Robert Duvall has left us

The actor from The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Open Range, Tendre Bonheur, 60 Seconds Chrono and many others, died at the age of 95.

Seven Oscar nominations, two Emmy Awards, a filmography spanning six decades: Robert Duvall was not a flashy star but a quiet presence who crossed Hollywood cinema.

Actor of Coppola, he contributed to the myth of Godfather (1972), Secret conversation (1974), and Apocalypse Now (1979) with this cult line: “I love the smell of napalm in the early morning…” Robert Duvall died at the age of 95.

The announcement was made by his wife, Luciana Duvall, in a moving message: “Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed peacefully home, surrounded by love and comfort. To the world, he was an Oscar-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was everything.” She added that her passion for her art was matched only by her love of the characters and the human truth they conveyed.

With his rough naturalism, almost invisible as it seemed so simple, Duvall spent an entire career supporting sacred monsters like Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman or Gene Hackman. Less flamboyant than some contemporaries, he was no less respected as an absolute master. Francis Ford Coppola said of him that at a certain level, “it becomes difficult to distinguish a leading role from a great compositional actor.” He was both.

Its first notable appearance dates back to Silence and shadows (1962), where he played the mysterious Boo Radley. The career started slowly despite this burst of brilliance, but the beginning of the 70s saw it explode.

It turns The Rain People (1969), MASH (1970), THX1138 (1971) by George Lucas, then landed the role that changed everything: Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972), which he resumes in The Godfather, Part 2 (1974). Nomination for the Oscars and global recognition as a result. He continues with Secret conversation (1974) and confirms that it is capable of inhabiting any register.

His stature as a leading role really stands out with The Great Santini (1979), portrait of a tyrannical military father which earned him his first Oscar nomination for best actor. But it is Tender Happiness (1983) which gave him recognition: a broken country singer, all silences and glances, a masterful performance rewarded with the statuette.

With age, Robert Duvall becomes a tutelary figure, the old sage of good advice, the mentor of Tom Cruise in Thunder days (1990) and that of Nicolas Cage in 60 seconds flat (2000), or Kevin Costner in Open Range (2004). He is also the savior of Deep Impact (1998). In 1997, he signed his authorial gesture with The Preacher (1997), which he wrote, directed and performed, a unique performance which earned him a new Oscar nomination and a triumph at the Independent Spirit Awards.

At almost 80 years old, he still turns The Road (2009), Crazy Heart (2009), then book in The Judge (2014) a remarkable performance as a magistrate accused of murder, a role which brought him his seventh Oscar nomination opposite Robert Downey Jr..

Robert Duvall will have shot until the end. We remember one of his last appearances on screen in the Netflix western The Pale Blue Eye (in 2022).