Home #Hwoodtimes Donald Sutherland: A Man for All Time

Donald Sutherland: A Man for All Time

By
Lucas Camacho
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By Lucas Camacho

It’s been a rough couple of days for celebrities. The sports world lost two great athletes in the form of Jerry West and Willie Mays. Now, the film industry has lost an acting giant of its own. Donald Sutherland, the famed actor whose career spanned decades, was pronounced dead yesterday at the age of 88 by his son. Kiefer Sutherland posted about his father’s death on social media, describing him as “one of the most important actors in the history of film.”

Sutherland’s legendary career began in the late 60s and early 70s with film roles in The Dirty Dozen and Kelly’s Heroes. However, one of his more famous roles ended up being in Robert Altman’s film M*A*S*H. In the gonzo anti-war film, Sutherland played surgeon Hawkeye Pierce, the role that was later made famous by equally legendary actor Alan Alda in the TV adaptation. The role gave him a chance to show his zanier side with many clever one liner and a signature whistle.

The most interesting thing about Donald Sutherland’s career was his ability to play versatile roles. He starred as the detective opposite Jane Fonda in her Oscar winning role in the 1971 film Klute. Sutherland was also central to one of the most shocking endings in sci-fi history in the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But one of his most underrated roles was that of a father trying to hold his “ideal” family together in the 1980 film Ordinary People. Sutherland’s role in the movie was overshadowed by his wife, played by Mary Tyler Moore, his son’s psychologist, played by Judd Hirsch, and his suicidal son, played by Timothy Hutton. The movie was also the directorial debut of Robert Redford. However, going back and looking over the movie, you can tell this was one of Sutherland’s most brilliant performances despite being overshadowed. The movie won four Oscars, including a supporting actor award for Hutton, director award for Robert Redford, and Best Picture.

Ordinary People Mary Tyler Moore Timothy Hutton Donald Sutherland 1980
Donald Sutherland as President Cornelius Snow in Hunger Games

Most recently, Donald Sutherland is best known for his role as President Cornelius Snow in the movie franchise The Hunger Games. The movies demonstrated Sutherland’s wide range of acting as he played the villain for a change opposing Jennifer Lawrence’s character of Katniss Everdeen. The thing to remember about Sutherland’s role as President Snow, was that he always was sure to “never let anyone see him bleed.” It was a masterful performance as his character rarely showed anger and didn’t have to establish President Snow as a truly terrifying and tyrannical figure. Despite his great performance in the films, it may still seem out of left field for Sutherland to play such a terrifying villain. However, in an interview with the BBC in 2015, Sutherland said that he hoped the blockbuster hit would encourage young people to be more politically involved.

Since yesterday, tributes to Sutherland have poured in. Many actors such as Rob Lowe and Jane Fonda recalled fondly their experiences working with Donald Sutherland over the years. Other actors, such as Colin Farrell, described Sutherland’s characters as “distinctive, unforgettable and absolutely unique.” One of the more touching tributes came before Sutherland’s death from his co-star in “The Hunger Games,” Jennifer Lawrence herself. Lawrence called Sutherland the most committed and kind person she’d ever met, saying he took her under his wing when she was a young star when they filmed the movies. “In between takes, he asked me questions and gently gave me guidance. I will never forget his generosity,” Lawrence said.

Donald Sutherland Received Honorary Oscar Award At 2017 Governors Awards

There aren’t many actors in this industry that had or achieved the stature that Donald Sutherland attained. He never won an Oscar for any of his roles, but he still got an honorary Oscar in 2017. He was also honored as a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood in 2011. One thing you can say about Donald Sutherland is that the number of awards that you win doesn’t necessarily mean you had a successful career. What does say you had a successful career is the amount of impact that your characters had on the audiences. In his tribute to his dad, Kiefer Sutherland said that his father was “never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly.” When you do what you love for so long, it truly does make it a life well lived. So, as we remember and say goodbye to a truly great actor, I’m confident that Sutherland would not want us to despair for very long. As one of his many iconic characters would remark, “Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves?”

Donald And Kiefer Sutherland (Michael Tran/Getty Images)

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