For example, a man who might not have enormous charisma, who could be president 40 years ago, and who was a deserving president, I don't know that George Washington would be a president today, I don't know that Abe Lincoln would, I don't know that Roosevelt would.

His 1985 film Out of Africa won him Academy Awards for directing and producing; he was also nominated for Best Director Oscars for They Shoot Horses Don't They? and Tootsie in the latter of which he also appeared. Pollack directed more than 21 films and 10 television shows acted in over 30 films or shows and produced over 44 films. His disputes with Hoffman during the filming of Tootsie became well-known.

His 1985 film Out of Africa won him Academy Awards for directing and producing; he was also nominated for Best Director Oscars for They Shoot Horses Don't They? and Tootsie in the latter of which he also appeared. His later films included Havana (1990) The Firm (1993) Sabrina (1995) The Interpreter (2005) and as producer for and actor in Michael Clayton (2007).