“I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
That iconic line spoken boldly by Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel “Bill” Kilgore in 1979’s Apocalypse Now is often paraphrased and referenced to this day.
What makes the sentence so impactful and resonant is a combination of striking juxtaposition and the actor given the opportunity to deliver the words.
The warm and exuberant emotion wafting through Kilgore from Duvall all while living through the hell of war is jarring yet riveting. The absurd notion of replacing the word coffee or any other breakfast dish with napalm pulls you into the Gonzo acting moment.
Duvall is not only living but thriving in the role as the surfing obsessed officer.
He is on screen for less than 20 minutes yet was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 1980 Academy Awards.
That’s what made Robert Duvall, who passed away this week at 95, such a dominant figure on screen for over six decades.
I am in no way the right person to write an in memoriam for such a titan of the silver and television screen, and as such, will not be doing so.
For me, the actor (some would say THE actor) reminds me of my grandfather.
I remember the shelf in his study where the complete VHS set of Lonesome Dove sat in pristine condition.
As a child, we would often offhandedly reference Days of Thunder. I often think of Tom Cruise yelling at Robert Duvall for eating ice cream.
For over 20 years there has been a framed, original print poster for Apocalypse Now (quite possibly his favorite movie outside of The Deer Hunter).
That is what Robert Duvall meant to a generation of film admirers. He was an actor who was worthy of Francis Ford Copolla. For decades having posters and owning the movies of Duvall was cool. Genuinely, unironically cool.
To me, Robert Duvall was a legendary actor, always a delight to see on screen, and someone important to my grandfather.
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