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Robert Redford is done.
Except … maybe hes not done.
The film works as a capper to Redfords career, but so does the walk back.
It didnt have to be that way.
A California kid blessed with all-American good looks, Redford became a hard-drinking University of Colorado frat boy.
But his heart wasnt in it.
From the start, outlaws suited him better.
Hes honest and forgiving in ways the towns upstanding citizens could never be.
He knows that escaping from prison will mean hell never have a respectable life again and hes accepted this.
Respectable life, after all, doesnt look that respectable.
Like his character, Redford often cedes the spotlight to Newman, balancing his lightness with weight.
They talk all the time well, Butch talks and Sundance mostly listens but much between them remains unspoken.
Dortmunder quietly agrees, replying, My heart wouldnt be in it.
Redford may look like someone born to win, but he usually seems more comfortable playing losers and underdogs.
Its a blow directed not just against Lonnegan, but at the corrupt system that allows him to thrive.
Youre right, Hooker tells Gondorff, its not enough.
Then, after a short beat, he continues, But its close.
Maybe they were the same strand all along.
But is it really good-bye, or will his satisfaction in channeling this spirit draw him back?
Redford could fade away quietly, sure, but would his heart be in it?
