Robert Redford and Jane Fonda Movies: Why Their 60-Year Connection Still Matters

Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Just saying those names together feels like opening a time capsule of Hollywood’s last true golden era. It's kinda wild when you think about it. They didn't just make a few movies; they basically grew up—and grew old—on screen together.

Most people point to Barefoot in the Park as the beginning. But it wasn't. Their first real interaction on a film set happened way back in 1960 with a movie called Tall Story. Redford was an uncredited basketball player. Fonda was the lead. It’s a tiny footnote, but it started a professional marriage that lasted over half a century.

Honestly, the chemistry between them wasn't just "acting." Fonda has been famously open about her crush on Redford for decades. She once admitted she was always in love with him, but since they were both usually married to other people, nothing ever happened. Redford, in his typical low-key, slightly elusive way, claimed he had no idea. Whether you believe him or not, that tension is the engine that makes Robert Redford and Jane Fonda movies so watchable even 50 years later.

The Raw Energy of The Chase (1966)

Before they were the king and queen of romantic comedies, they were in a gritty, sweaty Texas drama called The Chase. If you haven't seen it, it’s a trip. You’ve got Marlon Brando as the weary sheriff, but the heart of the movie is the messy love triangle between Fonda, Redford, and James Fox.

Redford plays Bubber Reeves, an escaped convict heading home to a town that basically wants his head on a stake. Fonda plays his wife, Anna, who’s busy having an affair with Bubber’s best friend. It’s not a "happy" movie. It’s cynical and violent. But man, seeing a young, lean Redford and a fierce Fonda share the screen for the first time in a major way? You can see the sparks immediately. They were both still figuring out who they were as actors, yet they already had this shorthand. They didn't need to over-explain things to each other. They just got it.

Barefoot in the Park: The Peak of the "Golden Couple"

In 1967, everything changed. If The Chase was the rehearsal, Barefoot in the Park was the main event. It’s based on the Neil Simon play, and it’s basically 106 minutes of two of the most beautiful people on the planet arguing in a tiny attic apartment.

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It’s a simple setup.
Paul is a "stuffed shirt" lawyer.
Corie is a free spirit who wants to walk barefoot in the snow.

Redford had already played the role on Broadway, so he had the rhythm down. Fonda stepped in and brought this manic, infectious energy. There’s a scene where she’s trying to get him to "let go" and be spontaneous, and you realize they aren't just playing characters—they’re representing two different ways of living. The movie broke box office records at Radio City Music Hall. It turned Redford into a massive A-list star.

Some modern critics find Corie’s character a bit "dated" or "grating," and maybe she is. But you can’t deny the physical comedy. Watching them try to climb those five flights of stairs (actually six, if you count the front stoop) never gets old. It’s a masterclass in how to make a stage play feel like a real, breathing movie.

When Things Got Political: The Electric Horseman (1979)

By 1979, the world had changed. The 60s optimism was dead. Fonda was a polarizing activist. Redford was a superstar who wanted to make movies that actually meant something. They teamed up with director Sydney Pollack for The Electric Horseman, and it’s arguably the most "Redford and Fonda" movie of the bunch.

Redford plays Sonny Steele, a washed-up rodeo star who’s been reduced to wearing a suit covered in neon lights to sell breakfast cereal. He’s drunk, he’s tired, and he’s fed up. When he realizes the corporate bigwigs are drugging a multi-million dollar racehorse, he steals the horse and rides off into the desert. Fonda plays Hallie Martin, a sharp-as-a-tack reporter who tracks him down.

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What’s great about this film is how it flips the Barefoot in the Park dynamic. This time, he’s the one with the "cause," and she’s the one trying to figure him out. It’s a western, it’s a romance, and it’s a pretty scathing critique of corporate greed. It’s also the top-grossing movie of that fall. People didn't just go to see the horse; they went to see if the magic between the two leads was still there. Spoilers: It was.

The Quiet Grace of Our Souls at Night (2017)

Fast forward nearly 40 years. Most actors from the 60s are retired or, sadly, gone. But in 2017, Netflix released Our Souls at Night. It was a huge deal because it was their final collaboration.

The story is simple and almost painfully human. Addie (Fonda) and Louis (Redford) are neighbors who have both lost their spouses. One night, Addie walks over to Louis's house and asks if he’d like to come over and sleep in her bed. Not for sex. Just to talk. Just to get through the night without the crushing weight of loneliness.

It’s a quiet, slow-moving film. There are no neon suits or prison breaks. Just two legends sitting in the dark, talking about their regrets.

1. They talk about their kids.
2. They talk about the people they hurt.
3. They talk about what it's like when your body starts to fail you.

Fonda’s performance is luminous. She looks at Redford with the same affection she probably had in 1967, just seasoned with a lifetime of experience. Redford is grumpier, more understated, but his presence is still magnetic. When they finally go on a camping trip and sleep under the stars, it feels like a "thank you" to the fans who followed them for six decades. It’s a perfect bookend.

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Why We’re Still Talking About Them

Redford and Fonda movies work because they represent a specific kind of American chemistry. It’s the tension between the conservative and the radical, the quiet and the loud. Redford was always the guy who wanted to hide in the mountains; Fonda was the woman who wanted to change the world.

When they were together, they met in the middle.

Sadly, Robert Redford passed away in September 2025 at the age of 89. His death marked the end of an era, but his work with Fonda remains a benchmark for what on-screen partnership should look like. They didn't need flashy editing or CGI. They just needed a room and a conversation.

Actionable Next Steps for Film Fans:

• Watch the "Evolution": If you have a weekend, watch Barefoot in the Park on a Friday and Our Souls at Night on a Saturday. The contrast is mind-blowing.
• Check out the "Hidden Gem": Most people skip The Chase. Don't. It's the best way to see them before they became "Icons."
• Look for the Shorthand: In their later interviews (especially the one for The Hollywood Reporter in 2017), watch how they finish each other's sentences. That’s 50 years of trust in action.
• Read the Source Material: Our Souls at Night is based on the novel by Kent Haruf. It's a short, beautiful read that gives even more depth to their final performance.

Basically, their filmography isn't just a list of movies. It's a 60-year conversation between two friends who happened to be movie stars. That kind of longevity is rare, and honestly, we probably won't see it again. Go watch them. You won't regret it.