Robert Redford For Wax Figure Essay, Research Paper
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is getting ready to open in New York soon (McShane B3). It consists of perfect replicas of all sorts of celebrities from Larry King to Meryl Streep. One celebrity that would be a good candidate for the museum is Robert Redford. Throughout the years, he has proven that he is successful in acting, in directing, and in community activism. These are the areas that make him a good candidate for the wax museum.
For the past four decades, most people know Redford as one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood (?Robert Redford: Credits?). Redford?s most famous role is Harry, the gunslinger, in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). This made Redford an instant star. This film still remains one of the greatest western movies of all time. Another film that made Redford a star is The Way We Were (1973). The charismatic appeal of both Redford and co-star Barbra Streisand makes this film an appealing love story, despite the reviews about the flaws in the script itself. Redford won the hearts of all in the role of a gifted baseball player who hits the famous homerun that breaks the lights of the stadium in The Natural (1984). In the film Sneakers (1992), Redford leads a group of hackers who get blackmailed into stealing a top-secret computer decoder program for a group of corrupt government agents. Throughout his career, Redford has proven that his acting is successful in any role that he chooses to play.
Redford has a talent for directing that has surpassed expectations. He started his directing career by winning an Academy Award for Best Director for the film Ordinary People (1980). His brilliant directing is also evident in Quiz Show (1994) where he captured the end of an era of innocence and trust, and the bitter class tensions in America. Redford did an amazing job of translating a novel to the sliver screen in Horse Whisperer (1998). As a director, Redford has shown that he has the ability to capture the moments that make films real to the viewers (?Robert Redford: Credits?).
As an activist, Redford uses his fame to advance environmental causes. He has purchased seven thousand acres of a mountainside property in Utah. He has transformed the property into a ranch, the Sundance Ski Resort, and established the Sundance Institute (?About Sundance Institute?). The resort consists on ninety-five guest cottage rooms, mountain homes, and award-winning restaurants. The main focus of this picturesque atmosphere is the Sundance Institute that supports the development of aspiring screenwriters and directors. A twenty-six member Board of Trustees governs the Sundance Institute. The non-profit corporation?s budget of 8.5 billion dollars is forty percent earned and sixty percent contributed. Over threehundred filmmakers a year have the opportunity to attend the programs at Sundance Institute. Millions of people every year come to Sundance to attend the Sundance Film Festival where they view films that are created at Sundance Institute. Redford has made it possible for these amateurs to develop into award-winning artists.
Redford?s hard work is what makes it possible to achieve his goals as an actor, a director, and an activist. This is amble reason to have him admitted into Madame Tussaud?s Wax Museum. He is respected by his colleagues and adored by his fans. Many people believe that not only his achievements as an artist should be considered, but also that his good looks alone would cause many to flock to the museum to admire a perfect replica of Robert Redford.
?About Sundance Institute.? Sundance Institute. 11 November 2000 .
McShane, Larry. ?Tussaud?s, no dummy, set to open in New York.? Atlanta Journal Constitution 15 October 2000: B3
?Robert Redford: Credits.? Mr. Show Biz Celebrities. 11 November 2000 .