Redford's right hand

No, you're not losing your mind.

This is something I noticed right off, and I've always wondered about it.

The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.

I was a kid when this movie came out and my sister loved Robert Redford. I know more about him and this movie than I would ever want to.
He broke his thumb prior to making the movie. He does not bend it but keeps it extended throughout the movie.

The past couple days I've been reacquainting myself with this film, and I noticed the same thing in the exact same scenes. I was going to post asking this question but it looks as though there may not be answer, other than that a couple people working on this film ended up with an injury.

I noticed it, too. I always assumed it was one of those actor's Affectations that they wouold use to make the part a little more personal or to call attention to themselves (It worked here, too, didn't it?).
If you want to see this kind of move played to the hilt, watch the movie "The Magnificent Seven." Steve McQueen pulls every trick in the book to call attention to himself:
He's in the background spinning his hat (He's not a major part of the the scene)
He shakes the shotgun shells before loading the gun(not necessary)
He shades his eyes with his hat when he gets on the hearse.
He carries the biggest pistol of all the gunfighters (notice it doesn't fit in the holster right)

Redford's right hand is so noticeable that I noticed it the first time I saw the movie and I've noticed it every time I've seen the movie since then.

I always thought it was an affectation, especially the way he holds his coffee cup with his thumb sticking up instead of helping to support the cup.

In the second meeting scene where the guys are discussing what con to use, Redford is almost sucking that thumb. He has it up against his lips during much of the scene.

In the train scenes (walking down the train corridor and then leaving the train station after the ride is over), Redford's left arm is swinging down at his side normally but he's got his right hand out in front of him (frozen in a position that protects his thumb).

His hand is so frozen that it almost looks like a prosthetic.

Redford looks cool while doing all this, though.

I love this movie!

Hooker's hand was injured by broken glass and smashed in the hinged doors when Snyder busted into the telephone booth Hooker was in. Before that encounter Hooker's hand was normal.