But the man who has menaced as Vito Corleone (Godfather Part II), Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) and Al Capone (The Untouchables) is as pleasantly bland as the questions he took yesterday in Melbourne.

Indeed, the snacks circulating at Nobu, part of the upmarket restaurant chain he co-owns at the casino complex, turned out to possess more bite than the actor au naturel.

''It's great to be back, it's a terrific city, even in the winter it's not like the winter in New York, which is cold,'' he said. Disappointingly, there was no curl of lip to accompany the statement.

De Niro, not known for his impro or explication off-screen, had made an exception this time and stepped out to promote the tenure of a new chef at Nobu.

But the art of filmmaking has been the main reason for this short visit to Melbourne - the 66-year-old is filming a role in the upcoming movie The Killer Elite. Directed by Gary McKendry, and also starring Clive Owen and Jason Statham, it is based on an apparently true story of how four British soldiers, including two members of the SAS, were murdered by a hit team.

''The crew is great. The people are terrific, very professional. I mean, it's very good. It's, you know, good - no complaints,'' he said.

Australian actors also got an all-encompassing cheer. ''There are many wonderful Australian actors living in the States, working a lot, they're great … they're terrific.''

And, finally, perhaps a welcome hint of the iconic De Niro menace?

''I killed three people while I was here, so I was, you know, the usual.''

He served that up with a smile, though.