Butch and Sundance: The Early Days

As the first of the modern-day prequels this has something of a bad rep, but baggage aside it's a pretty entertaining yarn. This is the first and only time director Richard Lester ventured into the western genre and he manages to place his own stamp on the film. Much of it takes place during the winter, which provides for a different visual palette (similar to the look of Altman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller"), and Lester adds his usual throwaway lines to keep things light.

Tom Berenger and William Katt do a good job as Butch and Sundance, and at times Katt's resemblance to Robert Redford is uncanny. Likewise when Berenger wears his hat just so. Joining them are Peter Weller as LeFors (who ends their first encounter by saying ominously, "I'll see you again"), Brian Dennehy as a rustler out for revenge, Vincent Schiavelli as a casino guard, Paul Price (late of Lester's "The Ritz") as a stingy butcher, and John Schuck and Christopher Lloyd as a couple of bumbling outlaws. Also, if you look sharp you can catch Richard Lester's cameo about 34 minutes in, doing a double take during one of the duo's getaways.

All in all, "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days" may not in the same league as the original, but it's a good enough film in its own right, and at least worth a rental.

Gorgeous scenery, well photographed. Good actors. Sweet tone. Inventive bits that echo the spirit of the previous movie. However, I agree with Leonard Maltin on the one flaw: no story. This movie is more or less a collections of vignettes, sometimes with little to no connection with each other. If there had been a developing story to hang these vignettes on, we would have gotten a movie very close to the quality of the previous movie. But as it is now, it's a simple pleasant movie. Even better when you realize the usual quality of sequels.

This unnecessary prequel to a seminal western is still fairly enjoyable on its own and the two leads (Tom Berenger and William Katt), then virtually unknown, mimic Paul Newman and Robert Redford, respectively, surprisingly well; Jeff Corey is even on hand to reprise his role from the earlier film! Good-looking if forgettable entertainment - and curiously straightforward, given the stylization of the original and the involvement of Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT [1964], PETULIA [1968]) who, earlier in the decade, had also directed two rousing adventures, THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973) and its sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1974)!

I have never been a fan of the original Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Though enjoyable, the film has been wildly overpraised for its overly cute script. Are these supposed to feared outlaws or a western Laurel and Hardy. Butch and Sundance the Early Days is pretty much of the same thing. It is fairly entertaining but it is also held captive by an overly cute storyline. This movie pretty much goes through the same territory as the same movie. The actors playing Butch and Sundance, Tom Berenger and William Katt, are very good. There are some enjoyable scenes but they go on forever, like the scenes in the snow that vary from slapstick comedy to an attempt at drama. Basically, if you are not a discriminating viewer and you don't have anything better to do, this is OK.

Under-Shown, under-appreciated, underrated and vastly overlooked gem. An entertaining little western with good performances and situations and with some genuinely funny lines. Look for Christopher Lloyd and John Schuck in brief but humorous character roles, and the menacing Brian Dennehy who offsets William Katt in the film's main gunfight. By no means the heavyweight and complex picture starring Newman and Redford that we all know and love but it gets along quite amiably on its own merits and does nothing at all to offend or tarnish the memory of George Roy Hill's classic. Still, one wonders just how great and memorable the premise could have been if it had been produced in the 90's with Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt as the younger Butch and Sundance. Think about it. While you do, pour yourself a shot of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid then watch Early days as the chaser.