A little over a month ago, the world lost one of its most under appreciated talents with the death of Robin Williams. The Julliard alum never truly got the credit he deserved as a performer, even when he received his Academy Award, he was still recognized as a manic comic, his style aped and satirized while his dramatic work mostly fell to the wayside. He delighted millions, but suffered many personal demons, and his immense legacy, while wonderful, still doesn’t feel like enough. Man of the Hour has chosen to recognize this one of a kind individual by highlighting what we believe are his finest films. Ranging from bawdy comedy to intense drama to even a very minor role in a gargantuan film, below are the films we suggest be sought out for those feeling that voiding and wishing to remember the man who made all of our lives a little brighter and our souls a little richer.
10) Hook (1991)
What it’s about: “When Captain Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Peter Banning, the grown-up Peter Pan.
Why it worked: Because Williams managed to bring a humanity to an otherwise absurd movie. The film doesn’t work beyond a silly Spielberg flick if not for the incredibly nuanced performance from the man who took every role seriously. In Peter, Williams created a marvelously complex and sympathetic character, and took the role in a direction no other could have.
9) Hamlet (1996)
What it’s about: “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Osric, a fencing official who brings Hamlet to Laertes for a match
Why it worked: Because seeing Williams in such a small role proves he could be a cog in the machine instead of just the manic scenery chewer he was always painted as. Williams never really got to use the classical training he gained at Julliard (beyond lampooning The Bard in a madcap improv on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson), and Hamlet not only showcased his ability to truly perform in the classical tongue, but how seemlessly he could fit into an ensemble and be a "traditional" actor.
8.) World’s Greatest Dad (2009)
What it’s about: “When his son's body is found in a humiliating accident, a lonely high school teacher inadvertently attracts an overwhelming amount of community and media attention after covering up the truth with a phony suicide note.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Lance, a failed writer who achieves success through his son’s death
Why it worked: Because it hit close to home, I’d imagine. Williams never felt like he achieved what he had hoped, and he channeled that through Lance, making the audience connect to and relate to a rather despicable character, when looked at objectively. Easily the best film in director Bobcat Goldthwaite’s filmography, he owes it all to Williams.
7) Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
What it’s about: “After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire, a man trying to reclaim his kids and his British nanny alter-ego.
Why it worked: Because Robin had a hand in making it. Not only did he endeavor to make the film relatable to divorcees and their kids (particularly that his romantic rival, Pierce Brosnan, plays an all around good guy), but he actually changed the ending to the now famous film. Whereas the original script called for Robin and Sally Field to get back together, Robin instead demanded he got to make the beautiful speech which nearly concludes the film wherein “Mrs. Doubtfire” explains that parents getting divorced doesn’t mean they don’t love their kids.
6) Good Morning Vietnam! (1987)
What it’s about: “An unorthodox and irreverent DJ begins to shake up things when he is assigned to the US Armed Services Radio station in Vietnam.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Adrian Cronauer, a military radio broadcaster who takes a stand
Why it worked: Because Williams got to show his range a bit. Yes, the role called for the sort of manic improv and rapid-fire joking that Mork from Orc was beloved for, but there were moments of sincerity and dramatic tension that Williams proved just as adept at. This proved to be the first of his four Oscar nominated roles, putting him in the same category as no less than Jaack Nicholson Michael Douglas, Marcello Mastroiani and William Hurt.
5) The Birdcage (1996)
What it’s about: “A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing moralistic parents.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Armand Goldman, a nightclub owner whose son becomes engaged and begs him to hide his work and lifestyle for the sake of the other family’s conservative image.
Why it worked: Because while many other characters in the film are blatant stereotypes, Williams kept Armand grounded, believable and relatable. Williams seems to focus not on the gay aspect, but rather just the story of a father facing the fact that his son is all grown up, and that’s what made the character so human, so relatable and in a way so progressive.
4) The Fisher King (1991)
What it’s about: “A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Parry, a delusional homeless man in search of what he believes is the Holy Grail.
Why it worked: Because Williams was fearless in the role, not just physically (stripping down naked for an extended scene in Central Park) but committing to every scene, no matter how absurd it must have seemed on paper, and crafting something truly remarkable. This role would be his third and final nomination in the Best Actor category at the Oscars, this time in the company of legends such as Robert DeNiro, Warren Beatty, Nick Nolte and Anthony Hopkins, solidifying he himself as one.
3) Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
What it’s about: “English teacher John Keating inspires his students to a love of poetry and to seize the day.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: John Keating, an English teacher whose unconventional style encourages a group of students to discover poetry, to discover life and ultimately find themselves.
Why it worked: Because it was iconic and inspirational, enough to live on in parodies, homages, and commercials. Enough that upon receiving the news of Robin’s passing, Jimmy Fallon stood atop his late night desk and exclaimed “Oh Captain, my Captain”. Because it continues to be shown in classrooms across America, continues to inspire so many to read, and so many to seize the day. This, his second Oscar nominated role, would put him alongside Morgan Freeman, Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh and Daniel Day-Lewis.
2) Aladdin (1992)
What it’s about: “Aladdin, a street urchin, accidentally meets Princess Jasmine, who is in the city undercover. They love each other, but she can only marry a prince.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: The Genie, a supernatural being freed from a lamp to help Aladdin win the princess.
Why it worked: Because this was Robin at his most playful, this most inventive and his most manic. This film introduced many young viewers to Williams, defined many a childhood (this author’s included) and was Williams at the peak of his comedic brilliance.
1) Good Will Hunting (1997)
What it’s about: “Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.”- via IMDB
Who Robin played: Sean Maguire, a therapist at a local college who helps Will accept who he is and the life laid out for him.
Why it worked: Because this, this here was Williams at his most extraordinary. Funny, but with a heart. Improvising, but in a way that brought more humanity (a la the “wife farting” speech). He was the anchor in a film that without it would have been cast aside, the strongest performance in a film full of powerhouses. It was for this film the man would finally win the Oscar he long deserved, and recognition he longed for (but still never truly believed). It is for this role, amongst and above countless others, for which he will be remembered most.
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