On B List of Movie Reviews
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Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
6/03, 6/08, 6/17
6/08:
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is what I call a Western classic.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford make the best duo ever in cinema history. It's the most famous picture of their careers.
The finale is brilliant when their characters are surrounded by the Bolivian army and they're ready to come out with
their guns blazing.
Great writing, great dialogue, great chemistry, great cinematography, and great music are the hallmarks of
the film. Three scenes are absolute classics: "Hey kid, how good are you?", Paul Newman and Katharine Ross riding on the
bicycle with the song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" playing, and the timeless ending.
I remember being surprised when I saw the unveiling of AFI's 100 Greatest Heroes & Villains that Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid were chosen 20th for heroes. They must be fucking kidding me. Since when they were heroes?
They robbed banks and trains for a living. They were just likeable and handsome, that's all.
All in all, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid will always stand the test of time.
6/17:
Some scenes I remember the most about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are the beginning, Paul Newman and Katharine
Ross on the bicycle as the song is playing, Paul Newman bursting out laughing after hearing Sundance's confession, and the
ending which is top five ever.
They're the reasons why I keep coming back to the film again and again. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are perfect, and
it's hard to think of another duo topping their chemistry except for the two guys in Midnight Cowboy.
It's a surprise that neither was nominated for Best Actor.
The reason why I'm giving the movie a '9', not '10', is that it can drag in spots, especially during the chase across the
frontier and what's happening in Bolivia. Also, Katharine Ross is the weakest link; she's flat and not important.
Burt Bacharach's Oscar-winning music is great and timeless, and the quotes are legendary such as:
-"What happened to the old bank? It was beautiful."
-"People kept robbing it."
-"Small price to pay for beauty."
"Hey Kid! How good are ya?"
"Rules? In a knife fight?"
"Boy, I got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals."
"Why, you crazy? The fall will probably kill you."
"Kid, the next time I say, 'Let's go someplace like Bolivia,' let's go someplace like Bolivia."
"Who are those guys?"
"You just keep thinkin', Butch. That's what you're good at."
All in all, it's hard to believe that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was widely panned by critics when it first
came out.