The Coffee shop scene: Al Pacino holds himself back?

Rating: 9/10 (9 June 2003)

Well, I'm no film expert in any sense whatsoever but I was just wondering about the classic Al Pacino & De Niro scene and thinking that Al Pacino was perhaps slightly different in that scene as opposed to the rest of the movie. He was not as overbearing with De Niro's character and he didn't bully him around in the coffee shop as it was characteristic of the man he plays.
I understand that the film shows earlier that he "likes Neil" for his talents and that really is a good enough explanation but maybe, just maybe, Al Pacino held himself back slightly..from his, shall we say...divine cockiness...to allow De Niro to give a more intense performance in that scene?