The Best of Donald Sutherland

Actor Donald Sutherland passed away on June 20 at age 88. As a leading man in the 1970s he appeared in some of the most iconic films of the era, including M*A*S*H, Klute, Don’t Look Now, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. With a Cheshire cat smile that could convey menace or warmth in equal measure, he was a consistent presence in film and TV for decades. He brought a jolt of charisma to serious prestige pictures like JFK  and added gravitas to silly popcorn fare such as Moonfall. Here are a few of his best moments:

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Sutherland broke through in Hollywood as one of the titular twelve convicted murderers recruited for a secret Army mission during WWII. His portrayal of the goofy, young Pinkley stood out among the impressive cast. The scene in which he impersonates a general is a comedic high point in this hard-nosed war classic.

Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)

Sutherland embraced broad comedy alongside Gene Wilder in this farcical send-up of costume epics. In dual roles, each actor plays one half of two sets of brothers–one pair are cruel aristocrats, the other mild-mannered peasants–caught up in both sides of the French Revolution.

Ordinary People (1980)

This understated drama about a fractured family won Academy Awards for Best Picture, director Robert Redford, and supporting actor Timothy Hutton, as well as nominations for lead actress Mary Tyler Moore and supporting actor Judd Hirsch. In what Entertainment Weekly later called “one of the biggest Oscar snubs of all time,” Sutherland was the only member of the main cast not nominated. In fact, Sutherland never received a single Academy Award nomination during his long career; however, he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2017.

Space Cowboys (2000)

In this enjoyable entry in the “geezer buddy comedy” genre, Sutherland played one of four former Air Force pilots brought out of retirement for a daring mission to repair a satellite in orbit. Sutherland’s ease and charm as the group’s blind flight engineer, and resident flirt, demonstrates why he remained a movie star for 60 years.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

In this Jane Austen adaptation, Sutherland took a unique approach to playing the patriarch of a Regency era family – he made Mr. Bennet a kind and loving father. He provided a calm and gentle presence at the center of the chaos created by the high-strung Mrs. Bennet and their five lively daughters. In a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone, Sutherland explained that after initially feeling miscast, he later considered the film a favorite among his entire body of work.

The Hunger Games series (2012-2015)

As a longtime anti-war activist, Sutherland saw this tale of political uprising as an opportunity to inspire young people to speak truth to power and create real change. However, his indelible portrayal of the series’ tyrannical President Snow almost didn’t happen. The filmmakers were not considering him for the role; nevertheless, after reading the script Sutherland wrote a letter to director Gary Ross demonstrating his understanding of the story’s themes and offering his own insights into the character of Snow. Not only did Sutherland get the part, new scenes were added to expand the role. The fact that there is now an entire prequel series with young Snow as the protagonist is surely due in no small part to Sutherland’s compelling performance across the original four films.