Kidding us on

Rating: 4/10 (24 March 2020)

A nice collection of character scenarios for the two stars to portray their standard screen personas together before climaxing with a well handled and cinematically famous last stand shootout.
At no point is it not obvious and perceptible that it is Robert Redford and Paul Newman goofing off of each other and enjoying the opportunities afforded to strut their stuff.
I quite enjoy parts of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' for this reason, however I also find it remarkably unconvincing and unengaging for the very same reason.
The film, of course, gains extra credit for it's justly famous climax and a nice goofy and lightly comedic tone permeates almost to the end.
If the story was more interesting, or detailed in it's scenarios, and if the characters were more believable I would perhaps enjoy this slightly comedic and persuasive tonality but as it is it sits squarely as a chance to see the two stars in costume and finally going out with a big bang.
Overall I consider this to be a great big confidence trick, a hustle, which was directly and explicitly replicated in a subsequent film starring these two together 'The Sting' which benefits from having Robert Shaw for Redford and Newman to play off which makes their characterisations in that film more effective dramatically.
I rate a 4/10 and the film is watchable but I wouldn't recommend to general western fans unless you are familiar with either the sub-genre of comedy westerns or with the 60's styling. Also committed fans of the two leads get plenty of time to see them having a lot of japes.