20 Things You Didn't Know About Heat
15. The Diner Scene Had No Rehearsals
One of the most unforgettable scenes in the movie is the fantastic diner meet-up, where Hanna and McCauley go for a coffee and unload about their respective personal issues.
As much as the scene seems meticulously rehearsed down to the finest detail, Pacino revealed in an interview that this was the furthest thing from the truth.
In fact, De Niro insisted that it shouldn't be rehearsed at all, in order to heighten the unfamiliarity between these two characters. Mann agreed with De Niro, and so despite the dramatic importance of the scene, it was filmed with no rehearsals whatsoever.
Better still, Mann shot the scene with cameras pointed at both actors simultaneously, allowing them to experiment while giving him enough camera coverage to cut around them as necessary.
And some added trivia: Mann shot the scene at the now-closed Kate Mantilini restaurant in Beverly Hills, using the restaurant's actual employees as extras. At the end of the shoot, he awarded the extras SAG membership cards for their efforts.