My Favorite Robert Duvall Performances

He's been in the business over half a century, having garnered seven Oscar nominations, one Oscar, four Golden Globes, and an Emmy. One of the most reliable screen presences out there...a rock solid character actor who always brings more to a character than what's in the script and can make a film seem a lot better than it is. There might be a film or two mentioned here where Duvall is the one and only reason to watch at all. So here we go, here is a list of my favorite performances of the amazing Robert Duvall:

I love the smell of countdowns in the morning.

I was bereft that the sexy character thread was finished when I went through my morning tea ritual this morning. Yay for this list.

Very good movie

20.

Harry Hogge, Days of Thunder



This is one of those films I mentioned in my intro where Duvall's performance is really the only thing to recommend it.

I could not agree more, Gid.

19.

The Director, The Conversation



Duvall was appropriately creepy as the benefactor of Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) who hires Caul to perform surveillance on a young couple (Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams) for $15,000 but Caul is not sure if the money is worth it.

18.

Bob Hodges, Colors



Duvall was solid as a veteran cop breaking in a new partner (Sean Penn) while battling gangs in East LA.

17.

Major Frank Burns, MASH



A lot of people forget that Duvall originated the role of the Bible-thumping tightass who has an affair with Hotlips Houlihan (Sally Kellerman) in the original 1970 film that eventually became the long running TV series.

Big fan of The Conversation. Duvall is all presence in his (very) brief role.

Tense movie. Coppola was unbeatable once. Shame Apocalypse drained him but also, no shame. It ended up the ultimate 70s movie.

I liked that movie, the racing scenes were real and well worth a watch.

I swear on a stack of Citizen Kane scripts, that when I seen your post, I thought to myself, "I didn't remember him being in MASH", then I read your post and that's exactly what you said

The Conversation is Coppola's masterpiece and Hackman was robbed of an Oscar.

16.

Earl Pilcher, Jr., A Family Thing



Duvall plays a small business owner who receives a letter from his mother following her death revealing that he has a half brother who is black (James Earl Jones). Watching these two pros acting together was such a joy.

15.

Wyle King, Something to Talk About



Duvall didn't have a lot of screentime here but stole every scene he was in as Julia Roberts' ne'er do well father.

14.

Lt. Frank Grimes, John Q



The kind of role Duvall can play in his sleep...Grimes is the hostage negotiator called in when an angry father (Denzel Washington) holds a group of people hostage in a hospital emergency room until his son is put at the top of a donor list for a new heart.

13.

Jerome Facher, A Civil Action



Duvall was cold as ice in this Oscar-nominated performance as the prosecutor in a landmark class action suit.

I just bought the DVD yesterday.

I've not disliked a single performance of his but there was something magic about that one.

I just finished it and yes, it was very good.

Nice thread. One of the best actors of all time. 'Get Low' would probably my favourite movie / role of his. Loved him in The Road too.