The Firm
Sydney Pollack was one of the most diversely gifted film maker to ever work in Hollywood . After appearing in several goggle box appearance in the late 50 as an actor , Pollackmoved behind the photographic camera where he would accumulate more than 40 directorial credits from 1965 to 2005 . Pollack also served as a manufacturer on about as many films since makingThe Yakuzain 1974 .
In 1986 , Pollack won Oscar Awards for Best Picture and Best Director following the smash - impinge on romantic dramaOut of Africa , starringMeryl StreepandRobert Redford . He continue to head more recognized films up until his death .
Sabrina (1995) 65%
In a remake of Billy Wilder ’s 1954 movie of the same , Pollack directed Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond in the twice - Oscar - nominated fixed storage - com , Sabrina .
After undergoing a monumental physical makeover , one homely Sabrina ( Ormond ) pursues her longtime crunch David Larrabee ( Greg Kinnear ) . When the play - loving David is shipped off to Paris , Sabrina becomes Byzantine with his old brother Linus ( Ford ) , a serious businessman who could n’t be more dissimilar . The motion picture scored Oscar nods for Best Original Score and Original Song .
The Scalphunters (1968) 70%
In his third feature moving-picture show as theatre director , Pollack guided Burt Lancaster , Shelly Winters , and Telly Savalas in the comedic western rompThe Scalphunters . The photographic film earn costar Ossie Davis a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor .
The plot follows pelt trapper Joe Bass ( Lancaster ) , who has his amplitude of skins steal by a band of native . In return , Joe is given an African American slave identify Joseph ( Davis ) . In the search to get his skins back , the native are attacked by a radical known as the scalp hunters , which also kidnap Joseph . As a resultant role , Joe sets out to rescue Joseph and get his property back .
The Firm (1993) 75%
base on the runaway John Grisham best seller , Pollack head Tom Cruise in a tale of legal intrigue viaThe Firm . The pic land Academy Award nod for Best Original Score and Holly Hunter as Best Supporting Actress .
CostarringGene Hackman , Ed Harris , Gary Busey , and Jeanne Tripplehorn , the story pertain idealistic young litigant Mitch McDeere ( Cruise ) , who uncover a rash of unethical behavior at his hefty newfangled constabulary house . make by money and influence at first , McDeere must tap into his moral compass and do what is right before it ’s too late .
The Slender Thread (1965) 80%
Pollack made his big - screen directorial debut withThe Slender Thread , a flick about a untested crisis hotline volunteer who take in a call from a suicidal charwoman . Legendary Costume Designer Edith Head landed an Oscar nomination for her contribution to the film .
Seattle college student Alan ( Sidney Poitier ) military volunteer at a crisis hotline , where he soon receives a call from a fair sex named Inga ( Anne Bancroft ) claiming to have ingested a load of anovulatory drug . As Alan races to get Inga help without her cognition , he set about to slowly calm her down over the headphone by getting to know her spirit tale .
Absence Of Malice (1981) 81%
In the 1981 filmAbsence of Malice , Paul Newmanplays the Word of a dead mobster who used to bootleg liquor . Now an alcohol salesman , Mike Gallagher ( Newman ) resorts to foul fiddle when the FBI presses him for info on a late family - connect execution of a union leader .
To get his cooperation , the FBI enlists an sublime young diarist named Megan Carter ( Sally Field ) to let Gallagher bonk he ’s being inquire . The moving-picture show landed three Oscar nods , including Best Original Screenplay ( Kurt Luedtke ) , Leading Actor ( Newman ) , and Supporting Actress ( Melinda Dillon ) .
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They (1969) 83%
Based on the Horace McCoy novel , They Shoot Horses , Do n’t Theystars Jane Fonda and Michael Sarrazin as a pair of Hollywood hopefuls who enter a physically taxing dance endurance contest .
As self-destructive Gloria ( Fonda ) tries to rebound from The Great Depression , she think traveling to Hollywood to become a star is the answer to her problems . As a wannabe picture show director , she ’s accompanied by her pal Robert ( Sarrazin ) . However , once they arrive in California , they go in a popular fad eff as a terpsichore marathon where they submit their body to intense physical demands .
Three Days Of The Condor (1975) 86%
In the fourth film that Pollack made with starRobert Redford , Three Days of the Condoris a contemporary tarradiddle of political paranoia set amid a slaying mystery .
When hale C.I.A. book - reader Turner ( Redford ) render from luncheon one day , he find all of his coworkers suddenly assassinate . Narrowly elude end on the spot , Turner is driven underground where he must uncover a Brobdingnagian slaying conspiracy . Co - starring Faye Dunaway , Cliff Robertson , and Max Von Sydow , the film notched an Oscar nod for Best Editing .
Tootsie (1982) 90%
In the biggest commercial-grade smash of his directorial calling , Pollack starred in and head the classic eighty comedyTootsie . The film earned starJessica Langean Academy Award win for Best digest Actress .
The film graph Michael Dorsey , a hot - temper out - of - work actor who will resort to anything to remain a paid actor . As such , he convinces his broker ( Pollack ) to audition for a distaff eccentric on a popular idiot box goop . Michael soon becomes Dorothy and the show becomes a runaway smasher , leading to Michael ’s romantic feelings for costar Julie ( Lange ) .
Jeremiah Johnson (1972) 95%
In their second collaboration together , Pollack and Robert Redford explored the great outdoors inJeremiah Johnson , the tale of an disjunct mountain humanity who becomes involved in a Native American retaliation plot .
weather the rough elements of the 19th - century Colorado frontier , vagrant and trapper Jeremiah Johnson ( Redford ) sets out to build a home away from civilization . Once he materialise upon the Crow kinship group of aboriginal , he must learn which codification to live on by so as to peacefully coexist .
The Swimmer (1968) 100%
According to Rotten Tomatoes , the highest - rate motion-picture show of Sydney Pollacks ’s directorial resume belong toThe Swimmer .
The plot of the film could n’t be unproblematic . Burt Lancaster star Ned Merill , a man who attempts to swim in as many different suburban swim pools as humanly possible in one summertime daylight . Pollack is uncredited for his contribution after supercede original managing director Frank Perry . Lancaster maintained the film was his best body of work and a personal favorite of his own .
NEXT:10 Underrated Films From Oscar - Nominated Directors
