How many movies did Paul Newman and Robert Redford make together?
Every time the “name a more iconic duo” meme begins doing the rounds on social media, many cinephiles of a certain vintage will likely think about Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
Those two effortlessly cool and strikingly handsome stars became inextricably linked in people’s minds as soon as they appeared together on-screen in one of the best films of the 1960s. This link only solidified with every passing year, even as the two stars walked their own paths in Hollywood. Given that they became so synonymous in people’s minds, though, it begs the question: how many movies did they actually make together?
In 1969, Newman and Redford starred in their first film together: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That western, directed by George Roy Hill, was a gargantuan hit at the box office, won four Oscars, and became an enduring classic that is still beloved to this day. Interestingly, though, the studio behind the movie didn’t want the unknown 33-year-old Redford to play Sundance. Instead, it pursued Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando for the role. To Redford’s eternal gratitude, though, Newman went to bat for him to be cast in the film.
In 2017, Redford told Esquire, “I had only done Barefoot in the Park. I was 11 years younger than Paul, and George Roy Hill and I met, and he and I clicked. He wanted me.” When Hill introduced Redford to Newman, and they spent an evening “drinking and talking”, Newman was also convinced about the young upstart. When the studio tried vetoing his casting, Newman steadfastly said, “I want to go with Redford.”
The All the President’s Men star admitted, “That generosity really struck me hard, that he could be that generous and have that kind of integrity.”
Throughout the film’s shoot, Newman and Redford became fast friends – so much so, in fact, that they reunited only four years later on 1973’s The Sting. Hill again directed that heist film, which, as Redford put it, “just sort of fell into place naturally”. Somehow, the film was even more successful than Butch and Sundance, winning seven Oscars and reigniting Newman’s career, which had slumped slightly in the early ’70s.
Heartwarmingly, Redford returned the kindness that Newman had shown him four years earlier when The Sting was coming together. He explained that his star rose after shooting to fame as Sundance, so suddenly, he was the one desired by the studio. “Paul hadn’t done so well in his last few films, so when we came to The Sting, the studio wanted me, but they weren’t willing to pay Paul the amount that he was requiring,” he said. “I was able to give over some of my points to him so he could come be in the movie. Because what remained was just the friendship.”
So, how many movies did Newman and Redford make together?
While audiences often can’t help picturing Newman and Redford together thanks to Butch and Sundance and The Sting, they may be surprised to know how many movies the two stars actually made together. Indeed, instead of going on to star in many more hugely successful films that took advantage of their undeniable chemistry, Newman and Redford’s on-screen collaborations ended with The Sting. Sadly, they only made two films together.
However, Redford did try to reunite with his old pal in a third film, A Walk in the Woods, which was announced in 2005. That adaptation of Bill Bryson’s novel would have seen the ageing pair play two old men who hike all 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail together. Heartbreakingly, though, Newman passed away in 2008 before the movie could come together, meaning his final live-action performance was 2002’s Road to Perdition.
When director Ken Kwapis eventually took over the project, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “Bob told me that he couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone other than Newman.”
…but were Paul Newman and Robert Redford close friends?
In reality, there’s a simple reason cinema fans can’t help but associate Newman and Redford, despite only working together twice: their friendship stood the test of time. The two superstars were close pals right up until Newman’s death and regularly talked in interviews about how close they were. In fact, Redford once moved to Connecticut to a house only a mile away from Newman’s. Their never-ending prank war also became the stuff of Hollywood legend.
Ultimately, the two icons meant a lot to each other, and fans will always connect to them on that level. As Redford said, “Friendship was very important to him, and being able to be a real person was very important to him, to be an authentic person rather than to behave like a star. In his private life, he was just a real person. Very, very humble. I think I benefited from that friendship in that respect.”
