The Hole in the Wall Gang is legendary. These real-world gentleman robbers were polite, good natured, murderous and as prolific as any gang in the U.S. old west.
Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) is an idea man – grand ideas of gaining great wealth, whether by discovering gold in Bolivia or robbing banks and trains at home. Butch is always looking for profit. He thinks big and talks big – very different from his partner, Sundance (Robert Redford), who lets his gun do the talking. Sundance is inclined to be a loner, but happy to work with Butch. Butch makes the plans, and Sundance makes sure they turn out, in part because he’s an unsurpassed quick draw gunfighter.
Katharine Ross plays schoolteacher Etta Place. We meet her in a menacing scene – she’s being threatened by Sundance. But all is not as it first appears, and we soon learn that the two are lovers. With Butch, they form a remarkably close triumvirate.
Although the gang is successful, time is passing Butch and Sundance by. They’re rebels who are being overtaken by a changing world. It’s not just the invention of the bicycle or the car that’s happening here. It’s also the way the law is pursuing them, with highly professional lawmen with expert tracking assistance on their trail. We’re treated to thrilling pursuits as the two avoid their pursuers, but it takes a near-miracle for them to get away.
When they realize that their success isn’t going to last and that the law is going to catch up with them, Butch, Sundance and Etta look for greener pastures. They retire, head east and ultimately move to Butch’s latest idea of paradise – Bolivia. But retirement isn’t their style.
This is the ultimate Paul Newman – Robert Redford movie. The two are charismatic, good-looking, smart and funny. Each of them makes his character distinctive and real. And each steps back when it’s time to let the other shine. Director George Roy Hill shows a deft touch, knowing when to let the story play out and when to jump ahead in time – bridging with convincing-looking ‘old’ sepia photographs of Butch and Sundance’s experiences.
There are three memorable music sequences, including a famous “Raindrops Keeping Failing on my Head” bicycle scene. The film is packed with unforgettable scenes from what is one of the best ‘buddy’ movies ever made.
While it’s frustrating that we never get to know Etta better, the reality is that this is about Butch and Sundance. It’s easy to understand why she’d find these two charming, and it’s not particularly important to delve deeper than that.
Some might discount Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as a lightweight cowboy yarn, but it’s much more than that. A product of its era, it asks us how non-conformists can possibly fit in, especially when ‘the times they are a-changing.’ This is a good-natured and funny movie that doesn’t exactly answer this question, but it’s great to watch regardless.
