A young Robert Redford in the 1973 film “The Way We Were.”
Robert Redford died on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. He left his mark as an icon for American films. Redford was known for his starring movie roles such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Natural,” he also directed award-winning films such as “A River Runs Through It” and “Ordinary People.”
Robert truly had a passion for filmmaking, which led him to creating the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit that supports independent films and theaters. It’s also known for its annual Sundance Film Festival. Redford also dedicated his time and efforts to environmentalist causes, he moved to Utah in 1961 with the efforts to preserve the natural landscape of Utah and of the American West. Redford always voiced his concern when it to climate change issues and he help put the focus on the issue during the wildfires devastations in October 2020, he also wrote an opinion piece for CNN. Redford is truly a decorated actor and director, but his work of art and filmography is vast, so we are going to focus on two films that he filmed in Chicago.
A scene from the 1985 film “Out of Africa” featuring actors Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.
The Sting – 1973
The 1973 film “The Sting” is an American caper movie set in 1936. The plot involves two professional grifters (Robert Redford and Paul Newman) trying to con a mob boss (Robert Shaw). George Roy Hill directed the film, who previously directed Redford and Newman in the 1969 film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” A 1940 book called“The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man” by David Maurer documented two brothers who committed real-life cons, Fred and Charley Gondorff, which inspired the screenplay of the movie.
The Sting was released on Christmas day of 1973, it was a critical and box office hit. The film won seven of its ten Oscar nominations which included, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay; Redford was also nominated for Best Actor. The film was tremendously successful at the 46th Academy Awards. The most notable Chicago filming locations were in Union Station – Canal St. & Jackson Blvd. and near the West Side of Chicago. But the majority of the movie was filmed in Los Angeles.
A scene from the 1973 film “The Sting,” featuring actor Robert Redford.
Ordinary People – 1980
The 1980 American drama film “Ordinary People,” marks the directorial debut for Robert Redford. A 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest, is what inspired Alvin Sargent’s screenplay. The film examines the fragmentation of an affluent family in Lake Forest, Illinois, from the aftermath of the accidental death of one of their two sons and the attempted suicide of the other.
The movie stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton. Ordinary People had a theatrical release on September 19, 1980, it was a critical and box office hit. Critics praised Redford’s direction, Sargent’s screenplay, and the cast’s performances. The film was selected by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 1980. The movie gained six Oscar nominations and won four at the 53rd Academy Awards; Ordinary People won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Hutton; he became the youngest recipient at age 20.
Robert Redford directing Timothy Hutton during the 1980 film “Ordinary People.”
Robert Redford opened the door and made it possible for so many young talented artists. Redford was a handsome, famous, and charismatic person. He didn’t always boast his good looks, in 1974, he told The New York Times, “This glamour image can be a real handicap. Image is crap.” In his later years, Redford never lost his passion for storytelling through film and remained an outspoken champion for environmental causes. He would often baulk when asked about hanging it up when it came to filming. In 2015, Redford told CNN, “I want to make the most of what I’ve been given… You keep pushing yourself forward, you try new things and that’s invigorating.” There will never be another legacy quite like Robert Redford’s ever again.
