10 Greatest Actors Turned Directors

The ‘70s icon was an understated actor of rare grace and elegance, and it stands to reason that he’d follow suit as a director. Like Kevin Coster after him, he would fall afoul of an unfortunate curse: directing a film that won the Oscars over a Martin Scorsese masterpiece.

Ordinary People is, admittedly, not as good as Raging Bull (few films are), but its reputation as a schlocky melodrama is unfounded. In fact it’s a well observed and beautifully acted family tragedy, with a barnstorming performance by Mary Tyler Moore. Redford’s approach is a restrained one, letting the story breathe.

Better still is Quiz Show, his 1994 true story about a 1950s scandal on the titular TV format. Ralph Fiennes and John Turturro put in two of their best ever performances. The film was overshadowed by the year’s blockbusters and critical darlings (Gump, Shawshank, Pulp), but it’s better than most if not all of them, a dark and acidic drama that subtly hits on some serious class issues.

He hasn’t reached these heights since but has continued to put out solid films about the matters that interest him most - American history and politics. Now retired, he is one of Hollywood’s class acts.