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Round 2: "The Godfather" (1972) vs. "The Godfather: Part II" (1974)

Pacino's Michael Corleone goes through an enormous evolution -- or, some would argue, devolution -- in the first installment of Francis Ford Coppola's Mafia magnum opus: from prodigal son ("That's not me, Kate")... more to pragmatic killer to take-no-prisoners head of the family. Compared with that arc, the changes that De Niro's fresh-faced Vito Corleone, seen in the sequel's extended flashbacks, undergoes don't seem nearly as dramatic. Pacino gets the chance to play the scale, going from cold-bloodedly quiet to those raging tirades that would become his stock-in-trade. De Niro, meanwhile, maintains a reptilian cool even when he resorts to violence. The temptation to award this round to Pacino is an offer we find hard to refuse, until we remember that: a) De Niro's subtle incorporation of Marlon Brando's mannerisms from the previous movie is beyond graceful; and, b) he learned to speak an Italian dialect for the part. Buena lavoro, Bob.

Winner: De Niro, on a series of technicalities

(Everett Collection)