagine the reactions people had when this film was initially released- like salt in an open wound.

Finally, we'll look at De Niro in a classic role- a Scorsese-crafted mobster. "Goodfellas," from 1990, is a classic crime film that I always come back to. This is my favorite, and in my opinion the best, of all crime movies I've come across. This movie really highlights the finesse of mob life in New York. In the past, we've seen De Niro embrace gritty lower-level mobsters. This grit is shined up like a new penny. This movie tells the true story of mobster and FBI informant Henry Hill. De Niro plays his mentor, Jimmy. While he doesn't have the leading role, his character adds a nice flavor to the film. In the past, we've seen De Niro's mobster films project guilt ("Mean Streets"), but "Goodfellas" sheds a new light on mob life. Rather than Catholic guilt, the sin of this film is betrayal. Its about the emphasis and impact of loyalty in gangs. It shows the complete and utter absorption into mob life. I watched this film immediately after viewing "Mean Streets" and the juxtaposition baffled me. Before going into it, I expected to watch essentially the same film made 20 years apart. The incredible difference in theme once again demonstrates the brilliance of Scorsese, and well as the acting ability of De Niro.

Long live the De Niro and Scorsese brotherhood.