When Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid first premiered, the billing showed Newman, Ross, and Redford. Now, the sequence has changed—now it's Newman, Redford, then Ross. Robert Redford, as the legendary outlaw, stands as among the hottest new box office properties since McQueen and Hoffman. But, while somewhat thankful, fame means little to him.
Rejecting the Studio System
“I don’t consider myself,” he emphasizes, “tied to the industry. Do you remember that figure who appears Saroyan’s famous work that celebrated story, saying, ‘It’s all built on sand—from top to bottom’? Well, that’s how I see regarding the film industry. You can’t run a creative medium like a business nowadays, and they’re still trying to do just that. To them, film are just like household appliances. The approach sickens me.”
The Struggle with Downhill Racer
Of course, actors often claim similar things from rising stars. Yet he, who talks very quietly, seemingly puzzled at the interest in him, seems truly committed. One of the main reasons is that he put almost two years into making Downhill Racer and found that taking on studios proved more difficult than the creative process.
His project, still unreleased in the UK, despite that sneak previews were being given months ago, is out in America earning critiques which suggest that the film is not just a simple sports film. “Truth be told,” he notes, “it explores competition and competitors. Which is why I prefer its debut in London as skiing isn’t big here. There is more chance that it will be appreciated as a portrayal of a certain kind of person rather than just athletic action.”
“Producers aimed to release it where skiing reigns, targeting enthusiasts. In truth… my project depicting a US athlete winning a gold medal in downhill racing. Is that really impress them? Wow, just as long as I avoid attending. I’d be torn to pieces.”
Why This Sport?
“What drew you to skiing? To me the perfect blend beauty and peril, the best way to illustrate what sport sometimes does to men. You have to be daring to the extreme to do it at all. After experiencing it, you’re transformed.”
“Consider aging skiers lingering watching newcomers. They are pathetic. Restless constantly. Fidgeting endlessly nonstop. They’re worn out. Competition proves harsh, affecting everyone. Often it prepares you for useless skills, shattering you entirely.”
Redford’s Athletic Past
Redford should know, formerly a top-tier dual-sport standout, and could well have made a name as a tennis player as well. “Christ, defeat frustrated me,” he says, “eventually it got to where I just couldn’t go on, regardless of outcome. I used to look at my opponent and wonder—well, his attire is messy. His footwear will chafe that bare ankle by the end of the set, and he is so worried on winning ignoring the pain. I’d also see a person in the crowd, wondering: ‘What the hell is he thinking just now? Is my game acting out his dreams?, living his aspiration? At that point the game was gone!’”
A Secret Love: Painting
Another passion, possibly his first love, was art. He traveled Europe for over a year back then, meeting creative minds and thinkers, some authentic, some not. He became broke in that beautiful city, but met a teacher organizing displaying his paintings funding his transportation back home. When he got back, his dissatisfaction again got the better of him. Acting became his path, starting in theater, then television, and finally in films.
His film roles, another hit, Polonski’s Tell Them Willie Boy is Here, Butch Cassidy, his passion project followed in quick succession. Up next was Little Fauss and Big Halsey, a film about motorcycle racing alongside Pollard. After that, perhaps a film on latter-day rodeo riding. Athletics seems to staying with him for a while longer.
And what about painting? Redford looks a little uneasy. “Um,” he says, “I’ve not painted for two years. That’s why I need a break from movies and resume. Can one truly reboot? Probably not. It’s not a hobby, right?. It’s got to be a lifelong commitment. Mind you, being here in London has amazed me in this respect. I feel compelled to pick up a brush.”
“Notice the illumination in this place. It’s stunning. Each dawn since arriving I rise at dawn strolling in awe. It’s unlike anything such light. I’ll be back someday. Perhaps when Downhill Racer finally opens—should that happen.”
Newman’s Savvy
“I envy as shrewd a cookie as Paul Newman. He would have ensured that such a movie received proper treatment like this. Consider his work? “Absolutely. However, Newman can’t always buck the bloody system.”
