With barely more than fifteen films to his credit, his forty-year-long career was not abundant, but recognition was widely there for **Robert Benton**. The American director, known for **Kramer vs. Kramer** and screenwriter of **Bonnie and Clyde**, died on Tuesday, May 11, at the age of 92.
Admirer of the French cinema of the “New Wave”, Robert Benton notably marked the **1960s** and **1970s**. This former artistic director of the magazine **Esquire** before his career in Hollywood had been recognized by the **New York Times** as an heir to **François Truffaut**, to whom the studios had initially proposed to direct **Kramer vs. Kramer**.
This **1979** feature film—an intimate dive into the throes of a divorce where parents tear themselves apart for the custody of their son—was the flagship work of Robert Benton. A bright success at the **box office**, the film garnered an exceptional harvest at the **Oscars**, winning five statuettes: **Best Film**, **Best Actor** for **Dustin Hoffman**, **Best Supporting Actress** for **Meryl Streep**, **Best Direction**, and **Best Adapted Screenplay** for Mr. Benton.
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Native of **Texas**, Robert Benton made a name for himself in Hollywood by co-signing the screenplay of **Bonnie and Clyde** (1967), a film about the famous couple of bank robbers from the **1930s**. He was also a co-writer of the film **Superman** (1978), which starred **Christopher Reeve**.
Recognized for His Talent and Humility
Robert Benton wrote and produced several cinematic adaptations of novels—an ironic twist for someone who struggled with severe **dyslexia** during his childhood, which prevented him from reading more than a few pages in a row.
As a director, he also made a lasting impression with **The Seasons of the Heart** (1984), the story of a Texan widow fighting to survive the **Great Depression**. This remarkable work won him the **Oscar** for Best Original Screenplay, with Sally Field taking home the award for Best Actress.
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The filmmaker completed only ten feature films during his career but was widely respected for his **talent** and **humility** in Hollywood. “There are directors who know how to make the most of the actors. I am not one of them,” he once remarked.
During a ceremony organized in **2018** in Hollywood, he remained modest. “I found actors—thanks to luck, the judgment of casting directors, or my instinct—who are extraordinarily good,” he stated. “I tried not to get in their way… which is not so easy,” he added with humor.