12 Underrated Robert Duvall Movies to Rewatch Over and Over

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Robert Duvall, a truly exceptional actor, passed away this week, prompting tributes from fans and colleagues like Francis Ford Coppola who shared cherished moments of his work. Duvall, known for his realistic and down-to-earth performances, started his career on stage in the 1950s and gained early recognition as Boo Radley in the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). We’ve gathered a few of his lesser-known but still brilliant roles. This list focuses on performances beyond his Oscar-nominated work (he won one Oscar for Tender Mercies) and excludes his most famous films like The Godfather, Network, and Apocalypse Now. This week, discover or revisit one of his standout performances that didn’t receive the same level of acclaim as his iconic lines.

Note: All of these are available on VOD along with the streaming service listed.

The Chase (1966)

Shortly after his breakout role in To Kill a Mockingbird, Robert Duvall appeared in this thrilling prison escape film directed by Arthur Penn – the visionary filmmaker who would soon revolutionize cinema with Bonnie and Clyde. Featuring a stellar cast including Redford, Fonda, Dickinson, Marshall, and Brando, the film truly showcases Duvall. It’s less a typical prison movie and more a story about the pressures and dishonesty in a small town. This role hinted at the many characters Duvall would play later in his career: traditional men facing a changing world.

On YouTube Free with Ads

Tomorrow (1972)

Those familiar with Robert Duvall’s work often point to this film as a standout performance, and its history is remarkable. It began as a short story by William Faulkner and was adapted into a screenplay by Horton Foote, the acclaimed playwright who later wrote the film Tender Mercies starring Duvall. Foote also initially suggested Duvall for the role of Boo Radley. In this drama, Duvall plays Fentry, a solitary farmer in Mississippi who takes in a pregnant woman passing through. He develops a strong emotional connection with her, and their paths cross again years later through her child, in a moving story about acceptance that Duvall himself considered one of his finest films.

On Shout! TV and Kanopy

The Killer Elite (1975)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=V3sceMtkgD0

Robert Duvall frequently worked with iconic directors of 1970s drama, but it’s often overlooked that he also collaborated with action master Sam Peckinpah. Their film, based on the novel Monkey in the Middle, brought together The Godfather‘s Robert Duvall and James Caan as mercenaries in San Francisco, caught in a conflict fueled by international politics. While some dismissed the film – which notably featured ninjas in what may have been an American first – as a commercial sell-out by Peckinpah, others, like critic Pauline Kael, viewed it as a clever satire of the action genre he helped define. It’s a lighthearted movie that sparked debate about the director’s intentions.

On Prime Video

The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

It’s possible that working with director Sam Peckinpah led Robert Duvall to seek out other famous action filmmakers. He ended up collaborating with John Sturges, known for films like The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape, on this unusual British war movie featuring Michael Caine and Donald Sutherland. Though now a cult favorite, Sturges’s last film tells a fictional story about a plot to kidnap Winston Churchill during World War II. Duvall plays the leader of Operation Eagle, a mission directly ordered by Heinrich Himmler.

On Prime Video

True Confessions (1981)

Robert Duvall and Robert De Niro, who previously starred together in The Godfather Part II, teamed up again for this well-received film based on John Gregory Dunne’s novel. Dunne co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, Joan Didion. De Niro plays a Los Angeles minister, and Duvall is his brother, a homicide detective. When a woman is found murdered and her body is shockingly mutilated – with echoes of the infamous Black Dahlia case – an investigation begins, drawing the two brothers into the mystery. According to The New York Times, the film proves that American movies can be truly excellent when talented people collaborate, and Duvall consistently delivered that quality.

On MGM+

Rambling Rose (1991)

Martha Coolidge’s film, based on Calder Willingham’s novel, is a powerful story set during the Great Depression and about a young woman growing up. It’s also a fantastic display of acting talent – famously, it marked the first time a mother and daughter, Diane Ladd and Laura Dern, were both nominated for Oscars. While both actresses are incredible, the film truly relies on Robert Duvall’s performance as the father figure who takes in Dern’s character. He perfectly embodies a genuinely good man, and this film is a prime example of his ability to portray such characters with believable depth.

On Kanopy and Hoopla

The Paper (1994)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=6V7K_azSYkU

This often-overlooked film about journalism feels especially relevant today, as the profession faces increasing challenges. Directed by Ron Howard, it beautifully showcases Robert Duvall’s talent for seamlessly blending into an ensemble cast without overshadowing his co-stars – a true hallmark of his career. Alongside Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, and Duvall himself, the film offers a glimpse into a bustling New York newspaper office over 24 hours. While the movie’s setting feels a bit old-fashioned now, Duvall’s portrayal of the paper’s cynical editor-in-chief remains powerfully engaging.

On VOD only

Assassination Tango (2002)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=kVXAITzqSgc

Besides Tomorrow, this is likely the movie Robert Duvall would most want people to remember him by. He was deeply passionate about this project – he not only starred in it, but also wrote, produced, and directed it, alongside his wife, Luciana Pedraza. Francis Ford Coppola helped as an executive producer. The film tells the story of a hitman who finds love with an Argentinian woman during an assignment in Argentina.

On Prime Video and MGM+

Open Range (2003)

Often overlooked, this Kevin Costner Western is a classic tale of the Old West, and Robert Duvall’s performance beautifully captures a man who’s lived a full life. The story follows Boss Spearman, a cattleman in late 19th-century Montana, whose drive of cattle across land owned by a ruthless baron – played by Michael Gambon – sparks a bloody conflict. The film also stars Costner, Annette Bening, and the late Michael Jeter.

On AMC+ and YouTubeTV

We Own the Night (2007)

Throughout his career, Robert Duvall collaborated with many talented directors. He was especially well-suited to the films of James Gray, who often portrayed complex, troubled characters – a style influenced by classic 1970s filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, with whom Duvall himself had previously worked. In Gray’s third film, Duvall plays the father of characters portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg. Phoenix plays the troubled son, Wahlberg the police officer, and Duvall their father, an NYPD deputy chief.

On Fubo

Get Low (2009)

When Robert Duvall made this film, he was in his 70s and increasingly using his age to enhance his performances. He perfectly embodies the role of Felix Bush, a grumpy, reclusive man who decides to plan his own funeral while he’s still alive. Although the movie, which also stars Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black, is fairly lighthearted, Duvall’s nuanced performance brings so much depth that you can easily overlook its sentimental moments.

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Widows (2018)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=OOws2DFzBj4

While he continued to act in films like 2022’s The Pale Blue Eye and Hustle, this role stands out as his last truly great performance. It’s a fantastic, yet often overlooked, thriller featuring a phenomenal cast and brilliantly directed by Steve McQueen. Duvall plays the head of a Chicago political family, a character that feels incredibly authentic to anyone familiar with the city. His relentless pressure and taunting of his son, Jack, to achieve victory are central to what makes this film so compelling.

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2026-02-17 22:56