Happy 75th Birthday, Robert Redford! What's His Best Onscreen Moment?
It has been a big week for Oscar-winner birthdays. First Robert De Niro and Sean Penn celebrated their own milestones and now Robert Redford, the Santa Monica-born actor, director and founder of the Sundance Film Festival rings in his 75th year today. Click through to blow out the candles for the Oscar winner and determine which of his many brilliant onscreen roles deserves to be called his best.
Whether you're a fan of Redford's work in the '60s (Barefoot in the Park), 70's (Jeremiah Johnson, The Candidate, The Sting), '80s (The Natural, Out of Africa) or his later career titles (An Unfinished Life, Spy Game), I think we can all agree that Redford's most iconic role was Sundance in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Or at the very least, that will be the one taught in film classes for years to come.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid may be Redford's most lasting role but what do you think is his best onscreen part? Let us know and send your birthday wishes Robert's way in the space below.
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
Any scene from ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. Redford's finest hour. Not only for him but Pakula, possibly Goldman, probably Gordon Willis, and definitely art directors, George Jenkins and George Gaines.
For my Mom's sake, I have to say "The Way We Were". My Mom LOVED RR, possibly more than my father.
Don't know if it's his best role, but I do love that scene in Sneakers when Sidney Poitier and David Strathairn are feeding him dialogue and he has to recover with "Give him he...help. Be a beacon..."
Sundance Kid
You could make an argument for something like "The Candidate" or "All the President's Men" as his most important role, but I have a big, soft, warm, and fuzzy place in my heart for "The Natural." I know it's not for everyone and the changed ending drives people who read the book crazy, but if it's on TV, I'll always watch it.
Jerimiah Johnson and The Natural are two movies that I will always stop to watch on TV, no matter what I'm doing. We must all take a second look at his later stories, for they show his maturity and his perfection of his craft. In addition, I'd love to see him in a comedy again -- he's got perfect timing!
He has a face, a lot of luck and privilege, but not a great talent. Ought to drop the red hair dye.
"All the President's Men", "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "Jeremiah Johnson", "Sneakers", "The Natural"...I watch them over and over and never get tired of them. But to me he is best in "Three Days of the Condor". His scenes with Faye Dunaway were perfect. He manages to be one of the best non-action, action-heroes ever.