Sydney Pollack

Born:1 Ιουλίου 1934

Place of Birth:Lafayette, Indiana, USA

Died:26 Μαΐου 2008

Known For:Directing

Biography

Sydney Pollack, born on July 1, 1934, left an indelible mark on the American film industry as a director, producer, and actor. His talent and dedication to storytelling were recognized with numerous accolades throughout his career. One of his most notable achievements was winning the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture for the epic romance film "Out of Africa" in 1985.

Pollack's creative vision extended beyond "Out of Africa," showcasing his versatility in genres ranging from drama to thriller. Films like "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and "Tootsie" earned him nominations for Best Director at the Oscars, solidifying his reputation as a masterful filmmaker. His works such as "Jeremiah Johnson," "The Way We Were," and "Three Days of the Condor" continue to be celebrated for their compelling storytelling and captivating performances.

In addition to his directorial accomplishments, Pollack's contributions as a producer and actor added depth to his impressive body of work. Collaborating with renowned directors like Robert Altman, Woody Allen, and Stanley Kubrick, he showcased his versatility and skill both behind and in front of the camera. Pollack's performances in films like "The Player," "Husbands and Wives," and "Eyes Wide Shut" demonstrated his range as a talented actor.

Throughout his career, Pollack's dedication to the craft of filmmaking shone through in each project he undertook. His attention to detail, storytelling prowess, and ability to bring out the best in his cast and crew set him apart as a true cinematic visionary. Whether he was directing, producing, or acting, Pollack's passion for storytelling was evident in every frame of his work.

In his later years, Pollack continued to leave a lasting impact on the film industry with projects like "Havana," "The Firm," and "The Interpreter." His commitment to creating engaging and thought-provoking cinema resonated with audiences and critics alike, cementing his legacy as a revered figure in Hollywood. Pollack's final on-screen appearance in "Michael Clayton" showcased his enduring talent and dedication to his craft.

Sydney Pollack's influence on American cinema is undeniable, with his films standing the test of time and continuing to inspire filmmakers and audiences alike. His legacy as a multifaceted artist who excelled in various roles within the industry remains a testament to his talent and passion for storytelling. Pollack's impact will continue to be felt for generations to come, ensuring that his contributions to the world of film will never be forgotten.

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Φιλμογραφία

Υποκριτική

Eyes Wide Shut

Victor Ziegler

1999

After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.

Tootsie

George Fields

1982

When struggling, out of work actor Michael Dorsey secretly adopts a female alter ego – Dorothy Michaels – in order to land a part in a daytime drama, he unwittingly becomes a feminist icon and ends up in a romantic pickle.

A Civil Action

Al Eustis

1998

Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.

Michael Clayton

Marty Bach

2007

A law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit.

Made of Honor

Thomas Sr.

2008

Tom and Hannah have been platonic friends for 10 years. He's a serial dater, while she wants marriage but hasn't found Mr. Right. Just as Tom is starting to think that he is relationship material after all, Hannah gets engaged. When she asks Tom to be her 'maid' of honor, he reluctantly agrees just so he can attempt to stop the wedding and woo her.

The Interpreter

Jay Pettigrew (uncredited)

2005

After Silvia Broome, an interpreter at United Nations headquarters, overhears plans of an assassination, an American Secret Service agent is sent to investigate.

The Player

Dick Mellen

1992

A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?

Random Hearts

Carl Broman

1999

After losing their spouses in a plane crash, an internal affairs cop and a congresswoman find each other's keys in each other's loved ones' possessions and discover that the two were having an affair.

The Majestic

Studio Executive (voice)

2001

Set in 1951, a blacklisted Hollywood writer gets into a car accident, loses his memory and settles down in a small town where he is mistaken for a long-lost son.

Husbands and Wives

Jack

1992

When Jack and Sally announce that they're splitting up, this comes as a shock to their best friends Gabe and Judy. Maybe mostly because they also are drifting apart and are now being made aware of it. So while Jack and Sally try to go on and meet new people, the marriage of Gabe and Judy gets more and more strained, and they begin to find themselves being attracted to other people.

Παραγωγή

The Reader

Producer

2008

The story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who, as a teenager in the late 1950s, had an affair with an older woman, Hanna, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. He alone realizes that Hanna is illiterate and may be concealing that fact at the expense of her freedom.

The Firm

Producer

1993

Mitch McDeere is a young man with a promising future in Law. About to sit his Bar exam, he is approached by 'The Firm' and made an offer he doesn't refuse. Seduced by the money and gifts showered on him, he is totally oblivious to the more sinister side of his company. Then, two Associates are murdered. The FBI contact him, asking him for information and suddenly his life is ruined. He has a choice - work with the FBI, or stay with the Firm. Either way he will lose his life as he knows it. Mitch figures the only way out is to follow his own plan...

Sense and Sensibility

Executive Producer

1995

The Dashwood sisters, sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne, whose chances at marriage seem doomed by their family's sudden loss of fortune. When Henry Dashwood dies unexpectedly, his estate must pass on by law to his son from his first marriage, John and wife Fanny. But these circumstances leave Mr. Dashwood's current wife, and daughters Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, without a home and with barely enough money to live on. As Elinor and Marianne struggle to find romantic fulfillment in a society obsessed with financial and social status, they must learn to mix sense with sensibility in their dealings with both money and men.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Executive Producer

1999

Tom Ripley is a calculating young man who believes it's better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody. Opportunity knocks in the form of a wealthy U.S. shipbuilder who hires Tom to travel to Italy to bring back his playboy son, Dickie. Ripley worms his way into the idyllic lives of Dickie and his girlfriend, plunging into a daring scheme of duplicity, lies and murder.

Sabrina

Producer

1995

Sabrina Fairchild, a chauffeur's daughter, grew up at the Long Island estate of the wealthy Larrabee family enchanted with their sparkling world of privilege and wealth, but she's especially enamored of younger son David, a charming playboy. After the once plain Sabrina returns from a sojourn in Paris transformed into a glamorous young woman, she at long last catches David's eye. In a calculated effort to manipulate David away from her and into a more financially advantageous marriage, formidable older brother Linus devises a plan to keep them apart.

Nine 1/2 Weeks

Other

1986

An erotic story about a woman, the assistant of an art gallery, who gets involved in an impersonal affair with a man. She barely knows about his life, only about the sex games they play, so the relationship begins to get complicated.

Cold Mountain

Producer

2003

In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young wife, Ada, who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby, a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor.

Tootsie

Director

1982

Out of Africa

Director

1985

Tells the life story of Danish author Karen Blixen, who at the beginning of the 20th century moved to Africa to build a new life for herself. The film is based on her 1937 autobiographical novel.

Three Days of the Condor

Producer

1975

When bookish CIA researcher Joe Turner finds all his co-workers dead, he, together with a woman he has kidnapped, must work together to outwit those responsible until he determines who he can really trust.

Michael Clayton

Producer

2007

A law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit.

Presumed Innocent

Producer

1990

Rusty Sabich is a deputy prosecutor engaged in an obsessive affair with a coworker who is murdered. Soon after, he's accused of the crime. And his fight to clear his name becomes a whirlpool of lies and hidden passions.

Sliding Doors

Producer

1998

London publicist Helen, effortlessly slides between parallel storylines that show what happens when she does or does not catch a train back to her apartment. Love. Romantic entanglements. Deception. Trust. Friendship. Comedy. All come into focus as the two stories shift back and forth, overlap and surprisingly converge.

The Interpreter

Executive Producer

2005

After Silvia Broome, an interpreter at United Nations headquarters, overhears plans of an assassination, an American Secret Service agent is sent to investigate.

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Executive Producer

1993

A seven-year-old chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

Margaret

Producer

2011

A young woman witnesses a bus accident, and is caught up in the aftermath, where the question of whether or not it was intentional affects many people's lives.

Random Hearts

Producer

1999

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Director

1969

In the midst of the Great Depression, manipulative emcee Rocky enlists contestants for a dance marathon offering a $1,500 cash prize. Among them are a failed actress, a middle-aged sailor, a delusional blonde and a pregnant girl.

Birthday Girl

Executive Producer

2001

John is a mild-mannered banker who has never been lucky in love. Fed up with waiting for the right girl to come along, John takes a chance on a Russian mail-order bride arranged via the Internet, where he is introduced to Nadia. John's fondness for Nadia grows... until the sudden arrival of Nadia's gregarious cousins makes John realize that he's in over his head.

Jeremiah Johnson

Director

1972

A mountain man who wishes to live the life of a hermit becomes the unwilling object of a long vendetta by Indians when he proves to be the match of their warriors in one-to-one combat on the early frontier.

The Quiet American

Executive Producer

2002

Cynical British journalist Fowler falls in love with a young Vietnamese woman but is dismayed when a naïve U.S. official also begins vying for her attention. In retaliation, Fowler informs the communists that the American is selling arms to their enemy.

The Way We Were

Director

1973

Opposites attract when, during their college days, Katie Morosky, a politically active Jew, meets Hubbell Gardiner, a feckless WASP. Years later, in the wake of World War II, they meet once again and, despite their obvious differences, attempt to make their love for each other work.

The Fabulous Baker Boys

Executive Producer

1989

The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.