A Classic that holds up in 2014

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2014)

I just watched this film again last night on Netflix. The last time that I saw it was in about 1973, when it was broadcast on TV. My mother loved the soundtrack and probably had the hots for Paul Newman and Robert Redford. I fondly remember watching it with her, but I didn't remember all the details of the movie.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well it held up. The cinematography is pretty spectacular throughout, so it's easy to understand why it won Best Cinematography in 1970. I was most impressed with the composition of some of the shots. Near the beginning for the movie, when Butch and Sundance come together, the steady shot on Sundance and the cropped shot of his rival card player, really give a great sense of tension.
There are some good laughs and some good action, along with a bit of a love story. Be sure to notice the long blonde haired girl that Newman takes upstairs when they're hiding out in the town. It's one of the first film appearances of Cloris Leachman.
The soundtrack doesn't hold up quite as well, except for the award winning song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." Some of the Bacharach tunes with the multiple voices going Doo Be Doo just seem a little out of place. I'm not sure who else was up for Best Original Score, but I think that Raindrops must have swayed the decision.
If you like today's George Clooney and Brad Pitt movies, you'll enjoy this classic.