Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

A seriocomic account of the exploits of two affable real-life outlaws trying to make a living at the turn-of-the-20th century, but discovering that banks and railroads are getting harder to rob, especially with a relentless superposse closing in on them. A Best Picture nominee., A seriocomic account of the exploits of two affable real-life outlaws trying to make a living at the turn-of-the-20th century, but discovering that banks and railroads are getting harder to rob, especially with a relentless superposse closing in on them., Paul Newman and Robert Redford star as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, the infamous bank and train robbers. Finally tracked by a persistent posse, they decamp for the quiet life in Bolivia with Etta Place, Sundance’s girl, where they pass into legend in George Roy Hill’s classic western, which offers one of cinema’s most enduring pairings., Two 19th-century train robbers keep one step ahead of the law until finally tracked down in Bolivia., A couple of Wyoming outlaws get involved in a variety of bank and railroad heists. When they feel the heat rising, they set off for Bolivia, where they face a dramatic showdown with the law., Oscar-winning western about a couple of train robbers who are forced to go on the run when the Union Pacific Railroad tires of being targeted and sets a posse on their trail. After being hounded across the Old West, they decide to hook up with a girlfriend and head for South America, where they can begin their activities anew., George Roy Hill’s classic western offers one of cinema’s most enduring pairings: Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. The infamous bank and train robbers are sick of being tracked by a persistent posse, so they decide to relocate to Bolivia, along with Etta Place, Sundance’s girl. There, they hope to pursue a much quieter life, but the South American country is instead fated to be the place where they will pass into legend. William Goldman was awarded one of the film’s four Oscars for his original screenplay; the others went to Conrad Hall for his cinematography, while Burt Bacharach picked up two (one for his score and the other shared with Hal David for their song Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head)., “Not that it matters, but the following story is true,” proclaims the opening title of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In this granddaddy of all Revisionist westerns, Butch (Paul Newman) and Sundance (Robert Redford) are freewheeling, wise-cracking western outlaws, who make a point of never killing anybody. The two wiseguy “heroes” share everything, including the favors of schoolteacher Etta Place (Katherine Ross). After a string of Butch and Sundance’s train robberies, the government puts a white-hatted detective and a posse on the bandits’ trail. With Etta in tow, Butch and Sundance head for Bolivia, where they find that the pickings are much leaner than before. Etta walks out on the two of them, insisting she doesn’t want to be around when they are killed by the pursuing posse. Eventually, Butch and Sundance are cornered in an empty building. Assuming that they’ve only got the posse to deal with, the boys pull out their guns and prepare to do battle — little knowing that the building has been surrounded by virtually every federale in South America. The film’s now-famous final image is a freeze frame of the two outlaws, with guns at the ready and cocky half-grins on their faces, while the soundtrack records the din of the thousands of military bullets which spell “finis” to Butch and Sundance’s story. In addition to providing a full evening’s entertainment, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid also yielded an Oscar-winning song, Burt Bacharach’s “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” heard while Butch Cassidy tools around on his new bicycle. In the tradition of “golden age” Hollywood films, the picture is chock-full of familiar character actors in cameo roles, including Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, Henry Jones, Ted Cassidy, Cloris Leachman, Charles Dierkop, and (uncredited) Sam Elliot and Percy Helton. Albert Goldman’s marvelous screenplay was adapted by the author into a paperback book, which admirably matches the insouciant spirit of the film. No book, of course, could capture the film’s most memorable moment: Butch and Sundance desperately jumping off a towering precipice into a river, as the descending Sundance wails “Oh, sh————-t!!!”, Paul Newman and Robert Redford star as the infamous bank and train robbers who, finally tracked by a persistent posse, decamp for the quiet life in Bolivia with Katharine Ross, Sundance’s girl, where they pass into legend. George Roy Hill’s classic western offers one of cinema’s most enduring pairings., Memorable western about two outrageous and endearing outlaws. Producing a combination of slapstick and drama, the gun-toting, bank-robbing, train-blasting duo shoot their way from one escapade to another across America’s Old West. Winner of four Academy Awards.