Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Review- By Michael Carlisle

Title: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Year: 1969
Director: George Roy Hill
Country: US
Language: English 

The New Wave Hollywood Director was vastly different from those who worked in  Classic Cinema. They were often more film-school educated and incredibly counter culture. Every rule the old American cinema established, the new filmmakers would break repeatedly. The Hays code no longer mattered and making a film was not as mechanical. One convention the new Directors broke was defining characters by strict morals, as you see in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, morality became shades of grey.

Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, the film is about Butch and Sundance, who are the two leaders of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. Butch is all ideas, Sundance is all action and skill. The west is becoming civilized and when Butch and Sundance rob a train once too often, a special posse begins trailing them no matter where they run.

With this picture Director George Roy Hill has made a Shakespearean drama out of a Western period piece.  Like many of Shakespeare's characters, Butch and Sundance are tragic heroes, doomed from the start. Their notorious exploits will get them killed, "when", "where" and "how" are questions that will be answered in a matter of time. Hill does an excellent job at creating suspense and eliminating his character's options, until there is no choice but to face death.

This is an excellent 60's picture because it defines the struggles between the generation gap. The younger baby boomers were rebellious and energetic like Butch and Sundance, the posse, like the older generation, was stubborn and would tear down others if it meant sticking to the old ways. Like Midnight Cowboy the two lead characters have a remarkable bond, which is perhaps why we like them. They have each others backs regardless of how tough the situation becomes.

In conclusion, Hill's film is perhaps the greatest Western ever made. Throughout Cinematic history, the Western Genre has been far too cold, serious and cynical. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has moments that are full of humor and fun. Never has a film revolving around doomed characters been so adventurous. I question the choice of "raindrops on my head", but otherwise its a near perfect film. Praise it 4.5/5