(Photo by Michael Caulfield Archive/Getty Images)
There are few actors who have worked with as many legendary directors on as many iconic films as Robert Duvall, whose celebrated career spanned nearly 70 years across film and television and showcased his phenomenal range. While his earliest credits came in TV series like The Defenders, Route 66, and Naked City, he broke out in a big way in his very first film role as Boo Radley in Robert Mulligan’s multiple Oscar-winning adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird in 1962.
Throughout the 1960s, Duvall would appear in films like Bullitt (briefly), True Grit, and M*A*S*H before starring in George Lucas’ debut THX 1138 in 1971. Just a year later, he would be immortalized as a key member of the ensemble in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece The Godfather, earning the first of his seven Academy Award nominations. He later reprised his role as Corleone family lawyer and advisor Tom Hagen in the equally acclaimed The Godfather Part II, and then reunited with Coppola in 1979 for Apocalypse Now, which garnered him another Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor.
It was Lewis John Carlin’s 1979 adaptation of the novel The Great Santini that would nab Duvall his first nomination for Best Actor, an award he would finally win in 1984 for his portrayal of an alcoholic country music star in Bruce Beresford’s Tender Mercies. He would earn another Best Actor nomination for 1997’s The Apostle, which he also wrote and directed, and two more for Best Supporting actor for A Civil Action in 1998 and The Judge in 2014.
Meanwhile, on the small screen, Duvall received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special for his work on the Western miniseries Lonesome Dove (1989) and the television films Stalin (1992) and The Man Who Captured Eichmann (1996), before ultimately winning the award for his work on Walter Hill’s miniseries Broken Trail in 2007.
(Photo by Touchstone Pictures)
Duvall remained prolific through the 2000s and 2010s, appearing in films as varied as the Gone in 60 Seconds remake, Kevin Costner’s Western Open Range, the holiday comedy Four Christmases, the apocalyptic drama The Road, and the Tom Cruise actioner Jack Reacher, among many others.
Considered one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, Robert Duvall imbued all of his roles with a certain humanity and down-to-earth grit, flitting from genre to genre with ease and elevating every project he joined, no matter how big or small the part. At 95 years old, Duvall passed away on February 16, 2026 at his Virginia ranch, leaving behind an unmatched legacy of stellar performances. To celebrate his life, we look back at all of Robert Duvall’s films ranked by Tomatometer, with Certified Fresh films listed first.
#1
Critics Consensus: One of Hollywood’s greatest critical and commercial successes, The Godfather gets everything right; not only did the movie transcend expectations, it established new benchmarks for American cinema.
Synopsis: Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this mob drama, based on Mario Puzo’s novel of [More]
#2
Critics Consensus: Drawing on strong performances by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola’s continuation of Mario Puzo’s Mafia saga set new standards for sequels that have yet to be matched or broken.
Synopsis: The compelling sequel to “The Godfather,” contrasting the life of Corleone father and son. Traces the problems of Michael Corleone [More]
#3
Critics Consensus: You will see what’s coming, but the masterful performances, especially Thornton’s, will leave you riveted.
Synopsis: Mentally disabled Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) is released from the mental hospital where he has spent most of his [More]
#4
Critics Consensus: Hustle doesn’t have any fancy moves, but it doesn’t need them — Adam Sandler’s everyman charm makes this easy layup fun to watch.
Synopsis: Stanley Sugerman’s (Adam Sandler) love for basketball is unparalleled, but the travel weary Philadelphia 76ers scout who has higher ambitions [More]
#5
Critics Consensus: To Kill a Mockingbird is a textbook example of a message movie done right — sober-minded and earnest, but never letting its social conscience get in the way of gripping drama.
Synopsis: Scout Finch (Mary Badham), 6,and her older brother, Jem (Phillip Alford), live in sleepy Maycomb, Ala., spending much of their [More]
#6
Critics Consensus: Widows rounds up a stellar ensemble for a heist thriller that mixes popcorn entertainment with a message – and marks another artistic leap for director Steve McQueen.
Synopsis: A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows — Veronica, Linda, [More]
#7
Critics Consensus: A voyage to hell where the journey is more satisfying than the destination, Francis Ford Coppola’s haunting, hallucinatory Vietnam War epic is cinema at its most audacious and visionary.
Synopsis: In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate [More]
#8
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a captivating performance from Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart transcends its overly familiar origins and finds new meaning in an old story.
Synopsis: With too many years of hazy days and boozy nights, former country-music legend Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is reduced to [More]
#9
Critics Consensus: Driven by populist fury and elevated by strong direction, powerful acting, and an intelligent script, Network’s searing satire of ratings-driven news remains sadly relevant more than four decades later.
Synopsis: In this lauded satire, veteran news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) discovers that he’s being put out to pasture, and [More]
#10
Critics Consensus: A nuanced sermon on the contradictions of faith as well as a blistering showcase for its director and star, The Apostle will leave audiences evangelizing the immensity of Robert Duvall’s talent.
Synopsis: After Sonny (Robert Duvall), an eccentric Pentecostal preacher, learns that his wife is having an affair, he beats her lover [More]
#11
Critics Consensus: True Grit rides along on the strength of a lived-in late-period John Wayne performance, adding its own entertaining spin to the oft-adapted source material.
Synopsis: After hired hand Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey) murders the father of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Kim Darby), she seeks vengeance and [More]
#12
Critics Consensus: Loaded with delightfully unscrupulous characters and and a witty, cynical script, Thank You For Smoking is a sharp satire with a brilliantly smarmy lead performance from Aaron Eckhart.
Synopsis: Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), a lobbyist for big tobacco, finds it difficult to balance his duties defending the dangerous substance [More]
#13
Critics Consensus: Bold, timely, subversive, and above all funny, M*A*S*H remains a high point in Robert Altman’s distinguished filmography.
Synopsis: Based on the novel by Richard Hooker, M*A*S*H follows a group of Mobile Army Surgical Hospital officers at they perform [More]
#14
Critics Consensus: Subtle to a fault, this perfectly cast ensemble drama is lifted by typically sharp performances from Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.
Synopsis: When much-feared hermit Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) comes to town with a wad of cash and announces his intention to [More]
#15
Critics Consensus: George Lucas’ feature debut presents a spare, bleak, dystopian future, and features evocatively minimal set design and creepy sound effects.
Synopsis: In the future, mankind lives in vast underground cities and free will is outlawed by means of mandatory medication that [More]
#16
Critics Consensus: Though heavy with sentiment, The Natural is an irresistible classic, and a sincere testament to America’s national pastime.
Synopsis: On the way to a tryout with the Chicago Cubs, young baseball phenom Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is shot by [More]
#17
Critics Consensus: Greatly benefiting from the tremendous chemistry between Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, Open Range is a sturdy modern Western with classic roots.
Synopsis: Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall) and his cowhands Charley (Kevin Costner) and Mose (Abraham Benrubi) are driving cattle across a large [More]
#18
Critics Consensus: Falling Down’s popcorn-friendly take on its complex themes proves disquieting — and ultimately fitting for a bleakly entertaining picture of one man’s angry break with reality.
Synopsis: A middle-aged man dealing with both unemployment and divorce, William Foster (Michael Douglas) is having a bad day. When his [More]
#19
Critics Consensus: The Road’s commitment to Cormac McCarthy’s dark vision may prove too unyielding for some, but the film benefits from hauntingly powerful performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi McPhee.
Synopsis: America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi [More]
#20
Critics Consensus: A touching. bittersweet, and wonderfully-acted film.
Synopsis: During the Great Depression, a Southern family hires the domestic services of Rose (Laura Dern), a damaged woman who hopes [More]
#21
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When a gay man is viciously slain, Detective Joe Leland (Frank Sinatra) is put on the case. Joe eventually tracks [More]
#22
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Bull Meechum (Robert Duvall) is a great fighter pilot — so great that he dubs himself “The Great Santini.” While [More]
#23
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Upon learning that she’s pregnant, housewife Natalie Ravenna leaves her husband and embarks on a road trip of self-discovery. On [More]
#24
Critics Consensus: Fast and frenetic, The Paper captures the energy of the newsroom thanks to its cast and director on first-rate form.
Synopsis: Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) is an editor at the New York Sun, a tabloid paper facing financial cuts. His pregnant [More]
#25
Critics Consensus: Anchored by a deftly understated performance from Robert Duvall, Tender Mercies is a quiet character study that leaves a lasting emotional impact.
Synopsis: Down-on-his-luck country singer Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) has nowhere to turn when he wakes up in a motel, short on [More]
#26
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In New Mexico, one-time bounty hunter Joe Kidd (Clint Eastwood) owns a ranch where a nearby group of Mexican revolutionaries, [More]
#27
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When petty crook Earl Macklin (Robert Duvall) is released from prison to find that his brother was murdered over a [More]
#28
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this bizarre twist on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective tales, Sherlock Holmes (Nicol Williamson) finds himself experiencing vivid [More]
#29
Critics Consensus: Colors takes a hard-hitting yet nuanced look at urban gang violence, further elevated by strong performances from a pair of well-matched leads.
Synopsis: In this gritty police drama from director Dennis Hopper, street-wise cop Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) and hotheaded rookie Danny McGavin [More]
#30
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Following the death of the white woman he thought was his mother, a shocked Earl Pilcher Jr. learns he is [More]
#31
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When “Bubber” Reeves (Robert Redford) escapes from prison, it upsets the folks in the nearby town of Tarl, Texas. Sheriff [More]
#32
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In 1877, Frank and Jesse James were expecting to receive amnesty from the state of Missouri for all their previous [More]
#33
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During a drunken spree in the small Wild West town of Bannock, one of a half-dozen workers from a nearby [More]
#34
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In the 1940s Los Angeles, Detective Tom Spellacy probes into the savage murder of a woman found dumped in an [More]
#35
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During World War II, Nazi officer Max Radl devises a plan to kidnap or kill the British prime minister. Approved [More]
#36
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A scientist (James Caan) replaces a military officer (Robert Duvall) as an astronaut on a space-race moonshot. [More]
#37
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Desperate times call for desperate measures, so losing soccer coach Gordon McCloud (Robert Duvall) accepts the signing of Jackie McQuillan [More]
#38
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: While hunting one morning, farm boy Arnold (Jason Presson) accidentally shoots and kills his brother after his gun becomes stuck [More]
#39
Critics Consensus: Intelligent and unconventional.
Synopsis: In this legal thriller based on a true story, John Travolta stars as Jan Schlichtmann, a tenacious personal-injury attorney whose [More]
#40
Critics Consensus: Jack Reacher is an above-average crime thriller with a smoothly charismatic performance from Tom Cruise.
Synopsis: One morning in an ordinary town, five people are shot dead in a seemingly random attack; all evidence points to [More]
#41
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A woman (Jill Ireland) hires a bush pilot (Charles Bronson) to free her husband (Robert Duvall), framed for a murder, [More]
#42
Critics Consensus: The Pale Blue Eye lacks its source material’s piercing gaze, but this well-cast mystery is just intriguing enough to investigate.
Synopsis: West Point, 1830. In the early hours of a gray winter morning, a cadet is found dead. But after the [More]
#43
Critics Consensus: 12 Mighty Orphans will rouse faithful fans of old-fashioned inspirational sports dramas, but the target audience has seen this sort of thing done more effectively before.
Synopsis: 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS tells the true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, [More]
#44
Critics Consensus: A wholesome but schmaltzy movie.
Synopsis: A shy adolescent boy, Walter (Haley Joel Osment), is taken by his greedy mother (Kyra Sedgwick) to spend the summer [More]
#45
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Rick (Kenneth Branagh), a divorced lawyer, has what he thinks is going to be a one-night stand with the troubled [More]
#46
Critics Consensus: Predictable but moving, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway is an understated and melancholic drama that gets plenty of mileage out of an outstanding cast that includes Robert Duvall, Richard Harris, Shirley MacLaine, and Sandra Bullock.
Synopsis: Two old men in a Florida town become friends more out of loneliness than compatibility. Ex-sea captain Frank (Richard Harris) [More]
#47
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Capt. Newman (Gregory Peck) is a kindhearted military psychiatrist who decides whether disturbed soldiers are ready to return to combat [More]
#48
Critics Consensus: Bland characters, clichéd dialogue and rickety plotting ensure We Own The Night never lives up to its potential.
Synopsis: In 1988, New York’s police wage an all-out war on drugs, and guilty and innocent alike become casualties. Bobby Green [More]
#49
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Friends George Hansen (Robert Duvall) and Mike Locken (James Caan) are hit men who do contract jobs for a company [More]
#50
Critics Consensus: Geronimo: An American Legend fails to stir the soul, though its sweeping visuals and historical ambitions mark an intelligent change of pace for director Walter Hill.
Synopsis: Following the expansion of the United States into the Southwest, the Apache Indians are forced onto a reservation to live [More]
#51
Critics Consensus: Solidly cast and beautifully filmed but thoroughly clichéd, The Judge seems destined to preside over a large jurisdiction of the basic cable afternoon-viewing circuit.
Synopsis: Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.), a brilliant but shady attorney, returns to his Indiana hometown after learning that his mother [More]
#52
Critics Consensus: Slow to start, this quirky film eventually overstays its welcome.
Synopsis: John J. (Robert Duvall) is a seasoned hit man sent on a job to Argentina. When the general he’s sent [More]
#53
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On his birthday, mechanic George Malley (John Travolta) sees a flash of light and proceeds to exhibit extraordinary mental abilities. [More]
#54
Critics Consensus: A tidal wave of melodrama sinks Deep Impact’s chance at being the memorable disaster flick it aspires to be.
Synopsis: A comet is hurtling toward Earth and could mean the end of all human life. The U.S. government keeps the [More]
#55
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During the Great Depression, Mr. Cox (Robert Duvall) is a talented oil prospector who’s yet to strike it rich. During [More]
#56
Critics Consensus: The script is mediocre and fails to give Ferrell a proper comedic showcase.
Synopsis: As a child, Phil Weston (Will Ferrell) was never able to live up to the demands of his overbearing father, [More]
#57
Critics Consensus: This offering from Arnold Schwarzenegger contains an intriguing, disturbing premise, but the film’s execution is too routine and formulaic to make good use of it.
Synopsis: A world of the very near future in which cattle, fish and even family pet can be cloned. But cloning [More]
#58
Critics Consensus: Extra! Extra! Read all about Newsies instead of suffering through its underwhelming musical interludes, although Christian Bale makes for a spirited hero.
Synopsis: In this musical, homeless New York City newsboy Jack “Cowboy” Kelly (Christian Bale) befriends two newcomers to his trade, brothers [More]
#59
Critics Consensus: Days of Thunder has Tom Cruise and plenty of flash going for it, but they aren’t enough to compensate for the stock plot, two-dimensional characters, and poorly written dialogue.
Synopsis: In the fast-paced world of NASCAR, a rivalry brews between rookie hotshot Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and veteran racer Rowdy [More]
#60
Critics Consensus: A Night in Old Mexico gives Robert Duvall a too-rare starring showcase — then frustratingly wastes it on a contrived story that’s often unworthy of his talents.
Synopsis: After traveling to Mexico with his grandson (Jeremy Irvine), a rancher (Robert Duvall) finds stolen money from a drug deal. [More]
#61
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a futuristic, theocratic and dystopian United States, Offred (Natasha Richardson) is forced to become a handmaid — a sexual [More]
#62
Critics Consensus: Jayne Mansfield’s Car assembles an impressive number of talented actors, but the screenplay — co-written by director and star Billy Bob Thornton — never gives them much of anything to do.
Synopsis: After his ex-wife’s death, a Southern patriarch (Robert Duvall) and his offspring meet the British family for whom she left [More]
#63
Critics Consensus: Small-town gossip and a battle of the sexes should really add up to more than Something to Talk About, especially with this much talent before the camera.
Synopsis: Grace Bichon, who is managing her father’s riding-stable, discovers that her husband Eddie is deceiving her with another woman. After [More]
#64
Critics Consensus: Lucky You tries to combine a romantic story with the high-stakes world of poker, but comes up with an empty hand.
Synopsis: Huck Cheever is a talented poker player who must balance an intense love affair with the feats he must accomplish [More]
#65
Critics Consensus: Washington’s performance rises above the material, but John Q pounds the audience over the head with its message.
Synopsis: Story centers on a man whose nine-year-old son is in desperate need of a life-saving transplant. When he discovers that [More]
#66
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In California apple country, 900 migratory workers rise up against the landowners. The group takes on a life of its [More]
#67
Critics Consensus: Despite a strong cast, this sour holiday comedy suffers from a hackneyed script.
Synopsis: When their plans for an exotic vacation fall apart, unmarried couple Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) must spend [More]
#68
Critics Consensus: Even though Oscar-bearers Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Duval came aboard for this project, the quality of Gone in 60 Seconds is disappointingly low. The plot line is nonsensical, and even the promised car-chase scenes are boring.
Synopsis: Randall “Memphis” Raines long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after an ominous visit from an old friend, he [More]
#69
Critics Consensus: Seven Days in Utopia finds a noteworthy cast struggling to engage with lackadaisical drama, overwrought themes, and a predictably staged narrative.
Synopsis: Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) is a young golfer who’s about to take a swing at the big time. Luke, however, [More]
#70
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) trains with Angelo Dundee (Ernest Borgnine), becomes heavyweight champion and converts to Islam. [More]
#71
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A Texas Ranger puts her life in jeopardy when she tries to prove a powerful family’s involvement in a young [More]
#72
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An auto tycoon (Laurence Olivier) spites his corporate heir (Robert Duvall) by having a test driver (Tommy Lee Jones) build [More]
#73
Critics Consensus: The Scarlet Letter strays far from its classic source material to tell a story that strains for steamy sensuality and leaves the audience red with unintentional laughter.
Synopsis: After a young widow (Demi Moore) has a child and refuses to name the father, a Puritan community forces her [More]
#74
Critics Consensus: Filled with two-dimensional characters and pompous self-righteousness, Gods and Generals is a long, tedious sit. Some may also take offense at the pro-Confederate slant.
Synopsis: A sweeping epic charting the early years of the Civil War and how the campaigns unfolded from Manassas I to [More]
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