Redford asked if he had read the Bernard Malamud novel, The Natural. Yes, the director replied, he was a fan. As Levinson recalls, the actor rootled around his office and found the film adaptation of the novel by Roger Towne, brother of Robert (Chinatown), which had interested Michael Douglas and Nick Nolte.

Did Robert Redford do his own hitting in The Natural?

I loved playing baseball and I loved the Boston Red Sox and Ted Williams and I wanted to go in that direction [as a ballplayer] if I could, but never could until this.” Johnson confirms that Redford did all of his own batting for the film, and made some solid hits.

Was Redford too old in The Natural?

The two eras of the film show Roy Hobbs at age 19 and age 35. Robert Redford was 47 at the time of filming. The filmmakers scouted the country for a stadium to use in game scenes. They needed something nondescript with a pre-World War II feel, and found it in Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium.

How old was Robert Redford during the filming of The Natural?

Robert Redford was 46 during filming, but he played Roy Hobbs at 19 and 35. In Reel Life: When Roy makes it to the majors, he's 35 years old. In Real Life: Redford was 46 when the film was made, and even plays Roy as a 19-year-old in the movie.

Why was Hobbs bleeding in The Natural?

He awakens in the hospital and learns that an old silver bullet, removed from his stomach, has caused him long-term damage.

The Natural (6/8) Movie CLIP - Let it Ride (1984) HD

Why does Roy eat so much in the natural?

It is significant that after Roy decides not to pursue Iris, he suddenly develops a great craving for food. He is attempting to fulfill himself in a way that Memo and his own self-centered playing cannot; only Iris has the ability to provide the true fulfillment that would end his desire for both food and Memo.

What is Roy's tragic flaw?

Roy only considers his decision in terms of which option would bring him more money, and therefore win him Memo (he thinks). Memo is Roy's one true blind spot. His desire for is so unbelievably single-minded that it can be considered Roy's tragic flaw.

How much older was Paul Newman to Robert Redford?

The Reason Paul Newman And Robert Redford Never Got To Make A Third Movie Together - IMDb. Though 11 years apart in age, hailing from entirely different parts of the country, Paul Newman and Robert Redford were a big-screen match made in movie heaven.

Did Robert Redford quit acting?

'That's enough': Robert Redford announces his retirement from acting. Robert Redford is calling it a career after nearly 60 years as one of his generation's most iconic actors. Redford, 81, announced to Entertainment Weekly on Monday that his upcoming film, "The Old Man & The Gun," will be his final acting job.

What does the ending of the natural mean?

This is the tragic end of our hero. Roy's lost his honor and his self-respect. He can't look his fans in the face, and he surely can't go back to baseball. He finally realizes that it was his own mistakes that brought him to this point, but that realization is too little and way too late.

Why did Redford divorce first wife?

However, Redford and Van Wagenen divorced in 1985. “It was mutual and it was right to move on,” Redford told The Telegraph in 2001, confirming his growing success in Hollywood put a strain on the marriage over the years. “We still have great love, great affection, great friendship.

How many children has Robert Redford lost?

He and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, had four children together: Scott, Shauna, James and Amy Redford. Scott died from sudden infant death syndrome at only 2 months old. Their younger son, James, died of cancer in October 2020.

Did Robert Redford lose any children?

Robert Redford has been battling secret heartache many years before his son James Redford passed away last week. The 84-year-old Hollywood legend has now tragically outlived two of his four children, losing son Scott just two months after he was born in 1959.

Was Robert Redford good at baseball?

When he was young, Redford didn't love school, so he pursued his interests in art and sports. He had a great talent for baseball and spent his years at Van Nuys High School on the baseball team, where his teammate was future pitching legend, Don Drysdale.

Was Robert Redford a good actor?

Redford was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, and won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, his first time winning an acting honour from that group (he had been nominated in 1969 for Downhill Racer).

What is the Wonderboy bat in The Natural?

Baseball star Hobbs' signature bat, Wonderboy, was carved from the wood of a tree that was struck by lightning at the same time his father (Robert Rich III) suffered a heart attack. This bat is matched to the scene where Roy entered the dugout and placed the bat in its case.

Were Newman and Redford friends?

Redford and Newman's Real Life Friendship

In many ways, their on-screen chemistry was only heightened by their off-screen antics together. The fact that both actors were legends in their own rights only added to the colossal force that the pair was together.

What's going on with Robert Redford?

Robert Redford, 81, announces his retirement from acting after a Hollywood career spanning almost 60 YEARS. Robert Redford announced his retirement from acting after 56 years in the business on Monday, ending his iconic film career with The Old Man & The Gun which is released later this year.

What did Robert Redford say about Paul Newman's death?

The "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" co-star says goodbye. Sept. 29, 2008— -- "This was a man who lived a life that really meant something and will for some time to come," Robert Redford said about his late friend and co-star, Paul Newman.

What did Paul Newman think about Robert Redford?

During the conversation, he fondly recalled working with his fellow American actor. Newman beamed: "We have a lot of fun together, we bounce off each other real well." But the actor did resent Redford in some ways, as he was hugely jealous of his part in the movie they shared, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Did Nick Nolte and Robert Redford get along?

Nolte and Mr. Redford? Robert Redford: My relationship with Nick was very much in the film, it was organic, it was genuine. I see him as a friend and a colleague, and so if you saw that in the film, then I guess we succeeded.

What is the theme of the natural?

The Natural explores the theme of the American Dream. Roy Hobbs is viewed as having a natural gift. In so many ways, Roy embodies the innocence and optimism of the American Dream.

Why does Roy reject Iris?

The woman is Iris Lemon and she and Roy meet after the game. They walk along the lakeshore, and eventually make love. But when Iris tells Roy that she is a grandmother, Roy rejects her, and returns to his longing for Memo.

What is the theme of the natural by Bernard Malamud?

Ambition, Failure, and the American Dream.