By Katie Palmer

Copyright mirror

Robert Redford’s fans and co-stars are in mourning following the Oscar-winning director’s death. The Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid star, who was also one of the founders of the Sundance Film Festival, was known for being the leading male actor of the late 1960s and ’70s. While he is known for some big projects like Barefoot in the Park, Jeremiah Johnson and The Candidate, he also starred in a lesser-known film. The 1984 movie is available to watch on Netflix and it is based on Bernard Malamud’s 1952 novel of the same name. The film in question, The Natural, is a sports film which recounts the life of Roy Hobbs, a talented baseball player. Redford played the leading role in the film, which was nominated for four Academy Awards. In 1983, newly formed Tri-Star Pictures acquired the rights to the film adaptation, which marked Redford’s first acting role in three years. Variety called it an “impeccably made … fable about success and failure in America.” Well-known film critic Roger Ebert called it “idolatry on behalf of Robert Redford”, singling out the star for his talent. Fans have taken to Google Reviews to share their thoughts, with Josh Belzman saying: “It’s probably my favorite movie of all time. I associate it with childhood, my departed parents and the game I loved as a kid. It’s funny to read such harsh reviews from the time. “I wonder if the years have softened their cold hearts. The Natural stuck with me from the start, as it did so many others.” Susan Sayles added: “This is my favorite film for so many reasons. I watched it first in college as part of a class on film interpretation and instantly fell in love. “I’m a sports fan, but really not a baseball lover. It didn’t matter. The film is about integrity and has a romanticism of nostalgia that resonates with me.” Wayne Lewin shared: “One of my favourite films of all time together with Butch Cassidy and Jeremiah Johnston also Redford films.” The Natural is airing on Netflix