Robert Redford starred in some unimaginable films over his profession, however he additionally has a number of nice films that stay underappreciated and missed. Redford died on September 16, 2025, on the age of 89. He left behind him an unimaginable legacy, together with nice film roles, directed movies, and the creation of the Sundance Movie Competition.
As somebody who held up unbiased cinema as an enormous backer of up-and-coming filmmakers, it’s no shock that Robert Redford’s movie profession is so numerous. On prime of masterpieces like All of the President’s Males and The Sting, Redford additionally starred in some smaller movies that deserve love as individuals pay respect to his profession.
Downhill Racer (1969)
When individuals have a look at Robert Redford’s sports activities films, the one which all the time rises to the highest is The Pure. Whereas that story of Roy Hobbs’ baseball profession was unimaginable, the actor starred in a really totally different sports activities drama 15 years earlier known as Downhill Racer.
In Downhill Racer, Redford stars as American downhill skier David Chappellet, and in contrast to Hobbs’ inspirational story, he begins as a self-centered man whose solely objective is to develop into a champion, with no concern for his staff. It reveals a really totally different character than the one in his later film, and it stays an underappreciated function.
Whereas Downhill Racer acquired optimistic crucial opinions, with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences had been much less appreciative, with a 58% score. When breaking down the movie, it’s laborious to get behind Redford’s character due to his conceitedness, however it is rather much like Tom Cruise’s efficiency as Maverick in Prime Gun.
Pete’s Dragon (2016)
The 2016 remake of Pete’s Dragon was a powerful household fantasy film that individuals do not appear to speak about anymore. This model remakes the 1977 Disney movie, however it chooses to not take the type of a musical, as the unique movie did. As an alternative, that is extra of a enjoyable, journey film.
Oakes Fegley stars because the younger orphan Pete, who lives along with his dragon Elliot within the forest. Nonetheless, when a forest ranger named Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) finds him and takes the boy in. Robert Redford stars as Conrad, Grace’s father, who had met Elliot years earlier and trusts Elliot.
This was a pleasant later profession function for Redford, who performs the older man who helps the kid and his dragon, contrasting the individuals who solely need to harm the pair. Redford’s attraction and charisma carry him on this efficiency, and it’s one among his greatest pure household films.
The Outdated Man & The Gun (2018)
In 2018, Robert Redford’s remaining movie function was within the crime movie The Outdated Man & the Gun. Directed by David Lowery, who additionally directed Redford in Pete’s Dragon, the film stars Redford as Forrest Tucker, a profession prison and jail escape artist. Redford was 82 when he took on this remaining function of his profession.
On the age of 74. Tucker had been a wished man since he escaped from San Quentin State Jail. He robs one other financial institution, however then meets a lady named Jewel (Sissy Spacek) and falls for the lady. Nonetheless, it is a story a couple of man who cannot dwell a traditional life, and his complete life’s trajectory is to be an outlaw.
The movie acquired optimistic opinions from critics, and as Redford’s final efficiency, it deserves to be praised for the way nice he was as an actor, all the way in which to the top.
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Launched in 1977, A Bridge Too Far is a Richard Attenborough-directed movie that critics by no means actually appreciated, awarding it a low 59% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Nonetheless, when trying on the viewers rating of 85%, it’s clear that they noticed one thing the critics missed on this World Conflict II movie.
What makes this film attention-grabbing is that it depicts a failed Allied operation in Nazi-occupied Netherlands, and isn’t a film a couple of triumphant wartime second. A Bridge Too Far is carried by an all-star forged, and Robert Redford wasn’t even on the prime of the credit.
Nonetheless, Redford’s efficiency because the commanding officer, Main Julian Cook dinner, was wonderful in one among his few struggle film roles. With names like Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, and extra, Redford greater than held his personal and proved to be as huge a star as anybody else within the film.
Spy Sport (2001)
Within the early 2000s, Robert Redford was including extra big-budget blockbusters to his title, however few matched the brilliance of his early profession roles. One which did do effectively and was an entertaining motion thriller was Spy Sport. On this movie, Redford teamed with Brad Pitt for a film about CIA operatives concerned in a rescue mission.
Critics praised Redford and Pitt’s performances, however weren’t as impressed with the complicated plot. Nonetheless, this was additionally a Tony Scott film, so it had his visible aptitude, and it was no shock to know that it appeared nice, with the unbelievable performing simply including to the ultimate outcome.
Spy Sport was extra of a blockbuster thriller film than Redford was normally concerned in earlier than this. Nonetheless, it was a wise story with some good twists, and Redford was excellent in his function as a grizzled CIA veteran who wished to repair a previous fallacious.
One in every of Robert Redford’s early underappreciated films is a film based mostly on the stage play by Neil Simon, with the film script additionally penned by Simon. This was solely Redford’s seventh film function and the movie he starred in proper earlier than his breakout in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child.
Barefoot In The Park is a romantic comedy starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda as a younger newlywed couple. The dynamic right here was nice, with Fonda enjoying a free-spirited lady and Redford enjoying an uptight conservative lawyer.
Seeing Redford’s Paul coming round in the long run and breaking out of his stuffy uptight character was a deal with, and this was proof that Redford might do comedy in addition to he might the dramatic roles he grew to become higher identified for.
Brubaker (1980)
In 1980, Robert Redford starred within the jail drama Brubaker. He performed Henry Brubaker, a warden who confirmed up on his first day disguised as a prisoner so he might witness the abuse and corruption concerned within the Arkansas jail. He then got down to reform the jail.
The movie is a fictionalized model of a real story surrounding the 1967 jail scandal in Arkansas, the place the federal government used compelled inmate labor to provide earnings for the state. Redford’s Brubaker units out within the film to reform the jail and search rehabilitation of prisoners and human rights.
Brubaker acquired combined to optimistic opinions, with a 75% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The film tells a fantastic story, with Redford delivering a fantastic efficiency as somebody attempting to do good in a system that rewards corruption.
Sneakers (1992)
Sneakers may be among the finest, but underrated caper movies of the Nineteen Nineties. The forged was unbelievable, with Robert Redford main a staff that included Dan Aykroyd, Sidney Poitier, David Strathairn, and River Phoenix. The plot sees the staff employed to steal a black field safety system.
Launched in 1992, the film was groundbreaking on the time for the same motive as WarGames the last decade earlier than. Your complete heist was surrounding the hacking neighborhood and the nationwide protection. On prime of that, what actually made the movie shine was the quippy dialogue from a forged of unimaginable actors.
River Phoenix was unimaginable as he continued to indicate why he might have develop into one of many world’s largest stars if not for his premature dying. Appearing alongside a revered veteran like Redford helped each males elevate their performances, and it is a film each caper thriller fan ought to hunt down.
Quiz Present (1994)
What retains Quiz Present from being as revered and remembered is the 12 months it was launched. The film was nominated for Finest Image, however this was the identical 12 months that Forrest Gump received, whereas Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction had been additionally launched. Followers carry up the latter two films, however principally ignore Quiz Present.
This isn’t a film with Robert Redford within the forged, however it’s as an alternative one of many movies he directed and produced. Quiz Present tells the story of the quiz present scandals of the Nineteen Fifties, the place it was found that many televised quiz reveals fastened the winners, which led to the federal government amending the legal guidelines prohibiting this act.
Whereas Quiz Present is generally underappreciated, on the time, Redford acquired a nomination for Finest Director whereas Paul Scofield was nominated for Finest Supporting Actor and Paul Attanasio for his screenplay. There have been higher films that 12 months, however Quiz Present deserves a second probability.
All Is Misplaced (2013)
Probably essentially the most underappreciated film of Robert Redford’s profession was his 2013 survival drama, All Is Misplaced. J.C. Chandor’s (A Most Violent 12 months) second directorial effort, All Is Misplaced is a film that stars Robert Redford as a person misplaced at sea, and he’s the one essential actor in your entire movie.
It’s laborious to make a film with just one actor, however as Tom Hanks confirmed in Castaway, it’s straightforward when the actor is a grasp at his craft. Redford did much more in All Is Misplaced than Hanks in Castaway, since there have been no flashbacks right here on this movie.
Critics praised the movie, with a 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating, however in terms of the movies that followers discuss since Robert Redford’s passing, it barely will get a point out. That’s disappointing as a result of it’s a showcase of his performing expertise and ranks among the many greatest performances of his legendary profession.