Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Written by William Goldman

Directed by George Roy Hill

1998 List Ranking: 50

2007 List Ranking: 73

I’m not entirely sure what I expected from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but I guess I don’t find myself too surprised, either. I knew it was a buddy film and I guess I knew that cops were involved (it’s a stretch, but it works), but I didn’t realize that the film was both historical and a Western (what a shock, another Western). I feel like I don’t hear this film mentioned anymore as much as I used to (I suppose as evidenced by its dropping of 23 spots between the 1998 and 2007 lists), which does make me feel a little bit better than I came away from this film feeling somewhat underwhelmed.

Butch and Sundance in yet another gun fight

Butch Cassidy, played by Paul Newman, and the Sundance Kid, played by Robert Redford, are members of a gang that spends their time robbing banks. When they pull off a train robbery, they are pursued relentlessly across the desert plains, desperately trying to avoid capture. They, for a time, successfully evade the posse by escaping to Bolivia (as one does), where they all too quickly fall into their old ways and become subject to another manhunt.

Redford and Newman

The best aspect of the film are the leading performances of Newman and Redford. I’d seen their pairing once before in 1973’s The Sting, which I really enjoyed (much more than I thought I would), and while this film isn’t nearly as great as that one, their chemistry is still evident here, four years earlier. Redford is more quiet and restrained than in other roles I’ve seen him in, but their constant brotherly bickering never feels forced or wearisome. In particular, I enjoyed the scenes of them trying to rob Bolivian banks without knowing the language. It’s a fun bit of comedy in an uneven film.

Yay…comedy?

Unfortunately, those two performances are one of the few things I found directly enjoyable about the film. It’s not that the rest of the film is bad, it’s just…strange. Choices were definitely made, and I’m not sure why. One of the primary ones is the tone of the film, which swings wildly from comedy to drama…then back to comedy and then back to drama. The film can’t seem to decide if it wants to be a buddy flick or a historical drama. I’m not saying the two have to be mutually exclusive, of course, but that it shifts as often as it does is a little strange. In the beginning of the film (which is shot in black and white and takes an inordinate amount of time to transition to color), the two are shown to be cunning and smart, and they handle their situations without a care. Once the posse is on their trail, however, it becomes life and death stakes, and the film feels like it turns into an entirely different film.

Then, after a strange montage showcasing the fun of New York at the turn of the century, they arrive in Bolivia to discover what a desolate place it is. Then there’s some fun as they try to learn the language, but then there’s shootouts and death and I’m over here just getting whiplash because this film needs to PICK ONE. As far as the montage goes, I understand that it’s to show the disparity between the United States and Bolivia (isn’t it FUN when we rub how good we’ve got it in everyone’s face (especially when it’s not exactly true)?). But, just moments before, the pair were convinced they were going to be killed, so it feels too abrupt to feel comfortable.

It is during this scene that “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head” plays and feels wildly out of place

There’s also the issue of the music in the film. The score is by…Burt Bacharach. I don’t know about you, but when I think of the great film composers…Bacharach doesn’t come close to making the list. It’s an incredibly strange choice, ESPECIALLY when his song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head” is included in a (different) montage. It’s wildly anachronistic (and is, from what I can tell, the only instance of anachronism in the film) and also is only tangentially connected to the film anyway (a song about a guy realizing that his troubles will be over soon is played over a montage featuring the character who is already much more optimistic than the other). it just doesn’t make any sense!

As I said, I’m not sure exactly what I expected from this film, but I also can’t say that I’m very surprised. The film has some great elements, particularly the chemistry and interaction of its two leads, but the rest of the film just doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. If you want to see a really great Newman and Redford film, I’d much more highly recommend The Sting. You’ll thank me for it!

FINAL GRADE: C