The Great Santini—William Goldman once defined the difference between a great actor and a mere star by pointing out how in the famous basketball scene, Duvall didn’t pester the writer for some lines of dialogue that would make his macho SOB of a military dad likable.
True Confessions—An L.A. Confidential-like twist on the old gangster/ priest movies, with Duvall as a cynical cop investigating a murder connected to the connections of his monsignor brother (Robert DeNiro).
The Man Who Captured Eichmann—TV movie with Duvall perfectly embodying the banality of evil as the chatty, self-justifying Nazi Adolf Eichmann.
A Family Thing—Old pro performances redeem Billy Bob Thornton’s sitcomish script, in which Duvall discovers he is James Earl Jones’ half-brother.
The Apostle—Powerfully steeped in gospel culture and utterly free of caricature, Duvall’s spellbinding performance as a preacher on a wayward path to redemption was just too damn real for an Oscar.
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