In 1974, Al Pacino earned his second Oscar nomination for his portrayal of New York City police whistle-blower Frank Serpico in the movie Serpico. Pacino was so good in the role that Serpico, now 76-years-old, said that the actor did a more convincing job then he did in real life.
Serpico said: “Pacino played Serpico better than I did.”
The real Serpico may appreciate Al Pacino’s work in the Sydney Lumet film, but he isn’t a fan of some of the other works out there about his life. Serpico told the NY Daily News that all of the books and movies created from his corruption busting stint in the 1970s has “left this legacy of illusion.”
The 76-year-old, who now lives by himself in the woods of upstate New York, will try to clear up some of the misconceptions in his new, unfinished and ongoing book but the retired cop said that all he really wants is to be remembered as a human being.
“I would like to be known for having been a human being, but for having taken that responsibility very seriously. I don’t even want an obituary. I want a stone with a hole in it that will gather water, so the birds could come and drink.”
Here’s the trailer for the original Serpico.
