Zwei Banditen

One of the best and most-liked films of the 1960s, this is still a fun movie to watch today. When I saw this on DVD on a nice flat-screen set, I was amazed how good this looked. I had seen it several times before on VHS and hadn't realized how good this was photographed. I just discovered Conrad Hall was the cinematographer, which explains it. 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. Those three lead actors, with the repartee between them, and the likability of each, make them fun to watch as they dominate this picture.

It's just solid entertainment and another example of good film-making that doesn't need a lot of R-rated material to make it successful. Photography-wise, the western scenery was great, there were some wonderful closeup shots and I really liked the tinted old-time footage inserted in here.

So, when you combine all the elements, it's no surprise this film won so many awards and endures so well.

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is a great film just due to the pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. These two work so well together that the film would have been impressive no matter what. 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. It did not win the Best Picture or Best Director Oscars as "Midnight Cowboy" and its director John Schlesinger took home those honors, but it has stood the test of time and is right up there with the other imperative films of that important year ("Midnight Cowboy", "Easy Rider", and "The Wild Bunch"). The two titled characters are two shrewd outlaws who love to rob trains and banks. However, the law has about had it with the outlaws and the two decide that Bolivia is the place they need to be. Also along for the ride is school-teacher Katharine Ross who obviously has feelings for both men. They both want to go straight in Bolivia, but temptation is too big for them and in the end tragedy will occur for the titled characters. Of course this film is based on real people, but so little is known about them that the film-makers were able to take many liberties with the tale. 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. 5 stars out of 5.

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". Go on, do it and then read what follows. I'll be right here when you get back.

Finished? Did you read those lines? THAT, my friends, that and the fact they are spoken by some great actors is what makes this film so wonderful. They are perfectly balanced between being funny, endearing and also revealing about the characters. 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.

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). While some respected critics, e.g., Roger Ebert & many others (see the 50% ratings of 'rotten' by 'top critics' reviews of this film on "Rotten Tomatoes") regard this movie as overdone or only "so-so," or "not western enough," most viewers find it still greatly entertaining and interesting.

I agree with the majority: it remains remarkably fresh and fun. There's so much clever banter throughout between the two stars, it borders on comedy (so much we become oblivious to the scores of people we see killed during the story's unfolding). Its Oscar winning screenplay very much draws on actual people and events (but please see Wikipedia's article on Butch Cassidy for how closely the movie mirrors reality). The actual lives and activities of Butch & the Sundance Kid are almost over the top--and so is this movie, too.

George Roy Hill's funny Western is still modern and hasn't aged bad at all. Paul Newman is charming and charismatic, and Robert Redford is energetic. I don't know why some Western-fans doesn't like it because it is filled with powerful and spectacular gunfights, humor, friendship and beautiful pictures - which is the reasons why you watch Westerns, isn't it? I am fully aware of the fact that 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' was an unusual Western when it came. After this there were other attempts or experiments made like this but I don't think that they succeeded. 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' has also the rare ability to even smell, taste or feel classic when you watch it ... Robert Redford was never better than here.

Rating: 9 of 10.