Sydney Pollack is a name that might mean little to modern audiences. The man never directed a grand epic or a superhero film, but he was a reliable, talented filmmaker known for crafting heartwarming stories, intense dramas, and complex thrillers. Pollack has a diverse body of work showcasing his versatility and storytelling prowess. He was a renowned Hollywood talent who only worked with the best.
Sydney Pollack wore many hats in the industry. He was a writer, an actor, a producer, and a director. While his films didn’t break any box office records, they are all remembered as captivating stories with engaging narratives and memorable performances. Pollack had a keen eye for storytelling and a genuine desire to extract powerful performances from each actor he worked with.He passed away in 2008but left a filmography that stands the test of time.
In this ranking, we list every movie directed by Sydney Pollack by year of release. Some might be familiar, while others are there to be discovered. Hopefully, you can watch some of these and remember the massively underrated talent of one of Hollywood’s best.
Sydney Pollack’s first effort as director had a screenplay written by Stirling Silliphant based on a real story. The filmfeatures the talents of Sidney Poitier, Anne Bancroft, and Telly Savalas. It’s a gripping story about a crisis hotline operator who gets a call from a suicidal woman, leading to a race against time and circumstances to locate and save her.
The Slender Threadis a powerful story addressing mental health and the need for human connection. It’s a film that sheds light on the importance of crisis intervention and how sometimes all we need to do to help is listen. The movie wasn’t a major hit upon release but garnered critical acclaim for its outstanding performances and plot.
19This Property Is Condemned (1966)
This Property Is Condemnedis a film based on a play by Tennessee Williams. The screenplay was adapted by Francis Ford Coppola and featured the talents of Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, and Charles Bronson. The story is set in a small Mississippi townduring the Great Depression. We follow the story of Alva, a southern belle who falls in love with a slick city boy, which her mother disapproves of, as she wants a wealthy suitor for her.
With her feelings negated, Alva gets back at her mother by seducing the man she is courting on her end. It’s a story full of twists and turns with plenty of social undertones. The movie explores multiple themes, such as social stance, arranged commitments, and disillusionment. It’s a hard-hitting story with an ending that might feel like a downer to many. Still, it’s a faithful recreation of a situation that affected many families during the era depicted in the story.
18The Scalphunters (1968)
Sydney Pollack dipped his toes in the world of Westerns withThe Scalphunters. The superb screenplay written by William Norton features the talents of Burt Lancaster, Shelley Winters, and Telly Savalas. The story begins when Native Americans coerce an illiterate fur trapper into trading his fur haul for a highly educated slave. The trapper wants his furs back, while the slave wants to escape to Mexico to escape slavery.
Their unlikely alliance has to overcome a whole new challenge when a band of scalp hunters begins to track down the Indians to kill them off, claim the furs, and sell the slave. It’s a great story withsome comedic undertones and a lot of heart. The film touches upon the subjects of racial inequality and the lawlessness of the Wild West. As with most early Pollack films, the film was critically acclaimed but didn’t break any box office records.
17Castle Keep (1969)
The first war drama directed by Pollack is based on a novel by William Eastlake. The screenplay written by Daniel Taradash took very few liberties with the original story. The casting reunites Burt Lancaster, Peter Falk, and Patrick O’Neal.Castle Keepis a story set during World War II. The plot centers around a group of soldiers taking over an ancient European castle and their struggle to hold the ground against enemy forces.
The unique story would set a precedent by exploring the nuances of wartime and the people affected by it. The castle owner welcomes a group of American soldiers who seeks to save the multiple treasures guarded in its walls. When German forces overwhelm the Americans, the castle owner begs to safely keep his treasures, only to lose them amidst the tumultuous crossfire. If anything, the film is a deep exploration of the futility of war.
16They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969)
As you can tell by now, Sydney Pollack had a knack for adapting literary works he found enjoyable.They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?is a novel by Horace McCoy with a screenplay written by Robert E. Thompson. The castincludes the talents of Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, and Gig Young. It was Pollack’s first box office hit, made on a budget of $4 million and recouping $13 million in domestic gross.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?is a simpler story about a grueling dance marathon where desperate individuals compete for a cash prize during the Great Depression. At the center of the competition are a failed actress, a sailor with no commission, and a pregnant girl. The contest lasts for quite some time, while the organizer begins to machinate multiple ways to keep people in the race and earn more money on account of their suffering.
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15Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
It’s incredible how so many years ago, Sydney Pollack explored the masculine impulse to leave everything behind and live in the wilderness in isolation. What it’s considered a meme these days was the talk of the mid-19th century due to heavy lawlessness plaguing the Wild West in America.Jeremiah Johnsonis a film taking points from two literary sources: the bookCrow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson, written by Robert Bunker, andMountain Man, a novel by Vardis Fisher.
The movie features the talents of Robert Redford, Will Geer, and Delle Bolton, which follows the story of former soldier Jeremiah Johnson. The disillusioned soldier is seeking solace in the untamed wilderness of the American West,but he’s woefully unequipped for the challenge. With the assistance of an unlikely neighbor, Johnson learns to fend for himself, and build a life of his own, until a native tribe seeks to disrupt his pace. It was Pollack’s second box office hit, scoring $44 million on a budget of $3 million.
14The Way We Were (1973)
Pollack increased his profile as a filmmaker thanks toThe Way We Were. The film was the 5th highest-grossing film of 1973. It was made on a small budget of $5 million and scored $50 million in its theatrical run. Based on the novel of the same name, Pollack sought the help of Arthur Laurents to write the screenplay for the movie and composer Marvin Hamlisch to write the music for the film. The soundtrack ranked number 20 on the Billboard 200 of the yearand gave Barbra Streisand her first USA #1 hit.
The film features the talents of Streisand, Robert Redford, and Bradford Dillman. It’s a story set in the turbulent decades of the 40s and 50s, a time of harsh sociopolitical changes. The movie explores the complex relationship between a passionate activist and a charismatic writer. Their love endures multiple trials and tribulations, as Katie’s political activism places her under the eye of the McCarthy Commission, which affects the reputation of her beloved husband.
13The Yakuza (1974)
The Yakuzais a powerful crime thriller starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura, and Brian Keith. The script, written by Paul Schrader, begins with a retired detective returning to Japan to rescue the daughter of an old friend. Upon fulfilling his task with his brother’s help,a Yakuza member has been fatally injuredby his brother, marking him for death.
Ashamed for putting his brother in a difficult position, the detective must face the Yakuza family and atone for the sins of his family. The original screenplay it’s not based on a book this time around. The film was made on a budget of $5 million but was deemed a box office flop in its year of release, only gaining a large following in subsequent decades. It’s a unique story of honor, loyalty, and duty from an Asian perspective.
12Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Sydney Pollack started to have a firm grip on the political thriller genre withThree Days of the Condor. True to his form, the movie is based on the novelSix Days of the Condorby James Grady, with Lorenzo Semple Jr. adapting the screenplay. The cast features Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, and Max von Sydow. Made on a budget of $7.8 million, it scored a box office gross of $73.5 million worldwide.
In the story, a CIA researcher becomes the government’s target after all his coworkers are killed. Not able to trust anyone,he tries to contact his superiorsonly to find out he’s been burned and marked for death. He must do everything to survive until he can put together the pieces behind the conspiracy and find out why his former bosses want him dead. It’s a great story that somehow implies the final destination of those involved in the Watergate case.
11Bobby Deerfield (1977)
Bobby Deerfieldis the type of love story that would eventually help Pollack achieve great praise from his peers as a master of light dramas. The story is based on Erich Maria Remarque’s 1961 novelHeaven Has No Favorites, with the screenplay adapted by Alvin Sargent. The unconventional talefeatures the talents of Al Pacino, Marthe Keller, and Anny Duperey.
Famed F-1 pilot Bobby Deerfield is known for being incredibly arrogant and reckless. He causes a large crash where many pilots are injured. While recovering in a hospital, he meets Lillian, a beautiful woman whose time is running out as she’s in the final stages of a terminal illness. Both souls bond together over their need to heal and accept their destinies. It’s a nice little story exploring human connection.
