"i know it was you, fredo, you broke my heart." al pacino. "danny collins" premieres tonight.for a rare glimpse inside his career. from the moment you meet him, you can see it. the old-school charm, the youthful mischief twinkle in his eye. >> i read you'd be trouble. are you always this high maintenance to talk to? >> i try to avoid it at all costs. but it just keeps following me. >> honestly you look slightly ridiculous. >> nah. >> reporter: at age 74 we get to see al pacino get in trouble onscreen again. tonight's opening of his 48th movie "danny collins," pacino plays an aging rock star. >> a cross between rod stewart and barry manilow. so he was the love child. >> reporter: a feel-good romantic comedy with the pacino we have never seen before. >> we haven't seen me do this at all. sing, for one thing. >> you sing? >> i try to. ♪ hey baby doll what's going on ♪ >> reporter: for almost 50 years, onstage and onscreen when al pacino tries to, magic happens. "serpico." "heat." >> brother, you are going down. >> reporter: the movie that launched his career, and almost ended it.

>> i knew it was you fredo. you broke my heart. you broke my heart. >> get over there, will you? attica! >> say hello to my little friend. >> you want to know the first rule? you would know if you have spent a day in your life. you never open your mouth until you know what the shot is. >> there was a time i have seen. boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out and their legs ripped off. but there is nothing like the site of an amputated spirit. there is no prostatic for that. >> if it's between you and some poor bastard who's wife is going to be turned into a widow, brother, you are going down. >> the top scientist, a corporate officer. this guy is the ultimate insider. he's got something to say and i want him to say it. >> you may call it mercy killing. i call it something else. i call it a medical service for an agonizing and terribly suffering patient. charlie: many of his contemporaries have spoken about him on this show. >> is almost impossible for him to do it in false. he doesn't know how to. he won't be able to get out of the chair if there's a line of truth

al: i knew it was you, fredo. you broke my heart. you broke my heart. get over there, will you? he wants to kill me so bad, he can taste it. attica! attica! attica! al: you want to play rough? ok. say hello to my little friend! al: you want to learn the first rule? you would know if you have spent a day in your life. you never open your mouth until you know what the shot is. >> there was a time i could see, and i have seen boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out and their legs ripped off. but there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. there is no prosthetic for that. al: if it's between you and some poor bastard who's wife is going to be turned into a widow, brother, you are going down. >> this guy is the top scientist in the number three tobacco company in america. he is a corporate officer. this guy is the ultimate insider. he's got something to say and i want him to say it. i want him on "60 minutes." >> you may call it mercy killing. i call it something else. i call it a medical service for an agonizing and terribly suffering patient. that is wh