Hollywood legend Sydney Pollack dies

As a filmmaker his movies received 48 Oscar nominations. 12 of his actors were nominated for Oscar performances, including Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Holly Hunter, Jessica Lange, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and Barbra Streisand. Sydney Pollack, the award-winning director of 'Tootsie' and 'Out of Africa,' has died at the age of 73 Monday, May 26, 2008, in Los Angeles. Besides, being a prolific director, Pollack acted as well as produced. He was suffering from Cancer.

Those who want to recall Sydney Pollack's face should remember Marty Bach, played by actor Pollack, opposite George Clooney in Michael Clayton, which Pollack also co-produced. The film received seven Oscar nominations this year.

'Out of Africa': His best!

Maryl Streep & Robert Redford in 'Out of Africa' (1985) directed by Sydney PollackBut film critics would always recall, arguably, Pollack's best film 'Out Of Africa' (1985), starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. The film won him Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.

"Out of Africa" is drawn from the life and writings of Danish author Isak Dinesen, who during the time that the film's events occured was known by her married name, Karen Blixen-Flecke. For convenience's sake, Karen (Meryl Streep) has married Baron Bor Blixen-Flecke (Klaus Maria Brandauer). In 1914, the Baron moves himself and his wife to a plantation in Nairobi, then leaves Karen to her own devices as he returns to his womanising and drinking. Soon, Karen has fallen in love with charming white hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford), who prefers a no-strings relationship. A woman who prides herself on her independence, Blixen finds herself unhappily in thrall to a aloof man -- and doubly unhappy for living out such a cliché situation. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7, including Best Picture, Best Director for Sydney Pollack, Best Adapted Screenplay for Kurt Luedtke, and Best Cinematography for Watkin.

Pollack directed the following films. Some of them he produced and in some he acted. He was truly a Hollywood legend.

Films as Director

1965: The Slender Thread
1966: This Property Is Condemned
1968: The Swimmer
1968: The Scalphunters
1969: Castle Keep
1969: They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
1972: Jeremiah Johnson
1973: The Way We Were
1975: Three Days of the Condor
1975: The Yakuza (Brotherhood of the Yakuza)
1976: Bobby Deerfield
1979: The Electric Horseman
1981: Absence of Malice
1982: Tootsie
1985: Out of Africa
1990: Havana
1993: The Firm
1995: Sabrina
1999: Random Hearts
2005: The Interpreter
2005: Sketches of Frank Gehry