Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

Today’s movie was going to be just a random pick off of Netflix until I started noticing that a lot of movies under their ‘classic’ genre section are set to disappear on December 1^st.  Seeing this put a bit of pep in my step in checking out a few films that I have always wanted to see, and I would rather watch them now while I am already paying for their rights instead of waiting and having to rent them.  I will also mention that during the entire viewing of the movie and the writing of the review I was battling a nasty panic attack, so sadly it may not be my most well thought out critique.  The movie for today is Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, a western about the outlaw duo that was made in 1969.  It stars Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy, a quick thinking schemer and natural leader, and Robert Redford as The Sundance Kid, a deadly gunman and good friend of Cassidy’s.

The film follows the duo as they rob trains with the Hole in the Wall gang, which Cassidy is the leader of, until a victim of theirs hires skilled lawmen and the best tracker around to put an end to them.  They chase Cassidy and Sundance constantly, breathing down their necks and providing no quarter for them until they are finally able to give their pursuers the slip in a very epic scene.  Deciding that perhaps they had best get on the move, they head to Bolivia with Sundance’s girlfriend Etta Place.  It is in this mineral rich country that they believe there will be a lot of money to steal from mining companies and banks. 

This film has two extremely strong positives.  The first of those is the chemistry that we see between Redford and Newman, who seem to be perfectly cast for their roles.  They banter like friends through the down times as well as the tense situations which they find themselves in.  This adds the much needed elements of charm and connection so we can view these villains as the protagonists.  That charm also seems to transcend their interactions and sets a mood for much of the movie.  The other strong positive is the locations.  There are a great number of scenes that show the vastness of the wilderness, as they try and elude those who give chase.  They chose some amazing places to film that kept the background alive and changing as the two were being run down like animals.

There were two musical montages in this film, and they were both so very different.  The first one felt out of place in the movie, both in the music and the visual content.  It showed a number of still photos of the three main characters as they were in the transition process to head to Bolivia, the photos being made to look accurate for that period.  To me, it just did not feel in pace with the overall tone of the film which seemed to revolve around the charming chemistry of Cassidy and Sundance.  The second montage was much more in keeping with the tone, and was incredibly entertaining as the music was lighthearted as we got scenes of them starting their thieving career in South America.

Why bring these up?  Probably because at times I felt there was a combative duality in this movie as it at times played on the natural tone that came from the actors, and at other times it tried to have a more formal tone.  Does that make sense to you?  It is probably doesn’t but that may be the best that comes from my brain right now.  I can picture what I am trying to say in my mind, but finding the best way to communicate that is not very easy at the moment.  Ever had that?  Fortunately, the predominant tone was the charming, charismatic one and the breaks from that seemed limited.

In the film, we have a great story of companionship with two people who in real life, maybe should not be glorified.  But that happens a lot with movies, and it is pulled off really well here because of Redford and Newman’s performances.  And what would a western be without a grand shootout at the end?  That is exactly what we get at the end, and it is done in a way that entertains us, but also stays true to the feel of the film and allows the personalities of the characters to still be front and centre through it all.  It is not the best western that I have ever seen, but it is full of fun, adventure, and it never gets boring.  Oh, and I realized that I completely forgot about the first musical montage in the film.  How often do you get a western with three musical montages?  That alone should make it worth checking out.

Rating – 3.5 out of 4 stars