The original buddy movie

Rating: 6/10 (12 April 2016)

The 'buddy' genre has been all the rage in Hollywood since the 1980s, but I think its origins go right back to BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Sure, the guys here are anti-heroes, but other than that they have the same laidback, wisecracking charm as many heroes who've come ever since. The influence of this comic western is undeniable, particularly in Italy, whose producers made dozens of jokey westerns after the release of this one.
Looking back on this film now, I actually think it's quite a slight movie. I like the use of sepia photographs to evoke the setting, but the montage sequences don't really work all that well (although they are included out of necessity, as the producers didn't have permission to shoot on the elaborate sets required). The film gets by thanks to the seemingly effortless performances of Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who have plenty of chemistry together. Yes, Katharine Ross feels extraneous, and the narrative is repetitive, but there are touches here that make this a well-loved movie: THAT song, and THAT ending. In the end, that's enough, and Butch and Sundance have gone down in history...