"I've got vision while the rest of the world has bifocals"

Rating: 10/10 (11 December 2015)

What a treat this film turned out to be! First of all, credit must be given to the tremendous on-screen duo, Robert Redford and Paul Newman! Their chemistry was top notch, and a complete joy to watch from scene to scene. Now, to the film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid allows the audience to be a part of the Hole in the Wall gang, led by Butch Cassidy. Paul Newman's Butch comes through the screen as a fun- loving ham of a mischief maker in the Old West. He has no problem leading his gang of outlaws through bank holdups and train robberies, and he does so with ease given his disposition. What a performance from Paul Newman! His good-humored outlaw tops the critic's charts of performances, and I see why. Just watching his character makes the audience want to jump in and holster up for he and his gang. And where there is Butch Cassidy, you will also find the Sundance Kid. Butch's right hand man, Robert Redford's Sundance Kid is a stoic man's man, a perfect partner to Butch. Sundance is charged with keeping Butch's ideas mounted in realistic expectation, and keeping him focused; no doubt were these two large tasks, but Redford's Sundance Kid is the perfect character to manage both. This is one of the best on-screen duos I have ever seen! As we follow the gang through the story, we find out that, as the Wild West is becoming a bit less wild, there has been a special gang composed solely to bring about the downfall, deaths, of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. No matter how far they go, or how stealthily they travel, the appointed gang is never far behind. Another treat to the film is getting acquainted with Etta Place, played by Katharine Ross. We meet her in a compromising situation, and soon realize that Sundance has a sense of humor as well. There was no mistake that Etta was the Sundance Kid's girl, but the audience is left to wonder, as the chemistry between she and Butch is made apparent, if there were not a Jules and Jim type of agreement between the two of them regarding Etta. One will never know the full intricacies of the gang, we still enjoy a riveting story of outlaws trying to outrun their demise, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is remains forever, a classic. Technically, there is not enough good that can be said about this film. As it begins, the audience is introduced to the gang through a silent "movie" being shown which really cements the notion of traveling into the past. The film also opens with an almost sepia colored wash over the film, then, after a run-in, we are greeted with a beautiful transition to full color so well done it was reminiscent of the transition in The Wizard of Oz. Brilliant camera work also accompanied the picture with wonderful shots of open plains and enough mountains to satisfy even this Colorado girl's heart! Certainly, no comprehensive review of this film would be complete without mention of its exquisite score. This score provides the perfect mix of songs for the perfect mix of characters on screen. About 2/3 of the way through the film there is a wonderful montage showing the characters as they complete their journey, again, really allowing the audience to immerse themselves in this world and feel like part of the gang. This film is a wonderful work of art that has sustained the years, and now resides in my personal top 20 favorite films!