The most likable criminal couple in film history

Rating: 9/10 (25 June 2012)

How is it possible that when people hear the word 'western' they immediately think of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Well, there are exactly THAT many reasons for this interesting phenomena.
Firstly, the stunning directing by George Robert Hill makes it look like an exactly archetypal movie in this specific category. It easily became a smash hit at the box-office in the United States in 1969 and went on to create a major fan base all over the world.
Secondly, it offers a spellbinding storyline provided by the great William Goldman. It's packed with everything that can be connected with this most American of all genres: genuine characters, grand wild west feeling, gunfights, train robberies, pretty dames, dangerous enemies, gangs, chases, great adventures, a little romance, a little comedy, etc. Additionally, all the clever dialogues make the movie much more pleasurable and engaging.
Thirdly, the cinematography is really incredible, offering the most captivating views of Western American and Bolivian landscapes, which the viewer is able to admire right from the beginning up till the very end. Also, the fantastic shifts in takes from sepia to color in some of the most climatic scenes create a perfect atmosphere.
Fourthly, I believe that I didn't mention the two stars, the most memorable couple of gunslingers, train robbers and lawbreakers that ever roamed through the vast American desserts – Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford). Based on a real-life pair of criminals, their story is partly true and partly imagined. On the run from the law, the boys decide to hide in Bolivia and start a new career there. Along comes Etta Place (Katharine Ross), Kid's girlfriend. They try to learn Spanish in order to be able to rob banks, but what comes out of this farce looks more like a comedy than serious business. After a series of successes and some misfortunes, they are finally wanted all over the country, like they were in their homeland. In the most gripping, and unforgettable final scene they have to fight with tens of policemen and even though the viewers knows that they are criminal and, thus, should be caught or killed, the way they are portrayed makes it easy to admire those two up-to-no-good characters.
Surprisingly, the scene, which stayed in my memory for the longest time, wasn't this one or any other of the fast-action sort – it was the one when Butch was riding on a bike with Etta (accompanied by a beautiful song 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head'), like they were two innocent kids, strolling around farms, as if nothing really mattered.
All of those factors make this movie look special. I won't be original when I say that this is probably one of my favorite western of them all, but that's the truth. No one can deny that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kind will go down in history as one of the finest, most entertaining, and most achieved movies ever.