Redefined The Western Genre

Rating: 6/10 (17 September 2008)

I know, I know. . .many can take issue with the title above. Consider Sergio Leone's "spaghetti" Westerns, or Sam Peckinpah's brutal "The Wild Bunch." Both directors broke ground, but in my very humble opinion neither had the same impact on the genre that director George Roy Hill commanded when BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID hit the big screen in 1969. This film took a Western and injected it with a healthy dose of pop culture. The soundtrack bears this out--even to the point of treating us with the pre-MTV music video, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." Ever see a John Wayne movie of the Sixties that had jazz singers humming the soundtrack? Didn't think so. Even more compelling is the story, a story about two bank robbers trying to hang onto the Old West in a rapidly changing world. They're outlaws, but they're the "good guys," totally likable and captivating. The viewer is pulling for them to escape the law, plan their next move, rob another day. The ending is inevitable, yet tastefully and poignantly done. Much has been made about the chemistry between Paul Newman (Butch Cassidy) and Robert Redford (Sundance)--and rightfully so. The dialogue, banter, timing between these two wonderful actors is flawless, brilliant, overwhelming. There are classic lines ("Who are those guys?") and scenes (Butch's "rules" for a knife fight) that will live in cinematic lore forever. Katharine Ross as Etta Place ("I'm 25, single, a schoolteacher, and that's the pits.") is a wonderful addition to the cast as Sundance's girlfriend and soulmate to both outlaws. Equally innovative was the film's cinematography--starting in grainy black and white and changing to vivid color as Butch and Sundance ride over breathtaking scenery. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID ushered in the contemporary Western, and I'm darned glad it did.