Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Plot synopsis:
Wyoming, c. 1900s. Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford), the leaders of the famous Hole in the Wall Gang, are planning another bank robbery. As they return to their hideout in Hole-in-the-Wall, they find out that the gang has selected a new leader, Harvey Logan. He challenges Butch to a knife fight, which Butch wins, using a ruse. Logan had the idea to rob the Union Pacific Flyer train instead of banks. He wanted to rob it twice, the idea being that the return would be considered safe and therefore more money might be involved. Butch takes this idea as his own.The first robbery goes very well and the Marshal of the next town can't manage to raise a posse. Butch and Sundance listen to his attempts, enjoying themselves. Sundance's lover, Etta Place (Katherine Ross), is introduced. But obviously both men vie for her attention as she also goes bike-riding with Butch, a dialogue-free part of the film, accompanied by "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head."The second robbery goes wrong. Not only does Butch use too much dynamite to blow the safe, but also a second train arrives, which is carrying a posse of six heavily armed men on horseback that has been specially outfitted to hunt Butch and Sundance down. The gang flees, but the entire posse follows Butch and Sundance. They try hiding in a brothel in a nearby town that night, but are betrayed. When they find out the posse is continuing to follow their trail, they try riding double on a single horse in the hope that the posse will split up, but that fails. They then arrive in a nearby town and try to arrange an amnesty with the help of a friendly sheriff (Jeff Corey) of Carbon County. But the sheriff tells them they have no chance of getting one, and that they will be hunted down until they are killed by the posse.Still on the run the next day, they muse about the identities of their pursuers. They fixate on Lord Baltimore, a famous Indian tracker, and Joe Lefors, a tough, renowned lawman, identifiable by his white skimmer hat (which the lead posse member is wearing). After climbing some mountains, they suddenly find themselves trapped on the edge of a canyon. With their unseen persuers on their tail, they decide to jump into the river far below, even though Sundance can't swim and would prefer to fight.Later that day, they arrive at Etta's house and learn from the local newspapers all about the posse and the identities of their persuers and that they have been paid to stay together until they kill Butch and the Kid. They decide it's time to leave the country. Destination: Bolivia.After a montage of showing Butch, Sundance, and Etta of their travels to New York, they arrive in a small Bolivian village at the end of the world. Sundance already resents the choice. Their first attempted bank robbery stops before it gets off the ground, as they are unable to speak or understand Spanish. Etta teaches them the words they need. Their next robbery is clumsily executed, as Butch still needs his cribsheet. After each robbery, they seem to get better, until they are sought by the authorities all over Bolivia.However, their confidence drops as one evening when Butch, Sundance, and Etta are having dinner at a fancy restaurant in a nearby town when they see a man wearing a white straw hat standing on the other side of the street talking to a few men. Fearing that Lefors is once again after them, Butch suggests going straight, so as to not attract Lefors' attention.They get their first honest job as payroll guards in a mine, directed by an American, named Garris (Strother Martin). However, on their first working day, they are attacked by highwaymen. Garris is killed, and Butch and Sundance are forced to kill the Bolivian robbers. Ironically, Butch had never killed a man in his entire criminal career, but while they are attempting to go straight, he is forced to kill the bandidos. Since they seem unable to escape violence regardless of their occupation, they decide to return to robbery. That evening, Etta decides to leave them as she senses that their days are numbered and she doesn't want to watch them die.A few days later, Butch and Sundance attack a payroll mule train in the jungle, taking the money and the mule. When they arrive in the nearest town, San Vicente, a stable boy recognizes the brand on the mule's backside and alerts the local police. While Butch and Sundance are eating at a local eatery, the police arrive and a climatic gun battle begins.The two of them manage to find shelter in an empty house, but they're soon low on ammunition. Butch makes a run to the mule to fetch the rest of the ammunition while Sundance covers him, shooting several Bolivian policemen. But even the "fastest gun in the West" cannot match the twenty or more Bolivian policemen at once. Butch manages to retrieve the ammunition and runs back to the house, but they are both wounded. While tending to their wounds in the house, about 100 soldiers of the Bolivian cavalry arrive and surround the place, eager to get at the notorious 'Bandidos Yanquis'.The wounded pair discuss where they will be going next, realizing that their time is up (Butch suggests Australia, where at least they speak English). They dash out of the house in a futile attempt to get to their horses. The image freezes and slowly turns to a sepia tone tintype while a voice is heard ordering: "Fuego!" (Fire), followed by the sound of hundreds of rifles being fired in three consecutive volleys....

Tags: murder, cult, violence, humor, tragedy, historical

Review:
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is rightfully hailed as one of the greatest westerns ever made, although much of the movie takes place in South America.
It is a great look at two likeable outlaws, full of witty dialogue and exciting action sequences.Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and The Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) are two bank robbers, chased by the law.
Paul Newman, one of if not the best actor of our time is the lead along with Robert Redford, the two go together perfectly, I dare say this is one of the best combinations in Hollywood history.Anyways the story takes place in the midwest, Newman and Redord run "The Hole in the Wall Gang" named after their hideout.
George Roy Hill, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford all went on to create "The Sting" in 1973, which is possibly one of the best movies ever made.
Few, if any, were better than him.One remembers this western for several things: the two leads looking over their shoulders incredulous that their pursers seem to be always there; Paul Newman riding a bicycle to the tune of "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," the beautiful Katharine Ross, the chemistry of Newman and Robert Redford as a two-man team, on and on.
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is a great film just due to the pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
However, with a smart story and great direction by George Roy Hill, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was the smash-hit of 1969 as it achieved box office dominance and won more Oscars (four) than any other film that year.
The film-makers went for comedy and action, but it is the drama and the likable characters that make "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" one of the best films produced in the 1960s.
OK, for those of you who aren't sure whether "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" is a good, or even great movie, just do the following:Scroll up to "memorable quotes".
There's genuine emotion and warmth in a lot of that.Conrad Hall, George Roy Hill, Burt Bacharach et al all contributed marvelously but I love the cast; such quality and for some of them, in small, but memorable roles:  George Furth, Ted Cassidy, Kenneth Mars, Strother Martin, Katherine Ross and the stars at the top; Newman and Redford who did perfect justice to Goldman's script..
Katherine Ross adds to this film in the role as the beautiful Etta Place, as does the score, which makes us feel good about going to the movies.
Paul Newman & Robert Redford play Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid in director George Roy Hill's take on the historical pair of western outlaws who amiably(!) rob banks and trains with their hole-in-the-wall-gang, who soon find themselves wanted men who must flee across the west, taking refuge where they can, and especially with their lady friend Etta Place(Katherine Ross) before they make that fateful trip to Bolivia...Though Paul Newman & Robert Redford are undeniably appealing as the title characters, and the hit song, "Raindrops keep falling on my head" is wonderful, film itself is far too protracted and tedious to succeed; it just didn't hold my interest, though both "Unsolved Mysteries" & "In Search Of..." did excellent jobs focusing on Butch, and whether or not he survived that Bolivian gunfight(no word on Sundance).
No fault of the actors as Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Newman especially, make the characters of Butch and Sundance respectively easy to like.
Its plot is boring for the most part, although it does pick up in the second half.Maybe Butch (Paul Newman) and the "Kid" (Robert Redford) charm viewers with their roguish and outlaw attitudes and behavior, so that they, in effect, become the story.
A truly revisionist western in the best sense of the term, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was one of the quintessential American movies of the sixties; a huge commercial success and showered with Oscars.
and Sundance ..." certainly isn't one of them.Admittedly Newman and Redford coast their way through the film; they look like they are having too much fun.
The plot does little but provide some funny chases and ample oppourtunity for the two stars to play off each other to great effect.Ross is good but really this is only Newman and Redford's film, and they play it well.
It has slow portions and bits that don't really work too well, but as long as Newman and Redford are on screen then fun is never too far away.Overall this is not a great western, but as a classic buddy comedy it's bang on.
After the special posse of experts is finally formed and is pursuing them too well, Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) move their bank robbing business to South America accompanied by the Kid's girlfriend, Etta (Katharine Ross).This was the breakout role for Robert Redford's movie career (Redford named the "Sundance Institute" and the annual "Sundance Film Festival" that he founded in honor of this effect).
A Panavision/De Luxe production with music by Burt Bacharach and cinematography by Conrad Hall.Not exactly a hit with the critics of the time, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had no such problems at the box office or with longevity of popularity.
On such things can a movie be made or broken, as it turned out it was the ace in the pack as infamously legendary characters were brought vividly to life.Only based on the basic real life facts of the Hole-in-the-Wall gang led by Butch Cassidy, the film follows the simple formula of two lovable rogue entrepreneurs being chased by a Pinkerton posse whilst robbing their way to a new life in Bolivia.
With the constant by-play between Redford and Newman always engaging (who are those guys?), a number of iconic scenes firmly ensconced in movie folklore, and technical smarts to cherish, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid never takes its foot of the pedal or its grip on your heart.
Furth in fact is my favorite character part in the film.Of course Newman is backed up by the laconic fast draw The Sundance Kid as played by Robert Redford.
But the most poignant moment in the film is when she tells both of the men that she'll go with them to Bolivia after the USA has gotten too hot for them and do whatever they want, but she won't watch them inevitably die because they can't change with the times.A lot of the same themes are expressed in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as were done in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Comedic western based on actual people--Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford).
The movie has some good points--it starts out in sepia (a nice touch) and doesn't turn into color until about 10 minutes in; the bicycle sequence with Newman and Ross with the song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (an Oscar winner) playing; Newman is very good in his role and the lines are funny.
I don't know.I was expecting lots of laughs, some good old fashioned gun fights in saloons, real western stuff.However what I got a a boring, lame-ass, put me to sleep movie, nothing really worth viewing or waiting to view.Aside of some decent camera shots and settings, and the nice stunt work from jumping off a cliff into some rapids...the rest is just a waste.What I don't understand is...these 2 guys robs banks and trains and payroll...they have a ton of cash to spend, but they decide to flee the country with all their wealth and do nothing with it.They eat lavish and wear very nice attire and can live very well of with what they have in finance, but they don't.What kind of stupidity is that?
Buy a house, live by the beach, go fishing...whatever...They had the money to go on a train and on a ship across the ocean and to start all over, fresh...but they totally wasted this opportunity.And back then, it was much easier in terms of getting away with crime So the overall story sucked.Even written in the late 60's, this made for a a really boring movie.After viewing Bonnie & Clyde and Butch Cassidy and the Sudance Kid within 2 weeks of each other, I realize that back in the late 60's...making quality films was close to non-existent.All one has to do is have some lame action for about 2 hours and the characters have to travel across the country - as in soooooo many movies that were made in the 60's and 70's.Assuming that these were really great scripts - which they are not, I would have hated to read the one which the studios passed on.I guess if somebody was able to type 130 pages or so script on a type writer without too many errors, then it would be made into a screenplay.I have seen too many movies where the stories were just time wasters - and they were made in the 60's.Aside from some Clint Eastwood flicks, the rest are just super boring.No real western that emerged from the 60's or 70's had any real plot.Catherine Ross's character was a waste - as were most of the actors in this title.Am I impressed?
Not to mention each scene where Newman and Redford share together are some of the finest moment's cinema lover could ask for.2.The other major selling point of this movie is that it doesn't have the usual elements of most other westerns which are there all the times i.e., needless bloodshed/ revenge plot/ gun tricks and so on.
If there is a list of movies that defied most film conventions at the time of their release, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" would have to be on the list.
The age-old question surrounding this movie is whether it is a comedy or a western.does it really matter?what does matter is a film that is well made,from the fine camera work from Conrad Hall,good direction by George Roy Hill,and charismatic performances by the two leads Paul Newman and Robert Redford.also great support by Strother Martin(bingo!),Kenneth Mars,and also Katherine Ross.it's still hard to believe that Warren Beatty and Steve McQueen were originally supposed to play the two outlaws.the only real problem i have is with the film's soundtrack which can seem a bit sugary for the subject.never mind-sit back and enjoy a marvelous piece of entertainment from a group of old pros..
It's lasted because it's so good, and also because it did some things that were unusual at the time but became very customary soon after.It's funny to read the comments from people knocking this film as a form of praising "The Wild Bunch." They were both westerns made in 1969, and the main characters in both are outlaws, but there's not much else they have in common other than Strother Martin and Latinos dying in slo-mo.
The kinescope bit at the beginning is your clue, this is a western movie that's fully aware of its nature as a movie, and expects the same from the audience.That being said, I'd like to add that the bicycle sequence is my favorite part, because of the great song, the wordless interaction of Paul Newman and Katharine Ross, the way the sunlight dapples the lace curtains and the caramel locks of Etta's hair.
"Butch Cassidy" is one of the most inventive, successful mainstream films ever made, and it's inventive and successful because Hill was the man with the plan behind it.One other thing: If you like this movie but don't have this on DVD, get it.
Though it would later be cemented when they re-teamed with George Roy HIll in 1973's "The Sting," Paul Newman and Robert Redford create one of the greatest film duos in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." You'd be hard pressed to find two names that lit up a marquis together like these two back in their day and its exactly what makes a film like "Butch Cassidy" go from good to timeless.No, the film wouldn't be nothing without them, but it's their over-masculine insults trying to mask their deep care for one another that makes them both funny and endearing, as does their care-free attitude about theft.
I bet you can not find a single person in the movies or in life that would have a bad word to say about him.Butch Cassidy is one of my favourite films of all time but i could pick 10 or more of his films that would make my list of favourites of all time, that was the calibre of his work.Over here in England he is on the front covers of all the major news papers today which times as they are and things that are going on in the world right now speak volumes of how much this screen legend will be missed.RIP Paul Newman.........
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), George Roy Hill is a fantastically entertaining film about the notorious robbers as they escape the closely pursuing lawmen on their tail.
I really liked these characters quite quickly into the film and Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and the rest of the supporting cast do an excellent job.
So thank God Paul Newman and Robert Redford have enough charisma to keep us from snoozing as if we were being faced with a laborious spaghetti western.Newman is Butch Cassidy, Redford is the Sundance Kid; as the Old West's most formidable train robbers, they are said to be legends — just don't expect them to wear the term like a five-year-old dons a Superman cape.
A quintessential buddy film, the way Butch & Sundance work together and that's what drives the movie.Watch it if you are a fan of westerns or just good movies.
Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid, and Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy are wonderful together.
I liked the pairing of Paul Newman (Butch) and Robert Redford (Sundance).
Other than that, the well filmed (although too many strange telephoto shots) western country at least gave us something of value to watch and won an Oscar (they weren't THAT great, if you compare any John Ford Western, or the love song to NYC that Midnight Cowboy's cinematography was, or even Easy Rider's America).In the end, this is a movie which relies on music, the pairing of Redford and Newman, in their prime, cute banter, and MTV slickness, but lacks in any substance whatsoever.
Director George Roy Hill's film of the famous bank robbers of the Old West treats its subjects like modern pop icons, with Paul Newman and Robert Redford not giving performances so much as cutting up for their own bemusement.
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).
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.
With its iconic pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford, jaunty screenplay and Burt Bacharach score, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has gone down as among the defining moments in late-'60s American cinema..
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is a western - crime movie in which we watch two professional robbers who robe banks and trains which deliver money.
Also these two robbers are best friends who are trying to do their best for their "job" and earn as much money as they can.I liked this movie not so much about the plot but for the interpretations of the cast and especially for the interpretations of Paul Newman and Robert Redford who played as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid respectively.
A classic of American cinema, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a surprisingly funny movie at times while being dead serious at others.
This leads to a climactic confrontation between the duo and the police.Before I gripe, I do enjoy this film a lot and think that Paul Newman and Robert Redford have great on screen presence and chemistry.
the music unfortunately is atrociously weird and dates the film more so than knowing Paul Newman is long gone (a real bummer every time i think about it) the movie is a classic and is very good if music is my only concern id say thats a pretty small concern the action and characters carry you through and save the day...
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Before I review this movie, let me just say that I love westerns and have no idea why many people consider them a dying genre.
Two great actors in a film makes it even better, Butch Cassidy(Paul Newman) is somewhat of the brains of the operations and The Sundance Kid(Robert Redford) is the muscle or expert gunslinger.
the bicycle scene and music involved is priceless and if you love movies and actors like newman and  redford can't be missed.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford star in this picture about the legendary outlaws with a great script, excellent chemistry between the two leads, exciting shootouts, saloon brawls and every other western movie staple executed in an interesting way..
Considering all of these things put together, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a classic, and a great one at that!