At 72 years-of-age, Pacino is one of Hollywood’s elder statesmen, he plays the role exceptionally well. Wearing a black Dolce&Gabbana suit Pacino veered entertainingly off topic the diminutive thespian deflected Letterman’s questioning allowing himself to pretty much run the show and Letterman let him. Pacino can do what he wants in New York city, he’s Al Pacino after all.

The film ‘Stand Up Guys’ is a typical crime caper about two aging grumpy hit-men, while it’s great to see Pacino and Walken share screen time, reviews of the picture have not been favourable, with many critics placing blame for the flat film squarely at the script-writer’s feet. It’s certainly no fault of Pacino, who as usual is excellent.

The Italian American then headed straight for Germany where he picked up a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Camera Awards. And Pacino is not, it seems content to simply rest on his laurels as HBO have released images and a trailer from a made for television on the trial music producer Phil Spector. Interestingly the trailer is audio only, but the very clear vocal styles of Mirren and Pacino are heard over images of falling vinyls.

Wearing an afro-style blonde wig for the part, the image shows Pacino very effectively delivering the ‘dead-eyed stare’ of the legendary record producer who was convicted of second-degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson in his California mansion. An unusually dowdy Helen Mirren co-stars as Linda Kenney Baden, Spector’s defense attorney. Baden was originally being plated by Bette Midler, who had to retire because of a bad back, Mirren stepped in at the last minute.

Pacino apparently refused the chance to meet with Spector before shooting and Pacino’s interpretation of the character is though to be very different from the real thing. A friend had showed Pacino a 20 year old photo of him standing beside the music producer, but Pacino has no memory ofthe occasio. He said, "I didn't know anything about him, except that he was responsible for a lot of great music and this strange case.” Spector is serving 19 years to life in prison.