As a director he elicited strong performances from his actors, guiding Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn to Oscars and Jane Fonda to a supporting actress nomination for “On Golden Pond” in 1981. He had previously worked similar Oscar nomination magic for Midler in her screen debut, “The Rose” (and later in her career in “For the Boys”); Marsha Mason in “Cinderella Liberty”; Sissy Spacek in “The River”; and Rupert Crosse, who drew a supporting nom for 1969’s “The Reivers.”
Rydell took a break from directing to star in the standup comedy drama “Punchline” and as another gangster, Meyer Lansky, in his friend Pollock’s “Havana.” In 1991, while directing “For the Boys,” he also produced a small rural drama, “The Man in the Moon,” starring Sam Waterston and featuring the film debut of 14-year-old Reese Witherspoon. His 1994 marital drama “Intersection,” starring Richard Gere and Sharon Stone, was moderately successful.
He returned to television in 1996 to direct “Crime of the Century,” about the Lindbergh kidnapping case, for HBO. In 2001 he helmed the critically acclaimed TNT telepic “James Dean,” starring James Franco, and drawing 11 Emmy nominations including best director.