At 89 years old, the passing of legendary and influential actor Robert Redford marks the end of an era for American cinema. As an actor, Redford was known for his wide range of characters that could be charming, haunted, heroic, or quietly dangerous. Behind the camera, as a director, he brought tenderness and moral clarity to intimate stories.
As the founder of the Sundance Institute, Redford helped give independent filmmakers a home. He often used his influence as a star to transform the industry he loved. Below are seven essential Redford films that capture the range of his eight-decade career and a quick guide to where you can stream or rent them tonight.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Redford’s portrayal as Alexander Pierce is a masterclass in bringing menace to a comic book film. The seasoned public-servant veneer slowly peels away to reveal a central betrayal. The veteran actor turned the second film in Marvel’s Captain America series from popcorn spectacle to a full-fledged paranoid political thriller. His character personifies the film’s warnings about surveillance, institutional rot, and the cost of “security” traded for control. With Redford’s voice and measured delivery, he gave the conspiracy real teeth, making the movie’s twist feel as inevitable as it is chilling.
Where to Stream The Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Disney+
Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
In the Sydney Pollack-directed American Western, Redford shines as the titular character in a rugged survival epic. While inhabiting the beautiful isolation of the American wilderness, he’s both fragile and indomitable, showing his range as an actor. Notably, in recent years, the film’s stark cinematography has led to Redford (not Zack Galifianakis) becoming the meme for a “nod of approval” across social media.
Where to Stream Jeremiah Johnson: Tubi
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Pairing Redford and Paul Newman in one of cinema’s greatest odd-couples, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a bittersweet outlaw film. Redford went from leading man to bonafide movie star in the George Roy Hill-directed picture. If you’re looking for a film that has breathless train robberies, playful banter, and a finale that’s both triumphant and tragically poetic, it still holds up in the modern age.
Where to Watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Buy/Rent on Prime Video
Three Days of the Condor (1975)
As Joe Turner, Redford anchors the film in another thriller on our list. Redford portrays a CIA analyst who finds his coworkers murdered in another Sidney Pollack-directed film. Showcasing his range, Redford captures the disorientation of someone hunted by a system he trusted. Filled with lean suspense and cerebral, Cold War-era unease, the film’s moral questions about secrecy, power, and conscience feel urgent and personal for the time.
Where to Stream Three Days of the Condor: MGM+ | DIRECTV | Fubo
All the President’s Men (1976)
In this dramatization of the Watergate investigation, Redford portrays Bob Woodward opposite Dustin Hoffman’s Carl Bernstein. Not only did Redford star, but he was also a producer of the film, which shows how meticulous, gripping journalism and reporting can topple power. It is essential viewing for anyone interested in Redford’s focused performance or the intersection of media, democracy, and courage.
Where to Stream All the President’s Men: The Criterion Channel
The Natural (1984)
Starring as Roy Hobbs, Redford brings an elegiac gravitas to the character’s rise, fall, and redemptive swings. Based on the 1952 novel of the same name, The Natural is filled with iconic imagery found within pop culture today. From the shattered bat to the standing ovation, Redford’s performance turned a baseball story into an American fable about talent, hubris, and second chances.
Where to Watch The Natural: Rent/Buy on Prime Video
Ordinary People (1980)
As his directorial debut, Ordinary People revealed another side of Redford, which brought deeply human performances from his cast. The film won Best Picture and Best Director and is a masterclass in character-first filmmaking. Redford’s directorial debut would shape his later work and his efforts to nurture independent films through Sundance.
Where to Stream The Ordinary People on: DIRECTV | Fubo | MGM+