A Fistful of Reviews - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 Hour and 50 Minutes

Reviewer: Dale
Grade: A+

Butch and Sundance are two guys who love what they do. They are masters at it. It is the thing they were born for.

One problem: it is illegal.

You see, Butch and Sundance "rob banks". But they do it well and they do it with style. They love it and the best thing you can do in life is to make a living doing what you love. Just ask
Butch and Sundance.

Sundance is great at strategy and fast with a gun and he is tough.

Butch,........well, people just like Butch. He's one of those guys that people follow into trouble because he has this way of getting you to follow him into it. He doesn't con you, exactly, he just... makes you happy to be a part of whatever he is a part of. Therefore, people follow Butch and they have a good time.

Until the Superposse shows up. One of the robber barons that they have robbed one too many times is a little pissed about it, so he hires the best trackers in the business to catch the best robbers in the business. The Superposse chases them and chases them, as unstoppable and unfathomable as progress itself. If anything, The Superposse is the Twentieth Century and all the progresses that it will bring and Butch and Sundance are part of the pioneering Western spirit that it is coming to crush. In an inspired bit of direction, we never actually see the Superposse. That makes them all the more imposing. No crew of guys could be as horrible as the men we envision in our minds.

This is a wonderful movie. Of course it is well directed. Of course it is well paced. Of course it is well-acted (Newman and Redford are two of the best damn actors that the silver screen has ever produced). Of course it is great. The writing is very, very sharp. If you know anything about screenplays, then you know that this one is studied and even included in several textbooks. Where most Westerns provide fun and shootouts, this one has humor and pathos and poignancy. The ending will simultaneously make you smile and break your heart.
These are men who will never let you know when they are done for, men who never say die, men who are best friends and still act as though they cannot stand one another.

They are the sort of guys that it is a pleasure to spend two hours with.

	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
	Rated: PG Runtime: 1 Hour and 50 Minutes Reviewer: Dale Grade: A+ Butch and Sundance are two guys who love what they do. They are masters at it. It is the thing they were born for. One problem: it is illegal. You see, Butch and Sundance "rob banks". But they do it well and they do it with style. They love it and the best thing you can do in life is to make a living doing what you love. Just ask Butch and Sundance. Sundance is great at strategy and fast with a gun and he is tough. Butch,........well, people just like Butch. He's one of those guys that people follow into trouble because he has this way of getting you to follow him into it. He doesn't con you, exactly, he just... makes you happy to be a part of whatever he is a part of. Therefore, people follow Butch and they have a good time. Until the Superposse shows up. One of the robber barons that they have robbed one too many times is a little pissed about it, so he hires the best trackers in the business to catch the best robbers in the business. The Superposse chases them and chases them, as unstoppable and unfathomable as progress itself. If anything, The Superposse is the Twentieth Century and all the progresses that it will bring and Butch and Sundance are part of the pioneering Western spirit that it is coming to crush. In an inspired bit of direction, we never actually see the Superposse. That makes them all the more imposing. No crew of guys could be as horrible as the men we envision in our minds. This is a wonderful movie. Of course it is well directed. Of course it is well paced. Of course it is well-acted (Newman and Redford are two of the best damn actors that the silver screen has ever produced). Of course it is great. The writing is very, very sharp. If you know anything about screenplays, then you know that this one is studied and even included in several textbooks. Where most Westerns provide fun and shootouts, this one has humor and pathos and poignancy. The ending will simultaneously make you smile and break your heart. These are men who will never let you know when they are done for, men who never say die, men who are best friends and still act as though they cannot stand one another. They are the sort of guys that it is a pleasure to spend two hours with.