Why There Was More to Robert Redford Than Being New Hollywood’s ‘Golden Boy’
Olivia Hendry
Redford as Bill McKay in The Candidate (1972)
Last month we lost Robert Redford, an iconic film star of the New Hollywood generation; widely appreciated for not just his acting, but also for his crucial role in the formation of the Sundance Film Festival, which has now run for 47 years.
Often described as Hollywood’s ‘golden boy; much has been said of Redford’s good looks and effortlessly cool demeanour. However, after revisiting his work, I became interested in how Redford leveraged this ‘golden boy’ persona for his roles. Even when playing a train robber or a conman, audiences were drawn to and rooted for Redford. Whilst his characters may seem like all-American heroes on the surface, his acting would subtly expose a disparity between the images his characters presented, versus their true selves. By looking back on three of his films, I want to show that there was more to Redford’s performances than simply being cool and aloof.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
An offbeat buddy-comedy-meets-western directed by George Roy Hill, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid stars Paul Newman and Redford as the eponymous duo. Screenwriter William Goldman was fascinated by the true story of Butch and Sundance, real life outlaws who escaped to Bolivia after a series of train robberies. Goldman found this story contradicted novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald’s bold claim that “there are no second acts in American lives”, inspiring Goldman to write a screenplay loosely based on the tale. The escape to Bolivia in the third act made Goldman’s script unpopular in Hollywood, as it went against the narrative traditions of the Western- a studio head had supposedly said to Goldman, “All I know is John Wayne don’t run away!”.
Redford was perfect for the role of Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a The Sundance Kid, a swaggering protegee to the equally cool Paul Newman’s Butch Cassidy. Leaders of a gang of cowboys in the mountains of Wyoming, they rob trains on the Union Pacific Railroad with a hint of elegance, living a romanticised image of the outlaw life. Sundance is initially shown to have a knack for sharpshooting- however, as the film progresses, Redford exposes weaknesses in Sundance’s hypermasculine facade, best exemplified when his shooting skills can’t save him in the film’s final scene. Whilst Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is at times riveting and funny, with slapstick humour and even a rogue musical number, it’s underpinned by a sense of tragedy and nostalgia. Set towards the end of the Old West, we get the sense throughout the film that the duo cannot go on forever, as a posse hired to assassinate them closes in and America becomes modernised- leaving outlaws like Butch and Sundance as a relic of the past.
The Candidate (1972)
Throughout the summer of 1971, Robert Redford worked on a ‘labour of love’ project alongside screenwriter Jeremy Larner and director Michael Ritchie. What they produced was The Candidate, a film satirising the inner workings of political campaigns. It centres on Bill McKay (played by Redford), an environmental lawyer convinced by the Democrat party to stand as a candidate in his home state of California, where popular Republican senator Crocker Jarman is set to win a landslide victory in the upcoming election. Larner, Ritchie and Redford were all involved in politics and activism and therefore took direct influence from real life campaigns. Initially predicted to suffer a humiliating loss, McKay is eventually able to connect with the people of California; he espouses an increasingly generic message and plays into the image of him as a younger, progressive and more handsome alternative to the conservative Jarman. Redford was already recognised as a star emblematic of the New Hollywood movement and this association makes McKay’s hip persona all the more believable; cheesy TV ads featuring McKay throwing an American football play into an Americana aesthetic oft associated with Redford.
Despite this veneer of authenticity, Redford’s increasingly comical performance reminds us that McKay has walked into the absurd world of politics unwittingly. Things are further complicated after McKay’s emotionally distant father, a former senator himself, endorses his campaign only after it becomes popular- again, I’ve noticed how Redford could expose his character’s deeper insecurities without having to resort to a more dramatic acting style. The Candidate is an interesting and incredibly underrated entry in Redford’s filmography. His close involvement in the development stage indicates he was interested in making space in Hollywood for more unique, character-driven films, even at the beginning of his career heyday.
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Redford made a perfect fit for the role of Jay Gatsby, one of the most elusive characters in modern American literature. The 1974 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s influential novel was written by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by Jack Clayton. Before David Merrick was brought on board to produce, the initial producer, Robert Evans, had quite a different interpretation of Gatsby. He wanted Marlon Brando to play the role, even though Brando was nearly 50 and, in the novel, Gatsby was in his thirties. Redford fought for the part insistently, eventually getting it after Clayton convinced Evans to cast him- Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston were cast alongside Redford in the roles of Daisy Buchanan and Nick Carraway respectively. Redford’s interpretation of Jay Gatsby was charismatic whilst still maintaining a sense of brashness essential to the character, who, as a nouveau-riche millionaire, struggles to fit in with his ‘old-money’ peers.
Far from portraying his as sympathetic however, Redford brings out the uglier sides of Gatsby, playing him as manipulative, brutal and insincere; this cynical interpretation contrasts with the romantic light that the character has often been viewed in since the publication of Fitzgerald’s novel in 1925. Though he’s been slightly overshadowed by Leonardo Di Caprio’s turn as Gatsby in 2013, if you want any proof of Redford’s range as an actor, I believe it’s in this performance.
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Robert Redford has been idolised for his distinct brand of style, poise and charm, creating an impression on viewers- and pop culture- that will last far beyond his passing. Whilst he seemed like the embodiment of cool, to me what makes Redford’s acting interesting are the moments when his characters aren’t so cool. For example, when Tom Buchanan calls Gatsby a ‘conman swindler’ to his face, or when Sundance refuses to jump into a river because he can’t swim- these are the moments from Redford’s career worth returning to.