Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition)

Rating:
Summary: More Buddy Movie Then Western
Review: This film, even though it's script by William Goldman won an Oscar, is more dialogue driven than story driven. It doesn't even feel like a conventional western, just like a couple of guys joking their way through the remnants of the old west. What elevates this film is the chemistry between Newman and Redford. Butch(Newman), as one character describes him, is an affable fellow. This is a good contrast to the moodier Sundance(Redford). At this point in time Newman had already cemented his legend. Redford had more to gain from this partnership than Newman did. Redford, who is something of a stiff as an actor, gained alot from the influence of Newman. This partnership was put to better use in "The Sting" where the characters and story were better developed and was also directed by George Roy Hill. Katherine Ross gives a passable performance as Etta Place, Sundance's girlfriend. Strother Martin, one of the greatest character actors of all time, appears here in a funny bit as a mine boss. The cinematography by Conrad Hall is excellent. On the minus side, some of Hill's artistic devices are annoying(i.e. the opening sepia shots, the still photo montage for the trip to Bolivia, even the closing freeze frame). I cannot emphasize how abysmal the score and songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David are. You do not so much retain them to memory but struggle to forget them. The commentary track on this DVD can be passed on. Generally I like it when the original artists participate on a commentary but in this case director Hill, Hall, etc. don't seem to be adding anything relevant to the action on screen. Unfortunately, these gentlemen were getting up in years and their commentary just seemed doddering.

Rating:
Summary: Newman and Redford, together again for the first time
Review: I know that crime is not supposed to pay, but whether you are watching Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the Old West or during the Great Depression you end up wishing that it sort of would. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is probably best described as a buddy movie because in terms of the Western genre it is an odd sort of film. It has more than its share of comic moments, thanks to the deft touch of scripter William Goldman, but it is certainly not a slapstick comedy like "Cat Ballou" or a send up on the genre like "Blazing Saddles." Then there is one of the most depressing endings endings ever, which speaks to the more sobering aspects of the Adult Western epitomized by "Shane" and "High Noon." The only other Western that comes to mind as being in that neck of the woods is "Destry Rides Again," which has something of the same sly sense of satire.

Director George Roy Hill had a big hand in making "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" a different sort of Western. There are plenty of people getting gunned downed in this movie, but Hill avoids the Sam Peckinpah-like bloody violence that was introduced that same year in "The Wild Bunch." He also comes up with a rather contemporary musical score that goes so far as to take B.J. Thomas' "Raindrops Keeping Fallin' on My Head," throw it into this movie, and make it work (who is going to complain about watching Paul Newman ride a bicycle?). Hill puts together another couple of musical montages, both written by Burt Bacharach, with "Old Fun City," as Butch (Newman), Sundance (Redford) and Etta (Katharine Ross) leave New York City, and "South American Getaway," where happy voices make happy sounds while the Bolivian police chase los banditos Yanqui. But in the most dramatic moments of the film there is no music at all.

But the chief attraction here is the combination of wit and drama. Butch and Sundance keep spouting one-liners (Goldman provides just as many great ones here as he does in "The Princess Bride," which would make him the undisputed king of such things), but we always get the sense that they are trying to make light of a situation that is pretty dangerous. From using too much dynamite ("Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?") and being chased relentlessly by an unknown posse ("Who are those guys?") to jumping off cliffs ("The fall will probably kill you") and visiting foreign lands ("This might be the Atlantic City, New Jersey of all Bolivia for all you know"), these two guys are a step away from ending up dead. The second time you see the film you can see how much the ending of this film is foreshadowed.

The ability to really have it both ways is why this film remains popular with audiences, even if critics had no idea as to what it was doing when it first came out in 1969. The stars and dialogue are so winning that audiences manage to enjoy the film even though it is basically a tragedy. There is even a point where one of the characters, Sheriff Ray Bledsoe (Jeff Corey) lays it out for not only Butch and Sundance but also the audience, telling the boys: "You know, you should have let yourself get killed a long time ago when you had the chance. See, you may be the biggest thing that ever hit this area, but you're still two-bit outlaws. I never met a soul more affable than you, Butch, or faster than the Kid, but you're still nothing but two-bit outlaws on the dodge. It's over, don't you get that? Your time is over and you're gonna die bloody, and all you can do is choose where." It is rare to find a film that is so insistent about confounding the expectations of its audience and so successful in getting away with it. No wonder that in its wake first class Westerns have been few and far behind (e.g., "Dances With Wolves," "Unforgiven," which also underscore that the heights can still be scaled in that usually neglected genre).

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" won Oscars for not only Goldman's original script and Bacharach's music (and song) but also Conrad L. Hall's cinematography. The film made $100 million at the box office, which was a lot in those days before "Jaws" and "Star Wars" redefined the term "blockbuster." It is strange to think that Redford was not considered a star before this film or how close this movie came to having Newman and Jack Lemmon or Steve McQueen, not to mention Hill having offered the two stars the opposite roles they ended up making famous. Even when Hollywood hits a home run with a film it is amazing how close it comes to the foul pole once you know the story behind the movie.



Rating:
Summary: Classic western with Newman and Redford
Review: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a classic western almost always ranked with Shane, High Noon, and The Wild Bunch as the greatest westerns ever made. In the late 1890's, Butch and Sundance and their gang, the Hole-in-the-Wall gang, are riding high as they rob banks and trains while living the high life. Things change when the head of the railroad, Mr. E.H. Harriman, hires a super posse to track down and kill Butch and Sundance. Seeing that time is running out for them, the duo heads to Bolivia with Sundance's girlfriend, Etta Place. Once there, they try to go straight but eventually returning to a life of crime. From their opening introductions to the final freeze frame, this movie never slows down. One of the first buddy films, the high point of the movie being the relationship between Newman's Butch and Redford's Sundance. Perfectly blending comedy, action, and romance, this is a can't miss western.

What makes this movie special is the casting of the two main leads. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are perfectly cast as two outlaws trapped by their legend in a changing time. Newman's always optimistic, always thinking Butch and Redford's steely-eyed, quiet Sundance are perfect together. The two men played the most amiable and friendly outlaws I have ever seen. Katherine Ross plays Etta Place, the Sundance Kid's girlfriend who loves both outlaws equally. For much of the movie, Etta plays straight man to Butch and Sundance's antics. The movie also stars Strother Martin in a great part as mine owner Percy Garris, Jeff Corey as Sheriff Bledsoe, George Furth as Woodcock, and Ted Cassidy as Harvey Logan. The Special Edition DVD offers commentary from director George Roy Hill and cinematographer Conrad Hall among others, an excellent making of documentary, 1994 interviews with Newman, Redford, Ross, Hill, and Burt Bacharach, widescreen presentation, 3 theatrical trailers, production notes, and an alternate credit sequence. For a great western with fantastic performances by Paul Newman and Robert Redford, check out Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!

Rating:
Summary: Agape and the antihero
Review: Next to `The Godfather' this is probably the best picture to come out of the great era in American filmmaking, the late 60s early 70s. This movie has it all: a great story, superb acting, wonderful comedic moments, clever dialogue and fantastic character development. Also timeless scenes pervade such as `no rules in a knife fight', the undressing scene when Katherine Ross's character is first introduced, the cliff jump and of course the fabulous ending in which director George Roy Hill stops the film but lets the sound continue thus revealing the pair's fate, but saving the audience the sadness of seeing it. It is a perfect compromise. The interaction between Newman and Redford is as memorable as it is amusing. One of the ten best movies ever!