it may be ordinary for some people, i mean for my girlfriend, but this is really one of my favorite. smooth statement, attractive music and tango,beautiful woman, and touching relationships, all of those is perfect. It is always something deserving to keep and fight, something called principle. just be the man you should be, and do the right things. this is the second time i watch this movie, it's actually another kind of feeling. the colonel , behalf of the old and rotten person, with Chile, and young principle man, are a interesting association. and the performance of the gold father really shocked me.

Even after 25 years this movie still nails it - pathos, power, humility, humour and humanity. Pacino "whoo ha" plays a blinder (pun intended) and O'Donnell is outstanding as the principled, doe-eyed debutant. Lessons for life aplenty in this movie. May seem a little schmaltzy in places but packs a punch with its lessons for life.

Although I like the Italian version, and although I think the American takes too long, I am for the latter. The American film has two main characters and thus a more complex and more interesting plot. I believe Pacino is the Academy winner, that deserves this distinction most (besides Brando of course). I can only think of Russel Crowe giving a memorable performance in recent years - I am not for the D.D. Lewis guy.

Al Pacino deserved his Oscar for this role. Right on this page is a link to an article about Oscars that were "mistakes"and that includes this one. I just saw this again for the first time since I saw it in the theatre in 1992. It still moved me. This was not a sympathy Oscar. It was fully deserved. Pacino was brilliant and I am so fed up when I come across this kind of reassessment which implies that the entire Academy voted in some temporary trance. No. I am so tired of people saying this movie is only known for the "hu-ah." Hardly. How about actually watching it to the end. It's about morality and the human spirit. A blind, broken vet finding a common humanity and bonding with a young student who is hired to look after him. They both have something vital to offer to each other through the course of the few days they spend together. No, it's not a shoot-em-up western or a violent mafia bloodbath or a sci-fi CGI blockbuster. It's an old style human drama and you can't help loving the characters. If nothing else will make you want to watch it, you might enjoy seeing the very young Todd Louiso (High Fidelity) and Philip Seymour Hoffman.