On the occasion of the legend's birthday, we list 17 unmissable films of the actor.

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Happy B'day Robert De Niro: 17 unmissable films of the iconic actor

Team CE

Published:17th Aug, 2020 at 6:55 PM

A Bronx Tale - Robert De Niro's directorial debut is a testament to the fact that he put to good use all the filmmaking lessons he learned while working with Scorsese.

Analyze This - De Niro got to showcase his comic skills once again in this witty gangster comedy co-starring Billy Crystal as a therapist tasked to free a mobster (De Niro) from his anxiety issues.

Angel Heart - De Niro playing the devil himself in one of the most unsettling psychological thrillers ever made. It's a blend of two genres - private detective thriller and horror.

Awakenings - Based on true events, it carries a double dose of emotional wallop due to De Niro's role as a catatonic patient and Robin Williams as the doctor trying to help him.

Casino - De Niro's character Sam Rothstein navigates a rich and colourful but dangerous world of casinos, betrayal, backstabbing mafiosos, and shady politicians.

The Godfather-II -Both a sequel and prequel to The Godfather, De Niro won his first Oscar for portraying the younger days of Vito Corleone, the character played by Marlon Brando in the original film.

Goodfellas - Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci are fantastic in this fascinating ride through the landscape of the Italian-American mafia business.

Heat - De Niro and Al Pacino in this crime masterpiece from Michael Mann. A tale of two similarly driven individuals on opposite sides of the law, battling personal demons.

The Irishman - This is as much an introspective existential drama as it is a stimulating gangster epic. De Niro plays an ageing mobster reflecting on his journey in a layered, ambiguous performance.

Jackie Brown -Though Samuel Jackson and Robert Forster overshadowed De Niro in Tarantino's most mature film, De Niro still managed to be a notable presence with its cleverly understated performance.

The King of Comedy - A chilling dark comedy in which De Niro plays a wannabe comedian obsessed with a late-night talk show. It's a prescient satire on the perils of chasing celebrity status.

Mean Streets - De Niro's first collaboration with director Martin Scorsese that led to many more films together. The actor's unpredictable and volatile performance immediately put him on the map.

Midnight Run - This rides on the fantastic chemistry between De Niro and Charles Grodin who play an embittered bounty hunter and a mob accountant respectively.

Raging Bull - A stunningly performed tale of self-destruction which fetched De Niro his second Oscar. The actor went through a series of intense physical transformations to play boxer Jake LaMotta.

Ronin - This John Frankenheimer spy thriller deserves to be mentioned since it saw De Niro in a full-fledged action hero mode. Action of the sophisticated variety, that is.

Taxi Driver - Despite its brilliantly filmed grittiness and bloodshed, Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver is a brilliant exploration of loneliness and urban alienation.

The Untouchables - In Brian De Palma's film about a bunch of lawmen determined to take down Al Capone, De Niro plays the latter. Among all the portrayals of the gangster till date, this one remains un