Robert Redford confirms he's retiring from acting

[jakeem]

The longtime screen star Robert Redford, who turns 82 on August 18, has confirmed reports that his upcoming film “The Old Man & The Gun” will be his last as an actor.

Directed by David Lowery ("A Ghost Story"), the crime comedy -- based on the true story of an aging career thief -- will be released in theaters next month.

Of course, Redford has been an estimable filmmaker since the 1970s. His first film behind the camera, "Ordinary People," won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Timothy Hutton) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Alvin Sargent). 

"Never say never, but I pretty well concluded that this would be it for me in terms of acting, and [I'll] move towards retirement after this 'cause I've been doing it since I was 21," Redford told Entertainment Weekly. "I thought, 'Well, that's enough.' And why not go out with something that's very upbeat and positive?"

http://ew.com/movies/2018/08/06/robert-redford-retiring-acting/

 

[Zea]

He'll always be Hubble to me. 

[jakeem]

My favorite Redford movie scene: Roy Hobbs' first major league at bat in "The Natural" (1984).

 

[rosebette]

Ah well, we're all aging.  He was one of my crushes when I was a teen-age moviegoer (Mmm, Hubble).   He was a celebrity speaker at Lowell, Mass (sponsored by the university) about 3 years ago, and I was impressed by how articulate and intelligent he was, a man with a real understanding of film-making, great modesty,  and a commitment to the environment.  Anyway, as I was approaching the venue for this event, I thought to myself, "Where are all these old ladies going?"  Then, I realized that I was one of them!  

[TomJH]

While I can't say that Robert Redford has been a particular favourite of mine, I always found him to be a good, reliable, intelligent actor who, more times than not, added to a film's enjoyment. I liked him very much as Jeremiah Johnson, but the main film of his that is always the first one that comes to mind is the one in which I first discovered him when I saw it at the show, and he was excellent in it.

 

[EricJ]

4 hours ago, jakeem said:

My favorite Redford movie scene: Roy Hobbs' first major league at bat in "The Natural" (1984).

Redford as a 30's con man in "The Sting"?  Not quite believable.

Redford as a Babe Ruth-era magic baseball player?  No one MORE believable.

[jakeem]

2 hours ago, EricJ said:

Redford as a 30's con man in "The Sting"?  Not quite believable.

And for what role did he receive his only Academy Award nomination for acting? 

 

[sewhite2000]

I'm not sure why him saying the exact same thing is new news. He already said this would be his last film as an actor more than a year ago. And every news agency in the world has apparently already forgotten that, because this story is everywhere. Oh, well.

[rayban]

To me, he'll always be "The Great Gatsby" - superb film with a knockout supporting cast.

[Sepiatone]

OK, #1:

My sister in law said she hated "Butch Cassidy" because it had BOTH her "main throbs" in it, and she got dizzy trying to divide her attention! 

#2:  Oddly hearing this announcement on the news after seeing his performance as "Mr.Death" disguised as a cop on that old "Twilight Zone" episode.

He either directed or starred( and co-starred) in many of my favorite movies, and he well deserves the rest of retirement.  His career left him virtually nothing to regret or be ashamed of IMHO, so I wish him well.     

Sepiatone

[Swithin]

My favorite movie with Redford is Out of Africa. I just wish he would have tried to do an English accent. Particularly since Streep and Kitchen were so brilliant in the film.

 

[rayban]

Of the films that he's directed, my favorite is "Ordinary People" -

[Dargo]

12 hours ago, TomJH said:

While I can't say that Robert Redford has been a particular favourite of mine, I always found him to be a good, reliable, intelligent actor who, more times than not, added to a film's enjoyment. I liked him very much as Jeremiah Johnson, but the main film of his that is always the first one that comes to mind is the one in which I first discovered him when I saw it at the show, and he was excellent in it.

 

And as you probably know here Tom, Redford can thank Steve McQueen for earlier turning down his star-making role.

 

[Bethluvsfilms]

2 hours ago, rayban said:

Of the films that he's directed, my favorite is "Ordinary People" -

I love ORDINARY PEOPLE.  In fact I am probably one of the few who approve of its winning Best Picture over RAGING BULL (another great movie BTW).

I always felt that Redford was a better director than an actor anyway, though I did like him in the prison drama BRUBAKER.

[rosebette]

His greatest role was as the amateur sailor adrift in a storm in All is Lost (2013).  I thought of Coop when watching that one -- how an actor can underplay and communicate without dialogue.

 

[EricJ]

28 minutes ago, Bethluvsfilms said:

I love ORDINARY PEOPLE.  In fact I am probably one of the few who approve of its winning Best Picture over RAGING BULL (another great movie BTW).

I always felt that Redford was a better director than an actor anyway, though I did like him in the prison drama BRUBAKER.

You can see Redford trying to get his politics into his acting/directing as early as his role in "Three Days of the Condor"--

In directing, "Quiz Show" certainly wants to blame someone for the 50's and today, but apart from Martin Scorsese's Snidely-Whiplash baddie-speech as the sponsor at the end, it's hard to say quite who.

And, then, oh, dear lord..."Lions for Lambs":  The movie that officially made 00's Iraq-War movies box-office poison.  Every politically idealistic director wanted to do THE definitive GWBush protest movie, and nobody, nobody tried harder than Bob.  Unless it was maybe Tom Cruise.  ?

To me, he'll always be "The Great Gatsby" - superb film with a knockout supporting cast.

And Redford absolutely nailing Fitzgerald's jumpy insecurities of the book character inside and out.

(Unlike a certain recent party-distracted remake we could mention...)

[rosebette]

6 hours ago, Sepiatone said:

OK, #1:

My sister in law said she hated "Butch Cassidy" because it had BOTH her "main throbs" in it, and she got dizzy trying to divide her attention! 

#2:  Oddly hearing this announcement on the news after seeing his performance as "Mr.Death" disguised as a cop on that old "Twilight Zone" episode.

He either directed or starred( and co-starred) in many of my favorite movies, and he well deserves the rest of retirement.  His career left him virtually nothing to regret or be ashamed of IMHO, so I wish him well.     

Sepiatone

If that's what Death looks like, Lord, take me now!

[jakeem]

2 hours ago, rosebette said:

His greatest role was as the amateur sailor adrift in a storm in All is Lost (2013).  I thought of Coop when watching that one -- how an actor can underplay and communicate without dialogue.

 

His greatest idea -- in addition to creating Sundance, I suppose -- was persuading Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to write a book about their coverage of the 1970s Watergate scandal for The Washington Post. Then he arranged to get the film rights for what became "All the President's Men."

[rayban]

4 hours ago, Bethluvsfilms said:

I love ORDINARY PEOPLE.  In fact I am probably one of the few who approve of its winning Best Picture over RAGING BULL (another great movie BTW).

I always felt that Redford was a better director than an actor anyway, though I did like him in the prison drama BRUBAKER.

I, too, favored his directing over his acting.

"Ordinary People" deserved its' Oscar as Best Film of 1981.

[Sepiatone]

I always thought of it in terms of like CLINT EASTWOOD, who I think  the acting AND directing are on equal levels.  Same with Redford I feel.

Sepiatone

[kingrat]

The earliest work I've seen of Redford's is an episode of the short-lived TV drama anthology series Bus Stop. He and Barbara Baxley play a couple who had kidnapped the baby of someone who had won the Irish Sweepstakes. Redford and Baxley are both very good. Perhaps this can be found on YouTube.

 

[jakeem]

Here's a trailer for Redford's final film as an actor. It looks promising.

 

[sewhite2000]

Parts of this movie are pretty ridiculous, but I saw The Last Castle in the theater and then completely forgot about it until rewatching it about a year ago on Netflix or somewhere with my parents, and it's pretty entertaining. James Gandolfini trying to do something to distinguish himself from Tony Soprano and a very early career appearance from Mark Ruffalo in a pivotal role. Robin Wright is in only one scene as Redford's daughter. She apparently agreed to play this small role just so she could work with Redford. It's probably the best scene in the movie.

[CinemaInternational]

I thought I had heard a while back that this new film was to be his last... Anyway, I hope it gets good reviews and hopefully will get him one last award nomination. He is a wonderful actor and a fine director. 

Of his directorial efforts, I think exceedingly well of Ordinary People and Quiz Show, and A River Runs Through It and The Horse Whisperer are also very fine.

Actingwise, The Great Gatsby really impressed me. Fine performance, excellent film. Most underrated: Havana, which borrowed too much from Casablanca, but was a beautifully crafted, very entertaining film that hardly deserved the box office catastrophe and lethal reviews that awaited it. Redford was really good in just about everything, making a fine stoic hero in some films, a romantic leading man in others, and although not tapped very often, he had a flair for light comedy too . 

[rayban]

"A River Runs Through It" is really an exceptional film.