Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

"Who are those guys?"

What is it about this movie? Why, nearly sixty years after its release, is it still so beloved, so often cited, and watched and rewatched by generations of filmgoers? Of course it’s because it’s a wonderful story brought to life by two iconic actors, but it is more than that. It is a story that resonates, that speaks to people on a level that touches their heart.

The core themes of this movie are friendship, partnership, and loyalty — themes that speak to each of us who has a best friend or wishes we did. These themes are explored in a film that combines rollicking adventure, hilarious comedy mixed with some serious drama, and a touch of romance for good measure.

This film would not be what it is without Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Not only are they both very easy to look at, their extraordinary chemistry brings the story and its themes to life. We like them and root for them right from the start.

William Goldman’s screenplay is filled with memorable dialogue (see below) while it tells the story of two friends at the end of an era. The West is becoming civilized and settled with trains and newspapers. The age of the “wild” West where the outlaws ruled is almost gone.

As the movie progresses, it is so easy to relate to Butch and Sundance that we forget that they are, in fact, outlaws — the bad guys. It is no coincidence that the man chasing them is wearing a white hat. What Goldman does well is to remind us occasionally who these men are and what their reality is.

Uniquely, this film includes three musical interludes composed by Burt Bacharach. Highly controversial at the time of the film’s release but now a beloved part, these interludes use music to enhance our understanding of who the three main characters are.

The bike riding scene set to "Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head" has become not only one of the most famous scenes in this movie, but one of the iconic movie scenes of all time. This is a playful, happy scene with Butch riding with Etta on a bicycle. Yet the scene has an important purpose — it shows us, better than dialogue ever could, exactly the type of person Butch is. He is imaginative, optimistic, and able to find joy in life’s small moments. Even the song is optimistic in its message.

The second interlude is the montage as Butch, Sundance, and Etta leave and travel to Bolivia. Using sepia colored stills that perfectly invoke the time and place, we watch the three have a joyful holiday in New York followed by an obviously first class voyage on a ship. As they disembark at the train station, we are aware that the happy times are quickly receding into the past and that their present is a bit more rough.

The third shows the trio settling into their new life in Bolivia as outlaws. While it cleverly depicts the passage of time, it also shows that although they are far from home, not much has changed. They are still being chased by people who want to kill them. These people may not be as scary, but they are there.

Goldman’s words and Bacharach’s music are brilliantly directed by George Roy Hill. The cinematography is gorgeous and invokes a classic Western perfectly. It is his small moments, however, that remain with the viewer. My favorite small moment lasts only seconds on screen. As the three are leaving Etta’s house for Bolivia, Butch throws the bike down the hill where it lands on its side. We watch a close-up of a spinning wheel. The symbolism is perfect. The new is replacing the old as the wheel of time continues to spin.

This movie is one of the greats. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Watch it with your best friend and laugh out loud.

Unforgettable Lines:

Butch: "Boy, I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals."

Butch: "Listen, I don’t mean to be a sore loser, but… uh… when it’s done… if I’m dead… kill him."
Sundance: "Love to."

Ray: "You may be biggest thing ever to 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 two-bit outlaws on the dodge. It’s over. Don’t you get that? Your times is over and you’re going to die bloody. All you can do is choose where."

Butch: "I’ll jump first."
Sundance: "No."
Butch: "Then you jump first."
Sundance: "No, I said."
Butch: "What’s the matter with you?"
Sundance: "I can’t swim!"
Butch: "What, you crazy? The fall will probably kill you."

Etta: "I’ll do anything you ask of me except one thing. I won’t watch you die."

Mr Garris: "Morons. I’ve got morons on my team. Nobody is going to rob us going down the mountain. We have got no money going down the mountain. When we have got the money, on the way back, then you can sweat."
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ChrisB has been more than a little in love with Butch since she was a young girl.

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