Robert Redford in All the President's Men
The world of cinema lost one of its undisputed icons with the recent passing of Robert Redford at 89 years old. While his void can never be replaced, his accomplishments as an actor, director, and curator of a whole wave of independent films, thanks to the Sundance Film Festival, are eternal.
From his days as a matinée idol in the '70s to his evolution as a filmmaker to his championing of the art form with his own festival held in Utah, Redford's vast career contains multitudes. While he found great success deep into the 21st century, Redford's peak in popularity and acclaim was undoubtedly in the 1970s, where he defined a cinematic generation and proved to be one of the medium's quintessential movie stars. However, his standing as a movie star overshadowed his dramatic chops, and nowhere was this more evident than in perhaps his finest film, All the President's Men. Despite all its acclaim, Redford's central performance as Bob Woodward rarely receives its due, but that all changes now. 'All the President's Men' Was Robert Redford's Passion Project Commonly cited as one of the most handsome leading men in Hollywood history, Robert Redford was born to attract the camera with his natural beauty and charm, and he brought his magic to a wide variety of films, beginning with his breakout as Paul Newman's titular partner-in-crime in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Unlike the average movie star, Redford had impeccable taste and used his clout to get pressing and challenging stories like The Candidate and The Great Gatsby off the ground. All the President's Men, directed by the master of paranoid thrillers, Alan J. Pakula, tackled the issue that dominated the American news cycle for the previous three years: the Watergate scandal and cover-up, which led to Richard Nixon's disgraceful resignation as President. The film, an adaptation of the nonfiction book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, was Redford's passion project, obtaining the book rights, hiring screenwriter William Goldman, and reportedly overseeing extensive script rewrites. Although the project stemmed from Redford's enthusiasm for the subject, the actor did not receive any flowers from the Academy Awards, which gave All the President's Men four Oscars, including for Goldman's adapted screenplay and Jason Robards' performance as Ben Bradlee, along with a nomination for Jane Alexander. Redford, who received only one acting nomination in his legendary career , is rarely celebrated in contemporaneous reviews, as, understandably, critics and audiences fawn over the extraordinary production design, moody atmosphere, and urgent commentary on political distrust. Robert Redford's Unsung Dramatic Chops Are on Full Display in 'All the President's Men' Deemed a"movie star" compared to a real dramatic actor like his peers, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and his co-star, Dustin Hoffman, Redford was never renowned for his performance chops, but on a closer look, his turn as Bob Woodward is filled with glamor, pathos, and the dread of carrying the weight of the free press on your shoulders. As a wunderkind reporter at the offices of The Washington Post, Woodward takes a thankless story about hotel burglars and finds himself at the center of political discourse. Redford makes Woodward feel like a journalistic rockstar, a reporter with an innate eye for a great story and an ability to solicit information from any reticent source. Beneath Woodward's charisma and earnest go-getter approach to journalism is a sense of waning optimism about the American government and freedom of the press. As his investigation with Bernstein continues, and more advisors and cabinet members are revealed to be complicit in the cover-up, Woodward becomes terrified by the corrupt shadow of the White House. His recurring meetings with the informant dubbed"Deep Throat" , inside an empty parking lot at night, are incredibly eerie, and Redford taps into the chilling fear of being caught by these higher powers or, worse, uncover something that would irreversibly set back the nation's democracy. Redford's stand-out moment in the film, and his entire career, takes place in an unbroken, six-minute phone call where Woodward talks to a potential lead, Kenneth Dahlberg, while juggling another call with McGregor, a member of the Committee for the Re-election of the President. Pakula keeps the camera locked onto Redford's face, juxtaposed with all the bustling action in the Post office. It is perhaps the finest case of phone acting in cinema history, as Redford precisely captures the feeling of trying to block out all outside noise and decipher between truths and lies on the other end of the line. The stress on Woodward's face turns what would've been a rudimentary scene into a thrilling set piece. At the last moment of this relentless long-take, Redford appears to have flubbed a line, accidentally referring to Dahlberg as"McGregor," but Redford's poise, matched by the real fortitude of Woodward, kept the scene afloat. Upon calling Bernstein about this groundbreaking scoop, the joy on his face evokes the awe-inspiring power of journalism. Robert Redford's performance in All the President's Men, the anchor to one of the signature films of its vaunted decade of cinema, underlines the irreplaceable value of a movie star and his unsung acting chops that can express a litany of emotions through subtle gestures. Redford will be dearly missed, as he made magnetic on-screen performances look effortless. All the President's Men 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed PG Drama History Mystery Thriller Release Date April 9, 1976 Runtime 138 minutes Director Alan J. Pakula Writers William Goldman Producers Walter Coblenz Cast See All
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Palos Verdes Peninsula school district celebrates Measure SOS groundbreakingMiraleste Intermediate School will get a new pool thanks to Measure SOS, which passed in November.
Read more »
City of Gordon breaks ground on event centerThe city held a special groundbreaking ceremony at Mickel Park on Tuesday.
Read more »
Scandium boosts sodium battery performance, retains 60% capacity after 300 cyclesResearchers have found that doping sodium-ion battery cathodes with scandium improves their stability and lifespan.
Read more »
Judge Amber Givens sues Dallas County over withholding bonus pay for performanceThe court last week withheld the $25,000 bonus from Judge Amber Givens, who was sanctioned twice by the state this year for misconduct in her courtroom.
Read more »
Marvel Rivals Devs Respond to Performance and Stability IssuesSince Marvel Rivals launched its Season 4, players across different platforms began reporting several technical in-game abnormalities en masse. These issues pri
Read more »
Texas' first drug overdose fatality review program to begin in Tarrant CountyLearn how Tarrant County aims to reduce overdose deaths with a groundbreaking program.
Read more »