Hollywood icon Robert Redford has passed away at the age of 89. Tributes have poured in for the late actor and celebrate his legacy as one of the titans of the movie industry.
Throughout his legendary career, Redford starred in some of the most beloved and acclaimed films of all time. He was also an accomplished filmmaker who directed numerous acclaimed movies and even won an Oscar for directing. Redford was also the co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival.
Here are the 10 Robert Redford movies that you should watch to celebrate his life and legacy.
Barefoot in the Park
Barefoot in the Park marked Redford's breakthrough as a movie star. Co-starring with Jane Fonda, he managed to show his chops as the leading star of a romantic comedy and showed his charismatic presence as a movie star.
The film was a massive success at that time, and it pretty much changed Redford's career trajectory in an instant as he received a lot of offers after the release.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is arguably the film that made Redford a bona fide A-list movie star, and it helps that he co-starred with Paul Newman, who was at the peak of his powers around the time of its release.
Redford was as charming as ever in the 1969 classic, which is now considered to be one of the most influential films today and hailed for its unique spin on the Western genre.
The Sting
Redford teamed up with Newman again for the caper classic, The Sting, which was a huge box office success at the time of its release in 1973.
The film was hailed for its charming and stylish filmmaking technique that entertained a lot of audiences. It solidified the partnership of Redford and Newman as one of the best "bromance" in cinematic history.
The Way We Were
The Way We Were wouldn't be an iconic romantic movie today without the star power of Redford and Barbra Streisand as the leads. The film was not just a box office success, but the titular theme song also sold a lot of records at that time.
Thanks to the chemistry between Redford and Streisand, audiences were invested in their characters' bittersweet love story, while also understanding the deeper social themes that the film was trying to explore.
All the President's Men
All the President's Men is arguably the most relevant film from Redford's filmography to watch today due to its exploration of the importance of journalism and why we need it in today's heated political climate.
Redford's performance is more restrained here compared to his other films, but he still delivered the iconic performance of Bob Woodward. He and Dustin Hoffman managed to have effective chemistry as the main leads, and they made us invest in their high-stakes investigation of the Watergate scandal.
The Natural
Some would say that a male movie star's resume is not complete without starring in a sports movie, and that's what Redford did when he starred in the 1984 baseball classic The Natural.
Redford's charismatic leading presence carried the film, and it helped that it dealt with universal themes of success and perseverance, which are relatable to all audiences.
Out of Africa
Out of Africa marked Redford's first collaboration with Meryl Streep, another legendary female star. The film was a huge awards success as it ended up winning an Oscar for Best Picture.
While the retrospective reviews today have not been generally enthusiastic, the film is still being remembered for Redford and Streep's electric chemistry, and this is yet again another sign that Redford can have effective chemistry with any actor.
Ordinary People
Ordinary People marked Redford's directorial debut and earned him an Oscar for Best Director, one of the rare occasions that a known actor took home the coveted trophy for directing.
While it doesn't have any flashy filmmaking techniques, Redford showed out of the gate that he is an effective filmmaker who can get great performances out of the actors that he worked with and knows how to handle difficult subject matter in a way that audiences would still care about.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Redford shocked everyone when he decided to join the MCU and play Alexander Pierce in the now-celebrated film Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
This was one of the rare occasions that the late actor starred in a major franchise movie. He still managed to deliver a terrific performance as the ally-turned-villain director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He reprised the role again for a brief appearance in Avengers: Endgame.
All is Lost
At the age of 77, Redford managed to star in the survival drama All is Lost with almost no dialogue and no co-stars. In other words, he had to carry the entire film all by himself.
Despite the challenges that he underwent for the role, he still delivered an exceptional performance that was worthy of an Oscar (although he ended up being snubbed by the Academy). By only using his facial expression, he made the audience care for his character's journey.
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