Sydney Pollack made movies for grownups. He didn’t make movies about teenager-stalking slashers or CGI monsters or men in tights (well, except for Tootsie). The director, who died yesterday at 73, seems like the last of a breed, a filmmaker who specialized in old-fashioned, star-driven, sweeping romances and epics of the kind that used to win Oscars but that Hollywood has all but forgotten how to make. (About the only other director of recent years who still made such anachronistic spectacles was Pollack’s producing partner, Anthony Minghella, who died just two months ago.) It’s hard to imagine anyone trying nowadays to make a romance with the sprawl and scope of The Way We Were or Out of Africa, movies with artistic ambition, star-powered glamour, and faith that there are enough adult ticketbuyers to make them hits without pandering.
Pollack will be remembered mostly as a director of such glossy, Academy-approved fare (and for helping to make Robert Redford an enduring star by casting him in seven movies), but he dreaded directing, and I wonder if he wouldn’t rather have been remembered as a producer. After all, he directed only about 20 movies over his 43 years making features, but he produced more than twice as many, including such gems as The Fabulous Baker Boys, Sense and Sensibility, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Iris.
The movies Pollack directed had a rare tendency to focus on ethics. They dealt with big moral and political issues, usually in a nuanced, mature fashion. (He was to have directed HBO’s election docudrama Recount last fall, but he was too ill, and he settled for a producing credit on the movie, which premiered on Sunday, just before he died.) Some of his best movies were political and legal thrillers — Three Days of the Condor, The Firm, The Interpreter — films that were wary of the malign influence of corporate and political power, movies of a kind that were common in the ’70s but have all but vanished today. Last year, he produced Tony Gilroy’s Michael Clayton, an homage to precisely those kind of ’70s movies, and Gilroy’s casting of him in a cameo played like a hat tip to a more idealistic era of filmmaking. It’s probably no coincidence that he was drawn to character roles (in other directors’ movies as well as his own) that were usually heavies: corporate lawyers, weaselly CEOs, and other fixers who would often cynically urge their clients and colleagues to do the expedient thing rather than the right thing.
Pollack’s ability to zero in on moral failings played out most shockingly in Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives, where he played a rationalizing philanderer who treated wife Judy Davis and mistress Lysette Anthony with equally explosive fury; he may well have been the best thing in the movie. But he could also be hilariously funny; recall his wry, brief turns in Entourage (as himself), Will & Grace (as Will’s dad), Death Becomes Her (as a flabbergasted doctor), and most memorably Tootsie, as Dustin Hoffman’s apoplectic agent. (Hoffman pleaded with Pollack to take the role in his own film, and the two squabbled throughout the production — lending Method authenticity to Pollack’s on-screen irritation — but you can’t argue with the results). Tootsie may be the best thing Pollack ever did, and it’s probably going to be the most durable film on his résumé. So I prefer to remember him, not as the dour moralist of Random Hearts or the soggy romanticist of Havana, but as the guy generous enough in spirit to make this film (and to give himself one of the least flattering roles in it). Watch and enjoy.
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Sydney Pollack will truly be missed. He was an amazing actor and director. I especially enjoyed him on “Will & Grace” and in “Michael Clayton.” I am glad to see he is being recognized for the legend that he was.
Sydney Pollack was one of those rare directors (Woody Allen being another)who shined not only behind the camera, but also in front. His role in TOOTSIE was the perfect example to post here. Even his less memorable efforts like his 1995 remake of SABRINA and RANDOM HEARTS have many redeeming qualities, thanks largely to Harrison Ford. His film version of THE FIRM was one of those rare cases where the ending of the movie was actually better than the book. And while OUT OF AFRICA will go down in film history as the best picture of 1985, I was furious when it beat out THE COLOR PURPLE; the better film, in my opinion.
Gary, you said it best when you opened with “Sydney Pollack made movies for grownups”. He did, and I honor him for that. Today’s “children” of modern pop culture are unfortunately the victims of garbage like “American Idol” and CGI-infected films without storyline.
Sydney will be truly missed.
As modern movies mostly continue to favor style over substance, the stylings of Sydney Pollack the director (who really did make movies for grownups), will be sorely missed.
However, I was constantly amazed at what an effective actor he was. To me, he was the best thing in “Eyes Wide Shut”, and I also thoroughly enjoyed him in “Michael Clayton” and “Changing Lanes” (albeit, playing similar characters). I mean, the guy even brought his game to a silly commercial they showed in movie theatres recently about turning off our cell phones! RIP.
I always thought that Sydney Pollack was a much stronger performer than a director. He was awesome in Eyes Wide Shut.
When I was in film school, I wanted a career like Sidney Pollack’s. He did it all and he did it wonderfully. His work speaks for itself. The world is a little smaller and darker with his passing.
“It’s hard to imagine anyone trying nowadays to make a romance with the sprawl and scope of The Way We Were or Out of Africa, movies with artistic ambition, star-powered glamour, and faith that there are enough adult ticketbuyers to make them hits without pandering.”
Although I agree with the general point that, especially with the passing of Pollack and Minghella, there aren’t really any classical directors left, I think that description fits Baz Luhrmann rather well. But perhaps we should wait for Australia to see for sure.
Timothy, so true! The last several decades have given us our share of gifted directors like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Brian DePalma, Woody Allen, Sydney Pollack, Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Robert Altman, Robert Redford, Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, etc. Fifty years from now, which directors of today are film students going to be studying? Michael Bay? McG? John Woo? Heaven help them! Directors like these would be better taught in courses that teach general contractors about explosives and demolition.
Is it me, or does it seem like Pollack never aged? The fact that he was an oftentimes actor gave him more visibility through the years. And even in Michael Clayton last year he looked more or less the same than he did 20 years ago. Which makes his passing seem that more surprising; you figured this guy would just keep going on and on…. Great clip of Tootsie; having not seen it in so long this is a reminder of how fantastic it was.
Isn’t it amazing how if the subject doesn’t cover “American Idol”, Britney Spears, rap music or some stupid CGI movie, the blog comments go way, way down!
I wish I could add something to this because Sydney Pollack’s films really was the personified intelligent comedy and subtle protest – but Gary Susman and the rest of these posts have pretty much said it all. I just want to go on record as being a fan of his work and sad at his passing. Rest in peace.
I always wondered why he didn’t direct more. His movies always gave the audience credit for having a brain and a soul. I also dug him in Michael Collins. As soon as you saw him on screen you knew exactly who his character was.
Dan, I think you meant MICHAEL CLAYTON.
Farewell Mr Pollack, you will be missed. Thank you for providing me and others with some great cinematic memories.
His acting, directing and producing credits read like a mini-guide to the our recent Hollywood past: comedies, drama, political and social intrigue, sweeping epic, documentaries, even silly rom coms. Looking through his biography this morning on IMDB I found, to my shame, that I had not been aware that one of my favourite films – The Fabulous Baker Boys – had been produced by him.
I was so sad to hear the news. I recall hearing something about him being ill – but never heard any details – so this came as a shock.
I loved him as a director AND an actor. He was so underrated as an actor – but I think he was brilliant.
And “Tootsie” and “Out of Africa” are two of my favorite films – and he produced so many other fantastic films.
My condolences to his friends and family. He will be missed. What a class act.
Thanks for posting this clip. It’s my favorite scene in one of my favorite movies and Pollack totally nails it, giving Hoffman a run for his money! The man could act, made great movies, and was a little bit of “Old Hollywood” in the modern age. He’s gone too soon. Rest in peace, Sydney.
I was deeply saddened upon hearing of Sydney Pollack’s passing. He was one of my favourite directors and he was always great in all of his acting roles. I also loved him in “The Sopranos”. He also directed the best comedy movie of all time – Tootsie. God Bless you Sydney and God Bless your family. Rest in Peace.
It was with tremendous sadness that I read of the passing of Mr. Pollack–while I knew his track record as a producter and director was outstanding, as mentioned, it was his acting, particularly his portrayal as the agent in Tootsie (have seen it dozens of times and laugh out loud each and every time)–RIP Sydney
The mistress in “Crimes and Misdemeanors” was Angelica Houston.
He was a mensch in every aspect of his life. His Memory Be Eternal as his work will be.
I’m so sad…..Both Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella! The world has lost 2 great souls who have touched the world with their artistic integrity. I hope they will serve as angels to the filmmakers of now and the future…we, as a culture, need the messages that they provide. Thank you to them both and may they enjoy the freedom that death brings. Bless their souls…
One of my favorites is Absence of Malice with great performances from Paul Newman, Sally Field and Melinda Dillion. Thank you Sydney for so many wonderful moments in the dark.
That’s my favorite scene from Tootsie. LOVE IT!!!! Sydney, you will be missed.
He always struck me as one of the good guys in a town that is full of some pretty bad people. I liked him, always did, even as a kid.
B.
He did Jeremiah Johnson about Mountain men in the West. I didn’t get to make that film but thank godness I wasn’t the only person who thought such a story was
worth making, Thank you Sydney, you will
be missed
For those who want to see more of Sydney Pollack, rent “Avenue Montaine “– he has one scene (as a movie producer being chatted up by a French soap opera actress who wants to play Simone de Beauvoir in his new film) that is priceless — worth the entire film
For those who want to see more of Sydney Pollack, rent “Avenue Montaine “– he has one scene (as a movie producer being chatted up by a French soap opera actress who wants to play Simone de Beauvoir in his new film) that is priceless — worth the entire film
Sydney Pollack had me at The Way We Were! I’m not sure I knew who he was before that, but I have followed his career ever since. In all his hyphenates as a director, producer, actor and raconteur–he embraced life with passion, integrity and joie de vivre. I tried to catch his TV interviews whenever I could, and I enjoyed his stint as the host of The Essentials on Turner Classic Movies.
The film world lost a tremendous talent over the Memorial Day weekend. He directed films that were accessible to everyone–bringing his passions about life to filmgoers throughout the world. And even when he played heavies as an actor, there was something so likable about him, you found yourself secretly rooting for him.
I was devastated to learn of his untimely passing Monday night, on a crawl running under the news of an all-news station. To me, he was one of those people who makes the world a better place just for being in it. My heart goes out to his family and friends. He will be missed.
He was 10 times the actor that he was the director and yet he was one of the top 5 most brilliant directors of his generation,
We’ve lost another conscientious genius
we need more people like him
Although he was number 7 on the 2008 Depth Chart, I hate to see him go. He was old school and there is not enough of that left.
DPDave.com
Check out this video in memorium of Syndey Pollack here
http://current.com/items/88985230_sydney_pollack_1934_2008