Martin Scorsese’s new drama, “The Irishman,” which opened this year’s New York Film Festival, took 12 years to make and three and a half hours to watch.

“This film is of substantial duration,” Mr. Scorsese said before its premiere on Friday night at Lincoln Center.

The tented red carpet, which occupied a lane of West 65th street, was a veritable perp walk of mob-film actors: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel and Al Pacino (in his first Scorsese movie). Other cast members included Anna Paquin, Ray Romano, Jesse Plemons and Bobby Cannavale.

Talk among the actors turned to Rao’s, the East Harlem Italian restaurant and former mafia canteen, where reservations are harder to come by than a don’s forgiveness. Bo Dietl, a private investigator who plays a mobster in the film, had a tip for getting a table. “You have to know Bo Dietl,” he said.