In honor of the life and work of Mr. Duvall (1931–2026), here’s a curated viewing guide for a memorial marathon. These movies really emphasize what a versatile performer Cage can be, from low key and stoic wisdom to batshit wild power.
1. The Godfather (1972)
- Role: Tom Hagen
- Why it’s worth watching: In Duvall’s performance as the Corleone family’s consigliere, nuance abounds. The calm voice of reason on that set of “personality sluggers,” he was the lynchpin in the greatest mob epic ever made.
- Streaming: Paramount+, Amazon, Apple.
2. Tender Mercies (1983)
- Role: Mac Sledge
- Why it matters: This was the role that earned Duvall his lone Academy Award for best actor. He portrays a down-and-out country singer in search of redemption in a tiny Texas town. It’s a profoundly, almost restlessly interior performance that is completely lived-in.
- Streaming: Prime Video.
3. Apocalypse Now (1979)
- Role: Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore
- Why it matters: In only 20 minutes of screen time, Duvall made one of cinema’s most unforgettable characters. He could belt “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” and make it an all-time classic, a paragon of war’s nonchalant insanity.
- Streaming: Hulu; rent on Amazon.
4. Lonesome Dove (1989 – Miniseries)
- Role: Augustus “Gus” McCrae
- Why it matters: Duvall often called this his favorite role. As the rascally, philosophizing former Texas Ranger, he was much of the heart and soul behind what many felt was the greatest Western ever produced for television.
- Streaming: Hulu.
5. The Apostle (1997)
- Role: Euliss “Sonny” Dewey
- Why it matters: This was Duvall’s passion project, directed, written and financed by him. Considered his “finest hour” long-form wise as a lead actor, he plays a charismatic but deeply flawed Pentecostal preacher seeking grace.
- Streaming: Rent on most platforms.
6. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- Role: Arthur “Boo” Radley
- Why it matters: His film premiere. With nary a line, Duvall’s portrayal as the reclusive neighbor is the movie’s emotional centerpiece. Early on, he proved that he could tell an entire story with just his eyes.
- Streaming: Hoopla; rent on Amazon/Apple.
7. The Great Santini (1979)
- Role: Lt. Col. “Bull” Meechum
- Why it matters: Duvall modeled this role after his own father (a Navy admiral). He stars as a hyper-competitive, authoritarian Marine pilot who struggles to bond with his family. It’s a multilayered three-dimensional view of a “warrior without a war.”
- Streaming: Rent on Amazon/Apple.
8. Network (1976)
- Role: Frank Hackett
- Why it matters: Demonstrating his versatility, Duvall portrays an amoral, profit-hungry corporate honcho. In this sharp Hollywood satire about news media, he represents cold, ruthless corporate rapaciousness.
- Streaming: Rent on Amazon/Apple.
9. Secondhand Lions (2003)
- Role: Hub McCann
- Why it’s necessary: A beloved fan favorite that is Duvall at his “wholesome” best. He appears with Michael Caine as an eccentric great-uncle whose adventurous past is shrouded in mystery.
- Streaming: Rent on Amazon/Apple.
10. The Judge (2014)
- Role: Judge Joseph Palmer
- Why it matters: Duvall, a man in his 80s when The Road came out, earned his seventh and final Oscar nomination. As a harsh judge accused of a hit-and-run, his rapport with on-screen son Robert Downey Jr. is testament to the potency of late-career mastery.
- Streaming: Netflix.
Is Robert Duvall Still Alive? The Truth About the Hollywood Legend Now 95
Robert Duvall is a popular American actor and the talk of his situation flooded everywhere following sad news that the iconic actor died on Sunday (February 15, 2026) at age 95.
The news was announced by his wife, Luciana Pedraza, in an emotional posting on social media, in which she explained that he died at home – reportedly in Middleburg, Virginia – surrounded by close friends and family. But if that truth is no longer, the “truth” about a 95-year-old Robert Duvall lies in this extraordinary lifespan; his remained vital right until the end (pedaling an exercise bike as recently as Dec. 2025) and leaves behind the filmography against which all other American acting would be measured.
For fans wanting the news, the family said that while there is no service planned, his Hollywood legend remains in The Godfather; Apocalypse Now and Lonesome Dove.
