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Robert Duvall

FULL NAME Robert Selden Duvall
BORN January 5, 1931, San Diego, California, USA
ASSOCIATION Actor (Director, Producer, Writer)
NATIONALITY American
REVIEWED ENTRIES 36 (34)
MAX. RATING

(performer)
(filmmaker)

MIN. RATING

(performer)
(filmmaker)

AVERAGE RATING 4.00 (performer)
3.83 (filmmaker)
STRENGTHS
  • Naturalistic approach, methodic acting
  • Powerful screen presence and intensity
  • Remarkable depth of character

 

FILMOGRAPHY (ONLY REVIEWED ENTRIES)

YEAR TITLE ROLE RATING
1966 The Chase Edwin Stewart

1968 Countdown Chiz

1968 Bullitt Weissberg -
1970 M*A*S*H Major Frank Burns

1971 THX 1138 THX 1138

1972 The Godfather Tom Hagen

½

1973 The Outfit Earl Macklin

½

1974 The Conversation The Director -
1975 Breakout Jay Wagner

½

1976 Network Frank Hackett

1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Priest on swing (uncredited)

-
1979 Apocalypse Now Lt. Col. Kilgore

½

1979 The Great Santini Bill Meechum

½

1983 Tender Mercies Mac Sledge

½

1988 Colors Officer Bob Hodges

1989 Lonesome Dove (TV-mini) Augustus McCrae

1990 The Handmaid's Tale The Commander

1991 Rambling Rose Daddy Hillyer

½

1993 Falling Down Predergast

1993 Wrestling Ernest Hemingway Walter

1994 The Paper Bernie White

½

1995 The Scarlet Letter Roger Chillingworth

1995 The Stars Fell on Henrietta Mr. Cox

1996 Phenomenon Doc Brunder

1996 Sling Blade Frank Childers -
1997 The Apostle Sonny Dewey

1998 The Gingerbread Man Dixon Doss
1998 Deep Impact Capt. Fish Tanner

½

1998 A Civil Action Jerome Facher

2000 A Shot at Glory Gordon McLeod

½

2000 Gone in 60 Seconds Otto Halliwell -
2003 Secondhand Lions Hub

2003 Open Range Boss Spearman

½

2006 Thank You For Smoking The Captain

2009 The Road Ely

2009 Get Low Felix Bush

2012 Jack Reacher Cash

½

2013 A Night in Old Mexico Red Bovie

½

2014 The Judge Judge Joseph Palmer

2022 The Pale Blue Eye Jean Pepe

 

FILMMAKER FILMOGRAPHY (ONLY REVIEWED ENTRIES)

YEAR TITLE ASSOCIATION

FILM RATING

1983 Tender Mercies Co-producer

½

1997 The Apostle Director/Producer

2000 A Shot at Glory Producer

 

BIO

Of all the actors and actresses I admire, I don't think there is anyone who performs prolifically on such a high level as Robert Duvall. I have never seen him do a bad role, and he always seems believable no matter which character he depicts.

Duvall came fairly late into the game of acting, but made an unforgettable debut in Robert Mulligan's acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and has since appeared in a remarkably high number of well-received or high-profile films: The Chase, Bullitt, M*A*S*H, THX 1138, The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather, Part II, Network, Apocalypse Now, Days of Thunder and The Paper, just to name a few. He has a knack for portraying hard-edged authoritarian characters, but many of his most memorable performances has come in touching, sensitive and often very emotionally expressive (and demanding) roles. His ability to go deep into his roles and make any character believable is singular.

Every once in a while, Duvall also takes place in the director's chair, and when he does, his work is incredibly personal and forceful. He was hailed for his Angelo, My Love in 1983, but it was going to take 14 years before he directed again with the magnificent portrait of a misfortunate minister in The Apostle. It was an important film for Duvall which he struggled to raise money for and ended up financing partly himself. And although it hasn't got the attention it deserves, it is one of the best films I have ever seen.

At 74, Duvall's position in the business is unique. He alternates between leading and character roles and is frequently hailed for his work. His looks are striking and commanding, roughly handsome but with a soft smile. As Leonard Maltin pointed out, his face wouldn't look out of place on Mount Rushmore. He is one of few actors that can expect to find his name high up on the cast list for as long as he chooses to (or is able to) continue acting. It will hopefully be for a long time still, because he's still as vigorous as ever. For my own part, although I've seen almost twenty films in which he's appeared, I still have a lot unseen from his rich body of work to look forward to. Duvall is currently living with Argentine actress Luciana Pedraza, 41 years his junior.

 

AWARDS

The Academy Awards (Oscars)

1973

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Godfather

1980

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Apocalypse Now

1981

Nominated for Best Actor for The Great Santini

1984

Best Actor for Tender Mercies

1998

Nominated for Best Actor for The Apostle

1999

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for A Civil Action

 

QUOTES

On why he didn't do The Godfather III:
“Why were they doing this? They were doing it for money, because Coppola’s always looking for money. He lives high on the hog. I figured if I was going to do it, come up with some real money."

On Marlon Brando:
"When we did The Chase, he was talking and he turned to act as an extension of what [occurred before the scene]. I think that offhandedness is pretty special. I learned that from him. I said to my [then] wife, “We’re go­ing to be like brothers. I love this guy.” Then he wouldn’t even say good morning for eight weeks. He’d just walk past you. I wasn’t used to people like that."

About Scottish footballer Ally McCoist:
“McCoisty – what a character! I said to Albert Finney, I’m working with this guy McCoist, the footballer, I’m gonna make an actor out of him,” and Finney said [puts on gravelly-posh Finney accent] ‘Shahp as a tack!’ He was right."

About Michael Owen:
“McCoist was a good footballer, of course, but not as good as Michael Owen – I love Michael Owen, he’s great. He almost beat Argentina single-handed – I got on the phone to people, I was saying, ‘You should see this kid – he’s brilliant.’ I looked into his record, and I found that in your version of ‘little league’ when he was 12 years old he scored 13 goals in 18 minutes one game. Incredible!”

About Scottish footballer Jimmy Johnston:
“I met a lot of characters in my time, Texas, here, there, all over – the biggest I ever met was Jimmy Johnston. We spent about two hours talking – what an entertaining guy, just to sit and talk for two hours. People say the Scots are dour, but they’re not: they’re like the Italians, they throw things, they curse!”

About his career:
“I always figured that I was a sort of a ‘late bloomer’ – I felt my time was later than guys like Jimmy Caan, De Niro, Pacino. It’s later now… I guess I’m still around! In fact, I’m getting more offers than ever – that’s fine with me. They want me to do Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea.”

Asked about if there are any downsides to being an autheuristic director:
"I suppose there is a downside but I love it. I would like to do more but I don’t have any ideas."

 

CHARACTER QUOTES

Rambling Rose (1991)

Daddy (Robert Duvall): "Put your damn tit back in your dress. Do you hear me girl? Replace that tit!"

 

The Apostle (1997)

The Apostle E.F.: "I'm a genuine, Holy Ghost, Jesus-filled preachin' machine this mornin'!"


The Apostle E.F.: "I may be on the devil's hit-list, but I'm on God's mailing list."