The "more than hot" edition. I was not surprised this past week when Robert Redford died. He pretty much abandoned public life after he lost his son a few years ago. I was not sad, either. To die at home, in your sleep, at age 89 seems like the best possible exit.
But I felt it. He was a huge part of my growing up. I loved him so that, when I was in high school, my favorite grandma gave me a photo cube with pictures she'd clipped of Redford from the newspapers. He was so popular, so culturally pervasive, that in the 1970s you could pretty much count on seeing his face every day. He was a great idol for this young gal to have. He had integrity and kept trying to stretch as an artist. When we were talking about him after my yoga class, just about everyone – even the younguns! – mentioned a movie of his they loved. As one of the women said, "He was more than hot." I think that is a fitting epitaph. So I use that to introduce my 13 favorite Redford films.
1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). It's not only sea of blue eyes that I love. The Oscar winning screenplay was by my favorite writer, William (The Princess Bride) Goldman. He infused these two with cool.
2. The Way We Were (1973). This is my favorite movie, but it's really a Streisand movie. She would not have been as good if he weren't as substantial. Hubbell was talented, smart, patient and gorgeous. Alas, with all that, he still wasn't good enough for Katie, and in his bones, he knew it. I don't think she ever saw her value. That's what makes them so heartbreaking.
3. The Natural (1984). The best baseball movie ever. I named my cat Roy Hobbs, and I think we can all agree there is no greater tribute. PS Do not read the book! It is dark and I like my heroes more, well, heroic.
4. Ordinary People (1980). Redford's directorial debut and it's very important to me. I grew up a disaffected teenager in a Chicago suburb. While my hometown was nowhere near as affluent as (la de dah) Lake Forest, the mores were the same. Redford got it right. Achingly so.
5. All The President's Men (1976). This film wouldn't exist without Redford. In the mid-1970s, the studios said Americans were sick of Watergate and wouldn't pay to see a movie where they already knew the ending. He used his star power to will it into existence, and he was wise to hire William Goldman for the screenplay.
6. The Sting (1973). It's a better film than Butch Cassidy. In fact, in terms of plotting, cinematography, performances (Redford's only Oscar nom for acting) and score, it's the best movie on this list. Highly original and great fun. I just think Butch and the Kid had more heart.
7. The Great Gatsby (1974). You really can't get better source material than The Great American Novel, can you? I think it's not a great movie because it's too damn faithful to the book and some moments (Gatsby reaching for the light on Daisy's dock) are better on the page then on the stage. But as a movie romance, well, it's like the Bizarro World version of The Way We Were. Gatsby was always too good for Daisy, and he never saw it.
8. The Candidate (1972). "Bill McKay for a Better Way." Redford made the best baseball movie, the best newspaper movie, and the best political movie. Not a bad legacy. See? "More than hot."
9. This Property Is Condemned (1966). You've never heard of this one, have you? Imagine Pretty Woman written by Tennessee Williams. Redford is a railroad efficiency engineer who arrives to eliminate jobs in small southern town, thereby destroying it. Natalie Wood is the town slut most popular girl in town. They try to escape who they are by falling in love. It's not a great movie, but she's so pretty and he's so handsome and I love listening to them with this dialog. I wish everyone spoke like Tennessee Williams was writing for them.
10. The Electric Horseman (1979). Redford and Fonda did four movies together, and this is my favorite.It's so 70s! He's a rodeo champion who resents being merchandised to sell breakfast cereal. She's an ambitious journalist who senses a story here. There are evil corporate executives, a fabulous horse, beautiful scenery and some tacky wardrobe choices. It's romantic. I love it.
11. The Horse Whisperer (1998). Redford directs Redford. He's a cowboy who, with an assist from a noble horse named Pilgrim, helps a family heal. Look for a very young Scarlett Johanson in a sensitive performance. PS He's over 60 in this movie and still gorgeous.
12. Three Days of the Condor (1975). I didn't like this one when I saw it the first time. I thought the plot was too convoluted. Now I really enjoy it. Redford is a very low level CIA researcher who somehow becomes embroiled in matters of life and death. He's no suave, accomplished Bond. He's just scared and fighting to stay alive. So I guess it's a spy movie for people like me who don't like spy movies.
13. Barefoot in the Park (1967). Redford's first hit is his least Redford performance. Paul Bratter is buttoned-down, unimaginative, conservative ... yet very funny. Mike Nichols directed him as Paul on Broadway and once said he pictured Redford making movies kinda like Hugh Grant's – lots of witty dialog and rom-com's. But he became The Sundance Kid instead and his career went another way.
Did your fave make my list?
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