In a 1970 interview with Derek Malcolm, Robert Redford declared himself “not a Hollywood man,” expressing disdain for the film industry’s business-first approach. “You can’t run an art form like a business any more, and they’re still trying to,” he said. “Films to them are just like vacuum cleaners or refrigerators. The approach sickens me.”
Redford, then rising to fame after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, spoke about his film Downhill Racer, which he had fought to make. He described downhill skiing as “the perfect blend of poetry and danger” and a vehicle to show “what sport sometimes does to men.” He noted that veterans of the sport often become “pathetic” and “shot up,” unable to keep still.
Reflecting on his own sporting past, Redford recalled his intense competitiveness in American football, baseball, and tennis. “Christ, I really hated to lose,” he said, but eventually he found himself distracted by details like a spectator’s thoughts or an opponent’s sock, leading to a loss of focus.
Painting remained a secret love; he had toured Europe in the late 1950s and even held an exhibition in Florence to fund his return home. After returning, he drifted into acting, first on Broadway, then television, and finally films. His upcoming projects included Little Fauss, Big Halsey about motorcycle racing, and possibly a rodeo film, suggesting sport would continue to feature in his career.
