The payoff to the sequence demonstrates Redford’s abilities as an actor. After the heist is completed, director Phil Alden Robinson—who will get a co-writing credit score with producers Lawrence Lasker and Walter Parkes—cuts to the subsequent morning, the place Bishop is closing his account on the financial institution, receiving in money the huge quantity he transferred. In a single, unbroken shot, we watch as Martin accepts the payments, walks previous a safety guard and as much as a board room, the place he returns the cash to ready executives and supplies an evaluation on the establishment’s safety protocols.
As a secretary within the subsequent scene places it, as she fills out a verify as authorized fee for Martin’s companies, “Individuals rent you to interrupt into their locations… to verify nobody can break into their locations?”
The magic of the scene comes with the marginally embarrassed shrug that Redford pulls when Martin solutions, “It’s a dwelling.” Up till that time, Redford has performed Martin as calm and picked up. The place the entire different members of his group are both prattling on about secret assassinations or letting their nerves overtake them, Martin is even keeled and funky. He betrays nothing when he tells a teller inquiring about his choice to shut his account that he “simply doesn’t really feel protected” with that financial institution, and he stays assured in in his enchantment when he calls for fee earlier than offering additional evaluation.
But, when the secretary attracts consideration to the ridiculous nature of his job, and when she makes a crack about how little he will get paid, Martin will get shaken up a bit and Redford reveals that drop in confidence in his efficiency. He opens his mouth in rebuttal, as if he is aware of that somebody so good-looking and funky ought to have a come-back, however then walks away with out saying something, he’s jaw nonetheless slack.
In that second, Redford shrugs off the romance of Martin as superior ’90s hacker. As a substitute, Redford permits him to be a human.
Performing Human
Redford’s capability to combine Hollywood charisma with human vulnerability drives Sneakers. After its place setting opening, Sneakers follows Martin’s group as they’re coerced by what look like NSA brokers into stealing a secret codebreaking system from a superb mathematician (Donal Logue, again when he could possibly be forged towards sort). Together with assist from Martin’s someday girlfriend Liz (Mary McDonnell), the group makes an attempt their purpose by duping a gullible scientist (Stephen Tobolowsky), getting pulled additional into post-Chilly Battle intrigue and coming face-to-face with a stunning mastermind (Ben Kingsley).
