Maybe the reason Martin Scorsese doesn't like Marvel or DC media franchises — no matter how great they can be — is because his films carry a more realistic take, with Robert De Niro being the one Scorsese's cast in his most famous movies. In November, we'll be getting the tenth film where these two legends have collaborated to bring forward absolute gems in the film industry, and The Irishman has already amassed incredible review pre-release.
The best way to hype up for the film’s premiere is to go back and watch all the Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro movies one more time. We’ve compiled the appropriate viewing order for you, ranked from the least impressive to the greatest of all their collaborations.
New York, New York (1977)
A singer and a jazz saxophonist endure a whirlwind romance that leads to a quick marriage. However, they soon realize that rushing into marriage, especially in their profession, leads to more problems than they could have foreseen.
Out of all the films De Niro headlined for Scorsese, this is one vehicle that was mainly steered by the lead actress. Liza Minnelli was clearly the star performer between the two, as the musical style of New York, New York played to the actress’s strengths. The film itself was good enough for a musical feature, but hasn’t aged so well due to the mixture of over-the-top elements and realism that didn’t work when combined together.
The Audition (2015)
The Audition brings together Scorsese’s biggest collaborators in De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s a 15-minute feature that is all comedy and big on the laughs as the A-list actors find out that Scorsese intends to make them audition to secure the lead part in his next movie.
This leads to De Niro and DiCaprio butting heads, where they take shots at the other’s failures to gain the psychological upper hand. Making it funnier is the fact that Brad Pitt swoops and steals the part from both of them. There’s nothing bad about this film except for the minuscule runtime; a full-length movie might have resulted in one of the finest meta comedies ever made.
Casino (1995)
The ins and outs of running a casino in Las Vegas, where crime and corruption runs rampant, is detailed in this epic crime film that tells the story of a man overseeing the Tangiers Casino, all the while dealing with the mafia’s intervention.
Casino is by no means an average film, but it suffers massively from being considered as a Las Vegas version of Goodfellas. However, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro are in fine form as their chemistry shines through, while Sharon Stone surprisingly delivers a refined performance of her own. There’s some of the trademark brutality of Martin Scorcese on display here as well, supplemented by Pesci’s penchant for making every scene he gets killed in memorable.
The King Of Comedy (1982)
Joaquin Phoenix nailed the role of the Joker in the titular film this year, but did you know that De Niro had completed similar work almost four decades earlier? Here, a struggling stand-up comedian convinces himself that a famous talk show host has become his friend and concocts a fantasy that his big break has arrived.
Had Scorsese wanted to make a thriller out of it, then The King of Comedy would’ve been the Joker movie we got this year, but the film oddly managed to successfully portray De Niro’s delusional character as sympathetic. In today’s standards, the film is sure to make people uncomfortable for the themes it portrays about mental health, but there's no denying the film is still funny.
Cape Fear (1991)
A convicted felon is released fourteen years after serving his prison sentence where he learned his own defense lawyer had him incriminated for his crimes, leading to this man swearing vengeance. Ever since Cape Fear was released, Max Cady has been considered one of the most famous killers in cinema.
If you thought De Niro mainly stars as hardened tough guys who ultimately mean well, then you’ll be shocked to see him play a total psychopath in Cape Fear. The film is generally by-the-numbers, but it is De Niro’s portrayal as the homicidal maniac with plenty of smarts that captures the audience. Overall, a fine albeit slightly predictable film bolstered by an incredible performance.
Mean Streets (1973)
The arrogance of youth in the real world is told in Mean Streets, where two young brothers face the hard life as the consequences of their actions hit them hard. Martin Scorcese himself plays a part in this film, providing further value toward a story that is meant to provide a representation of the mistakes young people make.
You’ll be surprised to know that De Niro doesn’t come across as the lead character here, as it is Harvey Keitel’s character who provides much of the moral dilemma. However, it is this lack of full focus that makes De Niro stand out more, as Scorsese’s screenplay paints him as a gambler who just doesn’t realize he’s in too deep.
Raging Bull (1980)
Younger fans thought De Niro was out of his element when playing an aged boxer in 2013’s Grudge Match, but these people didn’t know he’d knocked it out of the park with Raging Bull in the 1980s, although definite credit has to be given for Martin Scorsese’s direction.
Rather than making something of a Rocky feature, Scorsese instead painted a black-and-white picture that shows the consequences of insecurity, especially where fame and honor is involved. Raging Bull deconstructs the idea of success with the behind-the-scenes impact of a fighter’s life playing the true cause of failure. It’s not for those who want the usual Cinderella story, but for those who want to learn how things really work in this business.
Goodfellas (1990)
There’s no way anyone can hear the word “shinebox” and not get a good chuckle out of the memory of Joe Pesci losing it and his and Robert De Niro’s character brutalizing the man who said that word. Goodfellas has gone down in history as perhaps the second-best mobster film after The Godfather, and is an epic journey filled with violence and comedy.
While De Niro is once again the leading man, Martin Scorcese really brought out the best from Joe Pesci in this film, as his character is the one you remember the most. Regardless, Goodfellas represents the peak of the collaboration between De Niro and Scorcese, as it became clear these two can never go wrong when working together.
Taxi Driver (1976)
A young taxi driver undergoes an existential crisis and a turn toward violent intentions once he realizes the city he lives in stews in corruption, seeping in from all walks of life. The following events pick up with the man deciding to cause chaos to disrupt the indecency around him.
Taxi Driver is mostly famous for the “You talkin’ to me?” scene, which has been parodied and referenced to legendary status. But there’s nothing comedic about this film where Martin Scorcese reveals the grim nature of life we’ve come to accept. The movie completely relies on De Niro’s performance, and he delivers in ways you have to see to appreciate in full. The story’s message is so poignant that it applies even better today than it did when it was released.