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Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones ... see more see more... , Jeff Corey , George Furth , Cloris Leachman , Ted Cassidy , Kenneth Mars , Donnelly Rhodes , Jo Gilbert , Timothy Scott , Don Keefer , Charles Dierkop , Francisco Cordova , Nelson Olmsted , Paul Bryar , Sam Elliott , Charles Akins , Eric Sinclair

Opening with a silent "movie" of Butch Cassidy's Hole in the Wall Gang, George Roy Hill's comically elegiac Western chronicles the mostly true tale of the outlaws' last months. Witty pals Butch (Paul ... read more read more...Newman) and Sundance (Robert Redford) join the Gang in successfully robbing yet another train with their trademark non-lethal style. After the pair rests at the home of Sundance's schoolmarm girlfriend, Etta (Katharine Ross), the Gang robs the same train, but this time, the railroad boss has hired the best trackers in the business to foil the crime. After being tailed over rocks and a river gorge by guys that they can barely identify save for a white hat, Butch and Sundance decide that maybe it's time to try their luck in Bolivia. Taking Etta with them, they live high on ill-gotten Bolivian gains, but Etta leaves after their white-hatted nemesis portentously arrives. Their luck running out, Butch and Sundance are soon holed up in a barn surrounded by scores of Bolivian soldiers who are waiting for the pair to make one last run for it. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

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90% liked it

65,518 ratings

Critics

89% liked it

45 critics

PG, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: George Roy Hill

Release Date: October 24, 1969

Keywords: buddy, western

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DVD Release Date: May 16, 2000

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Stats: 4,230 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,230)


  • October 25, 2011
    For my 300th review I recently viewed the "classic' film Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. My recollection of this film was that it was very fresh, exciting, and cutting edge filmmaking. Sadly, as is so often the case when something is a very much a product of it's time, it n... read moreow seems trite, overblown and an experiment gone wrong.

    Not to say that Newman and Redford don't command your attention, but there is so much that went astray in this 70's retooling of the western genre (in truth, more of a buddy film if you ask me). Starting with the music - I'm sure signing the then very hot Burt Bacharrach to write the soundtrack seemed like gold at the time, and yeah, it did produce a hit song (a hit song in a western???? Oh well, remember Rio Bravo had Ricky Nelson crooning and strumming guitar... at least that marginally fit the theme, while here, the canned popcorn sounds didn't resonate at all. Frankly it got in the way of the film, as if saying, hey, listen up, I'm Burt Bacharrach and this is my groovy sound!).

    The film starts off well enough, with the sepia toned intro moving into real life while still being sepia. The color doesn't come in until the two stars are riding towards Hole In The Wall, giving the 60's viewer a wow moment of the red rock canyonlands. Of course the print I was viewing must have been an old one, for the color was pretty washed out, sad to say.

    The filming itself isn't bad, with some really nice use of shading, but there were many a script decision made that went sideways. In trying to stay grounded in The Western, there were too many scenes of horses riding like hell - it made me wonder, seeing both heroes on the back of a single galloping horse - surely the poor horse couldn't keep going nearly as long as the film suggested. Further there are the requisite "shoot the bad guy and watch him fall off the roof" kind of stuff - and then the film attempted to say something more meaningful by cranking up a guy's death scream, then doing a close up of his shot up body writhing in pain. OK, nice attempt, but you can't have it both ways - fantasy and realism cannot truly coincide if you're attempting to make a worthwhile narrative.

    The real topper though was in the middle of the film, which was running fairly well except for the overuse of the horse chases. For whatever reason, the director decided to get all artsy again, showing a full 5 minutes of "postcard" pictures that conveniently had the stars front and center. WTF? A minute of this "art" would have been too much, so this went on waaaaay too long.

    In the end what you get with this film is a look into the time in which it was filmed. It was the beginning of an era where boundaries in storytelling were being challenged. Hooray for that, but now the film seems very rooted in those times and very dated. I'm sure it was racy at the time to suggest that there may have been some hanky panky between the Katherine Ross, the female lead and both Newman and Redford - but it was couched in such a way as to be vague and non threatening to the conservative sensibilities.

    Newman and Redford hold this thing together, exhibiting an easy charm and chemistry and do the most difficult thing of all, seeming natural in a film that wasn't. I've heard that a new film focusing on the Kid's later years (assuming that he somehow survived that final shootout)is in the works - it will be interesting to see how this film will be treated.
  • May 31, 2011
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is an iconic film all around, but it's not always a perfect picture. It's minor flaws are overshadowed by it's two stars, a great script, and brilliant cinematography. It has sweep and scope, and plenty of memorable scenes and lines. The modern ... read moreera may find it a little tedious at times with its pacing issues, but witnessing its legacy is reason alone to watch the classic film.
  • March 2, 2011
    Legendary outlaws Butch and Sundance rob one too many trains and an elite force of lawmen force them to relocate to Bolivia. Yet another of Hollywood's romantic reinterpretations of history featuring outlaws who are lovable rogues who don't want to hurt anyone, George Roy Hill's ... read moreclassic western actually features little in the way of gunplay (although the final shoot out is well worth waiting for). The core of the film is Butch and Sundance's enduring friendship and as such it concentrates far more on warmth and humour than bullets and blood; in fact you have to wait til near the end before a single shot is fired. Often when two major stars are paired up, ego prevails and one-upmanship can ruin any potential on-screen chemistry, but once in a while two stars can strike up chemistry that is pure cinematic gold. This is the case with Newman and Redford (a partnership obviously and consciously aped by Clooney and Pitt in the Ocean's films), and its a shame they didn't make more films together. The dialogue is always witty and fun, and the characters are all very endearing; even the romance with Katharine Ross is refreshingly schmaltz-free and understated, and is all the more charming for it. The only dark cloud on the horizon are the cornball musical interludes which some may find some kitsch enjoyment in, but I personally found them dated and unnecessary. This flaw is minor compared to the hugely entertaining whole and it features one of the best endings ever filmed.
  • January 8, 2011
    Fantastic character film. Although not really very, I dunno, westerney. At least to me. It's more about the characters than the surroundings anyways. The music is a little dodgy and out of date in places, but other than that I love it.
  • December 12, 2010
    I don't normally like westerns, but this movie was good. The cast is good first of all, and the story is both sweet and exciting. It's more like a combination of a period piece and Bonnie and Clyde, and less of a normal western. It's a really great movie.
  • December 6, 2010
    WHEE DOGGEE SUNDANCE CHEATED!!!... oh ok lets see them ride horses in the river. WAIT WAIT BUTCH IS FIGHTING HIS OWN GANG!! .... oh nevermind now theyre riding bikes in the sunshine to Burt Bacurach songs. So its pretty hit and miss. Basically i watch westerns to NOT see cowboys ... read moreriding pussy bikes in the stupid pussy green field and falling in love while NOT killing bad guys!
  • November 15, 2010
    To say this movie is a masterpiece of film making would almost not do it enough justice. I can say I loved this movie growing up, not exactly understanding its message and over all philosophy, but I enjoyed all the same, but now it really speaks to me and I see on a totally diffe... read morerent level. This has probably two of the greatest performances seen in any movie of any genre. Paul Neman and Robert Redford prove that while they can be whole hearted and charming they can also pull every string of every emotion. The piece of artwork created here made it a classic in its day, but will also stand the test of time as one of the greatest movies ever made.
  • October 19, 2010
    Slick, witty and incredibly classy western! Even though I, as mentioned in previous reviews, have never been much into westerns, the cinematography and acting alone here made it into an above-average experience. And in containing more than a few well-crafted action scenes, it's q... read moreuite hard to believe that this movie was actually made in the 1960's. In other words, it sure isn't called a classic for nothing :-)

    "Raindrops keeps falling on my head..."
  • fb619846742
    October 15, 2010
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    Although it misses "masterpiece" territory by ever so little, this is a mostly great film featuring two terrific turns from both Paul Newman and Robert Redford, a robbing duo who are on the run from their toughest opponent yet. There are instances when director George Roy Hill ov... read moreerplays the humor card, although I still found the movie funny mostly. This film also gets compared to "Bonnie and Clyde" due to its good sense of humor and the ability to combine that with hard-hitting violence. The thing is, the relationship between Sundance and Cassidy isn't as magnetic as the one between Bonnie and Clyde, although I confess I still liked both characters quite a lot. The ending shoot-out is a blast, and the river jump is just classic stuff. Definitely worthy of the praise it gets, but I don't see it as completely flawless.
  • October 15, 2010
    This was a great, fun film and a pretty good western. It wasn't as memorable as some others westerns I've seen and although the soundtrack and music selection was great for the most part, I found that "Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head", although added to the scene, it really d... read moreated the film.

    Yes, it is one of the great American films, worth watching, just not one of my more memorable films to watch.

Critic Reviews


Dave Kehr
May 27, 2011
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

You have to admire the craft and assurance of the thing even as its artificiality hits you in the face. Full Review

October 1, 2008
TIME Magazine

Every character, every scene, is marred by the film's double view, which oscillates between sympathy and farce. Full Review

Whitney Willaims
October 1, 2008
Whitney Willaims, Variety

The John Foreman production is episodic, but George Roy Hill's direction is so satisfying in catching the full value of the Goldman screenplay that a high degree of interest is sustained. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

William Goldman's script is constantly too cute and never gets up the nerve, by God, to admit it's a Western. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Very funny in a strictly contemporary way-the last exuberant word on movies about the men of the mythic American West who have outlived their day. Full Review

James Berardinelli
February 13, 2001
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Although Butch Cassidy wasn't the first movie to pair up a couple of wisecracking best friends in an action/adventure setting, this film became the model of how well that approach could work when done... Full Review

Scott G. Mignola
January 2, 2011
Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media

Funny and poignant tale of two famous outlaws. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
July 25, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Fine escapist entertainment. Full Review

Richard Luck
October 1, 2008
Richard Luck, Film4

One of cinema's greatest ever advertisements for pure entertainment... Full Review

October 1, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Although much of its freshness has faded, this still-amusing film reinvented the Western for a new generation. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts


    • Butch Cassidy: [to Sundance, upon being challenged to a knife fight by the massive Logan] Maybe there's a way to make a profit from this... [sighs] bet on Logan.
    • The Sundance Kid: I would, but who'd bet on you?
    • Butch Cassidy: What happened to the OLD bank? IT was beautiful. [the name was changed to deter bank robbers]
    • The Sundance Kid: Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?
    • Butch Cassidy: Kid, there's something I ought to tell you. I never shot anybody before.
    • Butch Cassidy: Boy, I got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals.
    • Butch Cassidy: If he'd just pay me what he's spending to make me stop robbing him, I'd stop robbing him.
    • The Sundance Kid: I can't swim. [to Butch]
    • Butch Cassidy: replies: Are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you.
    • The Sundance Kid: You just keep thinkin' Butch. That's what you're good at.
    • Butch Cassidy: Is that what you call giving cover?
    • The Sundance Kid: Is that what you call running? If I knew you were going to stroll...
    • Percy Garris: I'm not crazy, I'm just colorful.

Butch Cassidy and... : Watch Free on TV


Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Trivia

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Ki... Trivia


  • What movie ends with the lime, "Good, for a minute I thought we were in trouble"?  Answer »
  • robert redford and paul newman were the leaders of the "hole in the wall gang" in this 1969 western  Answer »
  • Which two films have Paul Newman and Robert Redford starred in together?  Answer »
  • Paul Newman and Robert Redford acted together in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and what other movie?  Answer »

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