Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition)

This film took a Western and injected it with a healthy dose of pop culture. The soundtrack bears this out--even to the point of treating us with the pre-MTV music video, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." Ever see a John Wayne movie of the Sixties that had jazz singers humming the soundtrack? Didn't think so.

Even more compelling is the story, a story about two bank robbers trying to hang onto the Old West in a rapidly changing world. They're outlaws, but they're the "good guys," totally likeable and captivating. The viewer is pulling for them to escape the law, plan their next move, rob another day. The ending is inevitable, yet tastefully and poignantly done.

Much has been made about the chemistry between Paul Newman (Butch Cassidy) and Robert Redford (Sundance)--and rightfully so. The dialogue, banter, timing between these two wonderful actors is flawless, brilliant, overwhelming. There are classic lines ("Who are those guys?") and scenes (Butch's "rules" for a knife fight) that will live in cinematic lore forever. Katharine Ross as Etta Place ("I'm 25, single, a schoolteacher, and that's the pits.") is a wonderful addition to the cast as Sundance's girlfriend and soulmate to both outlaws.

Equally innovative was the film's cinematography--starting in grainy black and white and changing to vivid color as Butch and Sundance ride over breathtaking scenery. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID ushered in the contemporary Western, and I'm darned glad it did.
--D. Mikels

Rating: 5 - The film that broke the mold of traditional westerns!
This 1969 film made box office history at the time and was nominated for seven academy awards. The public just loved it and I can well understand why. It broke the mold of the traditional western by being upbeat, lively and whimsical. And the stars, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, cast as bank robbers, had a special chemistry between them with their lighthearted wisecracks throughout. Katherine Ross plays the love interest of both of them and there's a great musical score by Burt Bacharach, most notably, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" in which Newman and Ross ride around on a bicycle. The story was predictable and at times it seemed a little long, but I found myself smiling throughout and the actors were a pleasure to look at.

Even more than the film, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the "add on" which was included on the videotape. Entitled "The Making of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'", this was 52-minute documentary with the kind of interesting details that really enhanced my appreciation of the film. For example, there's a part in the movie that shows photos of the characters superimposed on old time photos from the 1890s. This is a technique that is relatively simple today by using any one of a number of computer programs. However, in 1969, they had to be actually pasted on. And it was also interesting to see how they do special effects with guns that shoot puffs of smoke. I loved this going behind the scenes.

Rating: 5 - A Great Entertainment Experience
This is one of the most satisfying films ever made. The movie excels on a number of planes...impeccable cast with extraordinary chemistry, including Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Katherine Ross...spectacular scenery and cinematography...a serendipitous musical score by Burt Bacharach, featuring "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"...great direction by George Roy Hill, who later directed "The Sting"...and an amusing storyline about an effusively optimistic bank/train robber, his pragmatic gun-slinging partner, and their beautiful schoolmarm girlfriend. Butch and Sundance try to stay one step ahead of a faceless but relentless posse as they wander from the American west to South America, via New York City, in search of one more bank to rob.

Of all the many things to enjoy in this film, none is better than the dialogue. The movie won a number of Academy Awards, including best story and screenplay. Memorable lines abound. Butch outlines his latest scheme to Sundance and smiles contentedly, "I've got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals." In a later scene, a man named Harvey Logan (Ted Cassidy) challenges Butch to a gun or knife fight for control of the "Hole in the Wall Gang." Butch mutters to Sundance, "Maybe there's a way to make a profit in this..." He glances over at his taller, stronger adversary and frowns, "...bet on Logan." Sundance immediately replies, "I would... but who'd bet on you?" This is a production with flawless artistry...a monument to the entertaining value of the medium of film.

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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition)