Jane Fonda was Right: She Should Have Done the Tribute to Robert Redford at the 98th Academy Awards
Love seeing Jane Fonda at the 98th Oscar ceremony. Lovely as always and not afraid to speak her mind. She made headlines this week with a half‑joking, half‑dead‑serious comment about Barbra Streisand presenting Robert Redford’s tribute at the Oscars. She may have tried to sound like she was joking when she questioned why she wasn’t tapped to do the tribute to Robert Redford. “SHE (Barbra Streisand) did ONE movie with him. I did FOUR!”
And after watching Streisand’s tribute, I thought, “Jane was right. She SHOULD have done it.” Sure, who else was going to sing The Way We Were? But why not have Jane speak, and Babs sing?
Here’s Streisand’s tribute. You decide for yourself:
I tried to remember the four films Jane mentioned but I could only think of two. So here are all four of them and like me, you can add some or all of these to your watch list.
The Four Films Jane Fonda Starred in with Robert Redford (in order of release)
🎬The Chase (1966)
This was their first collaboration together. I had never heard of it and only discovered it when I decided to write a post about Fonda’s comment.
Plot: A prison escape sets off a chain reaction in a small Texas town. When Bubber (Redford) escapes from prison, the sheriff (Marlon Brando) is encouraged to catch him using any means necessary. The escapee’s wife, Anne (Fonda), is sleeping with another man in town.
Reception: The film received mixed reviews that were generally positive. Variety praised Redford’s performance and said Fonda did a good job with the largest female role. It has a strong reputation today as a messy but fascinating mid-60’s drama.
Vibe: Reportedly dark, sweaty, chaotic Southern Gothic. Not like their later pairings.
Where to watch: The Chase is Free on Tubi
🎬 Barefoot in the Park (1967)
Plot: Corie (Fonda) and Paul (Redford), are newlyweds who move into a cramped, freezing, fifth-floor walk-up in the Greenwich Village section of New York City. Their opposite temperaments spark a series of clashes as they build a life together.
Reception: A commercial and critical success with Redford reprising his Broadway role in the Neil Simon play. It was praised for its performances. Mildred Natwick (who also reprised her Broadway role) earned an Oscar nomination while Fonda was nominated for a BAFTA.
Vibe: This one is very 1960’s. It’s charming in a way but the script is dated and some of the dynamics are a bit cringey at this point. Still, it’s fun to watch these incredibly beautiful people.
Where to Watch: Stream Barefoot in the Park free on Tubi.
🎬 The Electric Horseman (1979)
Plot: Redford is Sonny Steele, a former rodeo star who now hawks cereal for a big corporation while wearing a suit that actually lights up. When he discovers the horse the company wants him to perform a Vegas show with is being drugged to remain docile, he steals the horse and flees into the desert. Fonda is Hailie Martin, a reporter who tracks him down.
Reception: Mixed but generally positive. Legendary critic Roger Ebert equated it to an old-fashioned movie that Tracy and Hepburn would have made. Critics noted the chemistry between the leads. Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars.
Vibe: Considered a gentle “road” romance with undertones of standing up against corporate greed. It was directed by Sidney Pollack who I love as both an actor and a director.
Where to Watch: Unavailable on streaming services right now (boo)
🎬 Our Souls at Night (2017)
Plot: Two longtime neighbors, Addie (Fonda) and Louis (Redford), are both widowed and decide to spend their nights together rather than be alone. The arrangement deepens as they navigate family tensions and late-life vulnerability.
Reception: Just based on the plot summary I find it hard to believe this movie was well received but it really was. It has a 91/100 on Rotten Tomatoes, praised for its warmth and the chemistry between the stars. Personally, I have a hard time believing I would sleep with anyone just because I’m lonely. I’d get a dog. Maybe I’d be tempted if my neighbor looked like Redford. But he looks like Fred Flintstone.
Where to watch: Since this is a Netflix original you need a subscription.
Jane was Right. She Has the Cred and Should Have Done the Segment.
Jane Fonda wasn’t just being cheeky — she was reminding everyone of two things:
- We all have a bone to pick with the Oscar telecast once in a while, and
- Her history with Redford spans decades, genres, and entire eras of Hollywood.
Revisiting these four films is a reminder of how rare that kind of long‑term screen partnership really is. If you’re looking for a place to start, any one of these will give you a glimpse of why their chemistry still resonates.
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