Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

I can remember seeing this movie, at the Colony Theater in Portsmouth Virginia, when it was first released. Since then, I've seen it at least 30 times, most recently last night. In my humble opinion, Paul Newman & Robert Redford made an excellent movie twosome 30 years ago [and expanded on it a few years later, in The Sting]. In reading the reviews submitted about this movie it makes me happy to see that most of the people agree with my opinion. How could you not like these characters, along with Etta, "those guys" following them and eventually Strother [who will always be remembered for his "what we have here is a failure to communicate" in Cool Hand Luke] Martin? Not to mention the scenes where Etta enters the picture, when Butch has to fight Logan, when they have to jump in the water and, of course, the ending sequence of events. I won't say "they don't make them like they used to", but this one is a keeper. And if you agree with my evaluation, and have a DVD player, watch the DVD that has interviews, etc., to give you an even better picture of this excellent movie.

Fmovies: Usually if you find that you don't like a film which has been deemed a classic you can at least see what it may be that leads people to think so highly of the film. That is not the case with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I don't get it. I'm not seeing what so many others apparently are seeing. I see an incredibly overrated film that is not even remotely worthy of the near mythical status it has attained. Whatever it is that supposedly makes this film a classic is well and truly lost on me.

The biggest problem with the film is that nobody involved apparently could decide what kind of film it was they were making. Was it a serious Western or a comedy Western? The film ends up stuck in some sort of netherworld in between. It's much too jokey to take very seriously but not nearly funny enough to be labeled a comedy. The film tries to be multiple things and ends up not being much of anything at all. It's a film that never really convinces, things always seem a bit off. Just the very concept that the "good guys", the guys we're meant to sympathize with and root for, are actually the bad guys was always going to be a little jarring. Hooray for the train robbers! It could have worked but it really doesn't. No fault of the actors as Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Newman especially, make the characters of Butch and Sundance respectively easy to like. And Sundance's girl, played by Katharine Ross, certainly has her charms as well. But even if you end up liking these characters it's still hard to like the movie.

You would think it would be hard to make a boring movie based on the exploits of notorious bank and train robbers. But that's pretty much what we have here. This film moves at a snail's pace, moments of excitement are few and far between. The interminable chase sequence dropped into the middle of the film surely doesn't help. If I had to watch Butch peer into the distance and say "Who are those guys?" one more time I'd scream. Get on with it already. Honestly for much of its running time this movie has you desperately trying to stifle yawns. And when the movie tries to have a little fun it generally doesn't work. So many jokes which fall flat. And that famous, yet exceedingly dopey, bicycle sequence. Hard to take the movie seriously after that. Good song though. I just have no idea what in the world it's doing in this movie. One thing you can say for the movie is that it is beautifully photographed. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's Oscar was well earned. And Newman and Redford, both of course terrific actors, do have very good chemistry and Ross fits in well also. The interactions among the three lead performers provide some good moments. But there are not nearly enough of those moments to salvage the film. It's dull and drawn out, it's neither serious enough to work as a real Western or funny enough to get by on comedic value. The film just doesn't work. But it's a "classic". I don't get it.

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is one of the greatest movies ever made. It is my favorite film of all time, and the biggest reason for that is because of its script by William Goldman. It's very rare in film that a script has perfect lines in it from beginning to end, but this film is an example of what can be achieved by Hollywood screenwriters. It was William Goldman's script of this movie that sparked my passion for the American cinema. Though most Westerns of the cinema past have serious and gritty tones to them, this film has just the right mix of comedy, wit, and adventure. The greatest team in Hollywood history, arguably, is the team of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The presence by these two Hollywood legends has help cement this film as one of the greatest movies ever made - according to organizations like the American Film Institute. The direction by George Roy Hill is first rate, and much credit also has to be given to cinematographer Conrad Hall, who did a great job giving this film the superior look of the Old West.

Katherine Ross adds to this film in the role as the beautiful Etta Place, as does the score, which makes us feel good about going to the movies. This was the film that, for the first time, got audiences to root for "the bad guys". This film should be shown in every film school to show film students how to make a theatrical film. I will always love this movie, and indeed, this movie is something special. It is also special to me because the REAL Sundance Kid was born in my hometown of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fmovies. OK, for those of you who aren't sure whether "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" is a good, or even great movie, just do the following:

Scroll up to "memorable quotes". Go on, do it and then read what follows. I'll be right here when you get back.

Finished? Did you read those lines? THAT, my friends, that and the fact they are spoken by some great actors is what makes this film so wonderful. They are perfectly balanced between being funny, endearing and also revealing about the characters. There's genuine emotion and warmth in a lot of that.

Conrad Hall, George Roy Hill, Burt Bacharach et al all contributed marvelously but I love the cast; such quality and for some of them, in small, but memorable roles: George Furth, Ted Cassidy, Kenneth Mars, Strother Martin, Katherine Ross and the stars at the top; Newman and Redford who did perfect justice to Goldman's script.

George Roy Hill's funny Western is still modern and hasn't aged bad at all. Paul Newman is charming and charismatic, and Robert Redford is energetic. I don't know why some Western-fans doesn't like it because it is filled with powerful and spectacular gunfights, humor, friendship and beautiful pictures - which is the reasons why you watch Westerns, isn't it? I am fully aware of the fact that 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' was an unusual Western when it came. After this there were other attempts or experiments made like this but I don't think that they succeeded. 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' has also the rare ability to even smell, taste or feel classic when you watch it ... Robert Redford was never better than here.

Rating: 9 of 10.

This is a great movie all around. It's a great Western, it's a great comedy, it's a great action, and it's a great drama. George Roy Hill did an excellent job with this movie. Paul Newman is one of my favorite actors, and who doesn't like Robert Redford? I just recently saw this movie and I was very pleased when it was over. They also managed to make this an accurate depiction, because, like the tagline states, for the most part, it's true.

Paul Newman and Robert Redford do outstanding jobs as Butch and Sundance. They have make a great team, and it's fun to watch them rob trains and banks, and narrowly escape from the Pinkerton Posse. This movie also has great performances. The two actors make you like Butch and Sundance, and you want them to escape.

I also thought it was interesting when I learned that the real Hole In The Wall Gang (besides Butch and Sundance)would soon become the Wild Bunch, or so I'm told. I find this movie a total enjoyment and can be enjoyed by anyone. I think that even the most shrill person can find things they like about this movie, so check it out, because it is and always will be a classic! 10/10