Robert Redford‘s cameo as the cunning Alexander Pierce in Avengers: Endgame remains the Oscar-winning actor-director’s last onscreen appearance, who passed away at the age of 89. Originally, the actor played the Hydra conspirator in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a casting decision the Russo brothers made with a very intentional purpose.
Having pitched the Captain America sequel as a ’70s-style political thriller, the Russo brothers borrowed elements from thrillers of that era, especially Redford’s body of work, including Three Days of the Condor.
The Robert Redford Thrillers That Shaped Captain America: The Winter Soldier
In the ’70s, Redford garnered recognition for not shying away from starring in political thrillers, including All the President’s Men, which revolves around the Watergate scandal that shook the ’70s political climate.
Both All the President’s Men and Three Days of the Condor were key influences on The Winter Soldier, especially the latter, whose themes and plot closely parallel the MCU movie.
Three Days of the Condor follows Redford’s CIA analyst, who’s forced to go on the run after uncovering a conspiracy, similar to what we see in The Winter Soldier
3 Days of Captain America, because it owes a huge debt, creatively, to 3 Days of the Condor, structurally. And to get Redford to us was just, for us – one, not just as a brilliant actor and brilliant screen presence, but two, philosophically, there was a continuity between the last time we had great political thrillers and our movie.
All the President’s Men‘s influence is also apparent following the government mistrust and whistleblower undertones. The iconic elevator scene even pays homage by briefly showcasing a glimpse of the Watergate scandal, and viewers can even spot the book the movie was adapted from on Steve’s shelf.
Robert Redford Came Out of Semi-Retirement for the Marvel Gig
Robert Redford’s casting was a direct nod to the political thrillers that inspired one of the most grounded movies in the MCU, and interestingly, it also pushed Redford to end his hiatus from acting onscreen in 2014.
Speaking of his reasoning behind accepting the gig, Redford expressed that he found the mystery appealing, and also lauded his character, Alexander Pierce, for having depth, rather than being another footnote Marvel villain.
I think that there is a certain amount of mystery that emerges in the film, and I found that really appealing. He (Alexander) has got a lot of dimension to him. He is really sure of himself and confident.
Not only was it respectful of the Russo brothers’ part for casting Redford, but his inclusion also brought a sense of gravitas, elevating it beyond yet another superhero entry, something the MCU hasn’t quite replicated yet.
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Three Days of the Condor and All the President’s Men are available to rent on Apple TV (USA).
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is currently available to stream on Disney+ (USA).