Robert Duvall: 5 Must See Performances
When it was announced yesterday that the great Robert Duvall had passed away, the outpouring of love for the great character actor was striking. Everyone loved the guy who, over a seventy-year career, never delivered a bad performance. Truth be told, he was exceptional in everything he did, largely because of his authenticity. One of the problems with modern stars is that they are so perfect they are difficult to relate to. Duvall was different, being of average height and build, with craggy, regular-guy looks and a bald pate. Yet, there was something magnetic about him on screen, and you couldn’t take your eyes off him.
To pay tribute to this great actor, we’ve picked five of his best performances (a tough task, as he was so good in so many movies) that are must-sees in a body of work that’s second to none.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
When it comes to the role that put Robert Duvall on the map, quality and not quantity is the key phrase. As Boo Radley, Duvall doesn’t actually show up in the movie until the very end, and he doesn’t speak a word. Radley is the town recluse whom all the kids are afraid of, but in the end he turns out to be their protector, saving Atticus Finch’s children from a violent local racist. Duvall plays him like a wounded bird, evoking both his fear of the world and his deep well of kindness in a wordless performance that lasts mere moments but made an indelible impression on the moviegoing public.
The Godfather (1972) + The Godfather Part II (1974)
Okay, so I’m cheating here by listing two movies, but both films chronicle the evolution of Duvall’s Tom Hagen, the Corleone family consigliere who is the Don’s beloved adopted son. A cold, calculating businessman with deep loyalty to the Corleone family, in the first film he’s pushed out by Michael (Al Pacino), only to be pressed back into service in the sequel to pull off some of the family’s dirtier dealings as they try to legitimize themselves. The tragedy is that Duvall wasn’t able to reprise his role in the third film due to a salary dispute, with Hagen being replaced by George Hamilton’s slick B.J. Harrison, who doesn’t begin to compare.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Robert Duvall reteamed with Francis Ford Coppola for Apocalypse Now, in which he played one of his most iconic characters, Lieutenant Colonel William “Bill” Kilgore, who, in the movie’s most memorable sequence, says, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” A strong case could be made that this is Duvall’s signature performance, even if he’s only in the movie for a short period of time (again, quality over quantity).
Tender Mercies (1983)
This is the movie Robert Duvall won his Oscar for, with it reteaming him with Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay for To Kill a Mockingbird. In it, he plays a washed-up country-western singer named Mac Sledge, whose alcoholism wreaked havoc on his career and family. The movie follows Sledge as he goes on the wagon and tries to make a new life for himself after falling in love with a single mother (Tess Harper) who owns a motel. If Tender Mercies came out now, I think the filmmakers wouldn’t be able to resist the idea of making it more “faith-based,” as Sledge’s spiritual awakening plays a part in the film — or it would be eliminated altogether. Tender Mercies walks the line, with it being thoroughly authentic to that way of life, and Duvall richly deserving the Oscar he won.
Colors (1988)
Dennis Hopper’s LAPD drama kicked off the second half of Duvall’s career, as it was the first film in which he played the older, grizzled mentor to a young hotshot. In Colors, he plays “Uncle” Bob Hodges, a tactful, thoughtful LAPD veteran dealing with gang violence, who takes a volatile young hotshot, Danny McGavin (Sean Penn), under his wing, humanizing the younger officer and teaching him to do his job with more compassion. This was a controversial movie when it came out, as it was one of the first Hollywood films to deal realistically with inner-city gang life, but it’s a masterpiece.
Of course, any list celebrating Duvall’s work could have gone on and on. If you’re looking for even more great performances, check out MASH, The Outfit (where he played Parker — the character played by Lee Marvin in Point Blank and Mel Gibson in Payback), Network, The Great Santini (a towering performance), Days of Thunder, Get Low, The Apostle (which he directed), and of course, TV’s Lonesome Dove. But really, you could pick any of his movies at random and still be assured of an amazing performance.
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