Films avec Robert Redford: Best Movies and Filmography

Few Hollywood careers have the reach of Robert Redford’s. From his breakout in the late 1960s to his final on-screen bow in 2018, he shaped not just film history but the independent-film ecosystem itself.

Active years as actor: 1960–2019 ·
Directorial debut: Ordinary People (1980) ·
Academy Awards (acting): 1 win (Ordinary People) ·
AFI Life Achievement Award: 2002 ·
Sundance Film Festival founder: 1981 ·
Last acting role: The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

Six key biographical facts, one pattern: Redford’s career is defined by a rare balance of commercial hits, critical acclaim, and institutional legacy.

What movies did Robert Redford come in?

Early career breakthrough

• Barefoot in the Park (1967): Redford’s first major film role opposite Jane Fonda. The BFI (British Film Institute) includes this as part of his essential early work.
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969): The film that made him a star. The BFI lists it among Redford’s defining screen roles.
• Downhill Racer (1969): A critically admired sports drama. The BFI also selects this as essential viewing.

The pattern: Redford broke through not with one signature role but with a rapid succession of three films in 1967–69 that each showcased a different facet of his range.

Iconic 1970s roles

• The Candidate (1972): Redford plays a charismatic senate candidate. The BFI includes it in its essential list.
• Jeremiah Johnson (1972): A mountain-man survival epic, also on the BFI’s list.
• The Way We Were (1973): Romantic drama opposite Barbra Streisand. BFI essential.
• The Sting (1973): Won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Rotten Tomatoes (film aggregation site) ranks it #4 among Redford’s films by Tomatometer.
• All the President’s Men (1976): The Watergate journalism classic. Rotten Tomatoes places it #2 on the same list.

The trade-off: Redford could shift from lighthearted con-man roles to intense political dramas, a versatility that cemented his dominance in the 1970s.

Later works and retirement

• Out of Africa (1985): Won Best Picture. According to Ultimate Movie Rankings (fan-run database), it is one of the most awarded films in Redford’s filmography.
• All Is Lost (2013): A one-man survival drama at sea. Rotten Tomatoes ranks it #1 by Tomatometer among Redford’s films.
• The Old Man & the Gun (2018): His final acting role. Rotten Tomatoes ranks it #3.

The implication: Redford’s later career proves his range extended well beyond the 1970s blockbusters.

What was Robert Redford’s big movie?

The Sting

• Released 1973, directed by George Roy Hill. Won 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Redford’s performance as con man Johnny Hooker is often cited as his most iconic. Rotten Tomatoes ranks it #4 in his filmography.

The implication: The Sting is the single film that maximized both critical and commercial success for Redford.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

• Released 1969, the duo with Paul Newman became a pop-culture phenomenon. The BFI lists it as essential. It was a box office hit and earned 4 Oscars.

All the President’s Men

• Released 1976, Redford co-produced and starred as Bob Woodward. Rotten Tomatoes ranks it #2. Ultimate Movie Rankings lists it as an Academy Award Best Picture nominee.

Why this matters: Each of these three films represents a different genre — heist, buddy Western, and journalism — proving Redford’s “big movie” depends on what the viewer values most: entertainment, nostalgia, or journalism.

What is considered Robert Redford’s best film?

Critical acclaim rankings

• All Is Lost (2013) tops Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer rankings for Redford films.
• All the President’s Men (1976) is second. The BFI also includes it in its essential list.
• The Old Man & the Gun (2018) is third.
• The Sting (1973) is fourth.

Six films on Rotten Tomatoes’ list, one pattern: the top four all have Tomatometer scores above 90%.

Audience favorites

• IMDb user ratings often place The Shawshank Redemption high? Not relevant. For Redford, audience polls frequently favor Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting (per Ultimate Movie Rankings).

The pattern: Redford’s later work earned the highest critical marks, but his cultural footprint remains strongest in the 1970s.

What’s clear and what’s not

The pattern: The most verifiable facts concern his institutional legacy, while personal and subjective claims remain ambiguous.

Timeline signal

• 1960–1969: Early TV roles; breakthrough in Barefoot in the Park and Butch Cassidy (BFI essential list).
• 1970s: Superstardom with The Sting, All the President’s Men (RT top 4).
• 1980: Directorial debut Ordinary People wins Best Director.
• 1985: Out of Africa wins Best Picture (Ultimate Movie Rankings).
• 1990s: Sundance Festival expands; directs A River Runs Through It.
• 2013: All Is Lost – highest RT Tomatometer score.
• 2018: Last acting role The Old Man & the Gun (RT #3).

What this means: Redford’s career peak in the 1970s, with directorial success in the 1980s, and a late-career critical renaissance in the 2010s.

“I was always in love with Robert Redford — from the first time I saw him in Barefoot in the Park. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.”

— Jane Fonda, as told to People magazine

“The Sting is my favorite film I’ve ever made. It was just a joy from start to finish.”

— Robert Redford, in an interview with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

For fans of Redford, the choice is clear: watch The Sting for pure entertainment, All the President’s Men for journalism, and All Is Lost for a masterclass in solo acting. If you have time for only one, let the Tomatometer be your guide — All Is Lost tops the list.

For those interested in the actor’s enduring impact, Robert Redfords legacy offers a deeper look at the man behind the films.

Frequently asked questions