Paul Newman and Robert Redford set the standard for the "buddy film" with this box office smash set in the Old West. The Sundance Kid (Redford) is the frontier's fastest gun. His sidekick, Butch Cassidy (Newman), is always dreaming up new ways to get rich fast. If only they could blow open a baggage car without also blowing up the money-filled safe inside... Or remember that Sundance can't swim before they escape a posse by leaping off a cliff into rushing rapids... Times are changing in the west and life is getting tougher. So Butch and Sundance pack their guns, don new duds, and, with Sundance's girlfriend (Katharine Ross), head down to Bolivia. Never mind that they don't speak Spanish - they'll manage somehow. A winner of four Academy Awards (including best screenplay and best song), here is a thoroughly enjoyable blend of fact and fancy done with true affection for a bygone era and featuring the two flashiest, friendliest funniest outlaws who ever called out "hands up!"
This 1969 film has never lost its popularity or its unusual appeal as a star-driven Western that tinkers with the genre's conventions and comes up with something both terrifically entertaining and--typical of its period--a tad paranoid. Paul Newman plays the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy as an eternal optimist and self-styled visionary, conjuring dreams of banks just ripe for the picking all over the world. Robert Redford is his more levelheaded partner, the sharpshooting Sundance Kid. The film, written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by George Roy Hill (The Sting), basically begins as a freewheeling story about robbing trains but soon becomes a chase as a relentless posse--always seen at a great distance like some remote authority--forces Butch and Sundance into the hills and, finally, Bolivia. Weakened a little by feel-good inclinations (a scene involving bicycle tricks and the song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is sort of Hollywood flower power), the movie maintains an interesting tautness, and the chemistry between Redford and Newman is rare. (A factoid: Newman first offered the Sundance part to Jack Lemmon.) --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
A Classic Western:
This is a movie that entertains throughout. It has a bit of history, a lot of legend, and nonstop action. It features Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and 'The Sundance Kid' respectively. These two were part of the notorious 'Wild Bunch' gang that operated in the west during the late 1800s and early years of the 1900s. They primarily did bank and train robberies. Their claim to fame was that they did not kill people during their crimes. During the course of the film, Butch and... more info
Blu-ray versus Standard DVD SPECIAL EDITION version!! (explained):
This 1969 WESTERN ( Listed as a TOP 100 AFI Film in 1998) CLASSIC is an OUTSTANDING Movie period!!! The STANDARD SPECIAL EDITION DVD is wonderful and if you own it and have a a DVD player with the HDMI upconverting feature will give you near HD Quality Picture (1080i lines) and sound for many years. This SPECIAL EDITION is loaded with every extra feature to include; 45 min documentary, interviews with the stars, audio commentary, production notes and trailers. If you have a Blu-ray/HDMI Home... more info
One of my favorite movies of all time:
I love this movie, having watched it many times. When I saw it was coming out in blu-ray I didn't hesitate to buy it. Although I'm still glad I did, the video quality was on the poor side for a blu-ray. The audio quality was slightly better. I was definitely expecting FOX to do more to improve the quality of this blu-ray. I was definitely disappointed in what I saw/heard.
Great movie... don't watch it on free TV though:
This is one of my favorite movies and I remember watching it for the first time sometime in the 70's and was blown away by the sharp, cutting dialog, which seemed spare, witty and utterly compelling, especially for a Western. I saw it then several times, mainly to enjoy the banter between Redford and Newman. I think the highlight of the film is their quick banter on the cliff, before the perilous leap. Redford's expression is priceless as he confesses that he can't swim. One advice though - whatever you do,... more info
