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The “beautiful” 1973 movie Al Pacino called his “all-time favourite film”
Al Pacino has described the 1973 sports drama *Bang the Drum Slowly* as his all-time favourite film, praising its emotional portrayal of friendship and its baseball setting. The choice is notable because the film starred his friend and fellow actor Robert De Niro, during a period when both were delivering acclaimed performances and helping define 1970s American cinema.
The film follows a baseball catcher facing a terminal illness who forms a close bond with a star pitcher, played by Michael Moriarty. Although it received strong reviews, it was overshadowed by major releases including *Serpico*, *Mean Streets*, *The Sting* and *The Exorcist*, earning only one Oscar nomination, for Vincent Gardenia. Pacino said he watched it several times and believed it deserved far more recognition.
In short
- Pacino calls *Bang the Drum Slowly* his favourite film.
- He praised its friendship and baseball themes.
- The acclaimed 1973 drama was largely overlooked.
Explained simply
Bang the Drum Slowly is a 1973 sports drama following a baseball catcher who learns he is terminally ill and forms a close friendship with a star pitcher. The film starred Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty.
The film received positive reviews upon release but was overshadowed by other prominent films of the time, earning only one Oscar nomination. Since then it has been recognised as an important example of character-driven cinema from the 1970s, though it remains comparatively obscure to general audiences.
Its themes of friendship and mortality have resonated with critics and cinema enthusiasts. Yet the film remains less well-known than many other major releases from its era.