The tributes have been pouring in for director/actor/producer Sydney Pollack who died of cancer on Monday.  Venerable actors like Sally Field, Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, and Paul Newman, all of whom acted in films Pollack directed, had very nice things to say about Pollack the man and director.  And more contemporary luminaries like Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise add their praise.

Not as much has been said in praise of his acting.  I was happy every time I saw Pollack appear in a movie or TV show because IMO it always made the movie better.  Made of Honor was the last movie he appeared in, and even that raised the movie a notch above boring to me.  He was at his best in Michael Clayton last year.  His straight, dead-pan delivery always belied the drama or comedy that he conveyed.  It was never over-the-top but always dead on.  I’ll miss seeing him in movies, and maybe I’ll have a festival of Sydney Pollack-directed movies right here at home this week.