Robert Duvall names his favourite movies of all time
American actor Robert Duvall has appeared in close to one hundred films in his time, many of which are regarded as some of the greatest movies ever made. His astounding talents have led many to dub him one of Hollywood’s finest actors, although he started out in the theatre, racking up several Broadway credits such as Wait Until Dark and American Buffalo. However, he transitioned to the big screen in the early 1960s, playing Boo Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird as his film debut.
Duvall performed in a few notable movies from the 1960s, such as Bullitt and True Grit, elevating his star status. However, he found widespread success in the 1970s with parts in a string of highly successful movies, from M*A*S*H, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, Network, and Apocalypse Now.
Since then, his career hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. In 2006, he won two Emmys for the miniseries Broken Trail, including ‘Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie’, proving that he’s still just as talented as when he started out. Duvall also received his seventh Oscar nomination in 2015 for The Judge, his fourth nomination in the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ category. Surprisingly, he has only won one Academy Award – ‘Best Actor’ for Tender Mercies in 1984 – one of three ‘Best Actor’ nominations he has received.
His role as Tom Hagen, an honourary member of the Corleone family, in The Godfather allowed him to secure his first ‘Best Supporting Actor’ nomination at the prestigious ceremony. Although Joel Grey took home the prize for his role in Cabaret, Duvall’s performance in The Godfather is considered one of the finest of his career.
The Godfather is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. Unlike some actors who refuse to watch their own films, Duvall is a massive fan of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic crime drama, even naming it his favourite movie ever. When asked by MTV, Duvall explained, “It’s hard to pick just one movie… I guess my favourite movie of all time would have to be The Godfather, which really stands out.”
He further illuminated his reasons for coveting the movie: “I love its rich storytelling. Coppola did a great job weaving such a mammoth tale into a captivating film. With a story like that, it can get away from you but Coppola mastered it.”
However, Duvall also highlighted a more modern pick as another favourite: “I love The Hurt Locker. I loved it so much, in fact, I saw it twice in one week! The storytelling was wonderful, and the way Kathryn [Bigelow] filmed it. And Jeremy Renner and all of the other actors were all just incredible. The tension was so real. That is a great movie.”
