Scripted for Greatness: Hollywood Bids Adieu to Master Storyteller Robert Benton

Robert Benton, the acclaimed director of the Oscar-winning drama Kramer vs. Kramer, passed away peacefully at his Manhattan apartment on May 11, 2025, at age 92. Benton's career spanned over four decades and encompassed three Academy Awards-Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), and Best Original Screenplay for Places in the Heart (1984).

 

Starting as an art director at Esquire magazine, Benton co-wrote the groundbreaking 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, revolutionizing Hollywood cinema. His films gravitated toward exploring complex family dynamics and human resilience, with Kramer vs. Kramer earning Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep their initial Oscars. Benton's legacy is a unique blend of storytelling and character richness, motivating generations of filmmakers.

 

He is perhaps most famous as a visionary director who brought emotional richness and social insight to the widescreen.

 

Source: The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline