From Lawton Constitution
By James Finck, Ph.D. Feb 24, 2026
In the world of entertainment, many actors can go their entire careers without ever making a film that truly matters, an iconic film, let alone one that becomes the standard by which all others in the genre are measured. Make one iconic movie and you’re a star. Make two and you’re a legend. Make three or more and you’re immortal. That is the realm in which Robert Duvall lived.
While he may not have been the leading man in every case, Duvall appeared in at least seven films I would consider iconic: “Secondhand Lions,” “The Natural,” “Apocalypse Now,” “MASH,” “True Grit,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” among others. Yet even beyond these, three more of his films are so extraordinary they helped define their genres and can be considered the greatest. Only a handful of actors can claim participation in even one such work. Duvall made three: “Lonesome Dove” and “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II.”
Some may debate “Lonesome Dove.” There is no doubt it is a classic, but I have no hesitation in calling it the greatest Western of all time. Its length as a miniseries, the equivalent of today’s limited streaming series, allowed for deeper character development and richer storytelling than a two-hour film could provide. Written by Larry McMurtry, it contained every element necessary for the perfect Western.
The strong but flawed heroes, Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones) and Augustus “Gus” McCrae (Duvall), anchor the story. Woodrow appears cold and unyielding, while Gus, equally tough, provides humor and humanity. Growing a bit lazy in his older years, Gus’d rather tend his biscuits and visit saloon girls than chase glory, but he kept his principles, “A man who wouldn’t cheat for a poke don’t want one bad enough.” Yet both men live by an uncompromising moral code, as seen when they hang one of their closest friends: “You ride with an outlaw, you die with an outlaw. It’s the way it is, Jake.”
Like any great Western, the story follows a cattle drive across punishing terrain, from the Rio Grande to Montana. It is gritty and unsentimental, avoiding the clichés of old Hollywood Westerns where the hero in white always triumphs. In “Lonesome Dove,” the good guy does not always win. And yet Gus, through it all, embraces life: “It ain’t dying I’m talking about; it’s living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live.”
It is no surprise that Duvall’s greatest character was a cowboy. He understood the genre deeply. Earlier in his career, he acted opposite two of the most famous Western stars of all time, first with John Wayne in “True Grit,” and later with Clint Eastwood in “Joe Kidd,” playing the villain both times. After “Lonesome Dove,” he returned to the saddle where his star shone the brightest in “Broken Trail,” “Wild Horses,” “A Night in Old Mexico,” and most notably “Open Range” alongside Kevin Costner.
Another Western of a different kind, one I believe is underrated, was his portrayal of Robert E. Lee in “Gods and Generals,” the prequel to the very popular “Gettysburg.” While I was not particularly moved by Martin Sheen’s portrayal of Lee in “Gettysburg,” Duvall’s interpretation was filled with stoic dignity and quiet sorrow. He presented Lee as a man of deep faith, burdened by the tragic decision to choose his native state over his country. Lee is not a popular historical figure today, but Duvall portrayed him with complexity and dignity, flaws acknowledged.
Duvall filmed “Gods and Generals” in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley while I was earning my master’s degree at Virginia Tech. The film’s chief historical advisor was my professor, James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr. who delighted our class with stories from the set. He became friends with Duvall and often spoke of him as a genuine, humble man without Hollywood airs. Robertson’s favorite story was one day on set he mentioned that Lee had blue eyes. The next time they spoke, Duvall was wearing blue contact lenses. No one watching would have noticed—but he knew.
If the claim that “Lonesome Dove” as the greatest Western is debatable, the status of “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II” is not. They set the standard for mafia and crime-family dramas and rank among the greatest films ever made. Number two on AFI’s list of greatest movies. The quotable lines alone are legendary: “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” “Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the Family again.” “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” I could fill pages with nothing but dialogue. Every mafia film that followed owes a debt to “The Godfather.” In many ways, “The Godfather Part II” also stands as one of the finest rags-to-riches immigrant stories ever told.
While there may not be much to emulate from Duvall’s character, Tom Hagen, unless one plans to build a criminal empire, one of his best films—at least for me—is “Secondhand Lions.” It may not carry the cultural weight of his other classics, but it remains one of my favorites. A tender coming-of-age story that follows a boy sent to live with his two eccentric uncles, played by Duvall and Sir Michael Caine. In one of the film’s most memorable moments, Duvall, a hardened soldier, delivers a speech to his nephew that he has been giving to young men over the years—boys who needed to know what it meant to be a real man. A speech needed more now than ever.
“Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most,” he said. “That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love… true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.”
Finally, no tribute to Duvall would be complete without mentioning his first film role in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” where he played Boo Radley without speaking a single line. What an extraordinary way to begin a career acting in a movie this important. And of course, there is his unforgettable performance as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore in “Apocalypse Now,” delivering one of cinema’s most famous lines: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning… it smells like victory.”
I’m grateful we had Robert Duvall to play in these movies. I can’t imagine anyone else doing them justice, especially Gus. Duvall was a great actor who lived a long, full life portraying unforgettable characters. He will be missed. In the end, I like to think he felt much like Gus as his life was coming to an end: It’s been one hell of a party.
_James Finck is a professor of American history at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. He can be reached at james.finck@swoknews.com.
Historically Speaking 
Great article on a great man. Thank you for writing it.
Tom
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