Stars: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, Cloris Leachman, Ted Cassidy, Jeff Corey, Henry Jones, Kenneth Mars

Director: George Roy Hill

Summary: Comical tale of two semi-legendary outlaws who always manage to stay just one jump ahead of the law.

This revisionist Western comedy, which served as the prototype of the buddy film for years to come, stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, respectively. At the turn of the 20th century, they've become notorious for the skill with which they and their colleagues, the Hole in the Wall gang, rob banks and trains. But their last few jobs have been botched, and after Butch and Sundance return from a brief vacation, Harvey Logan (Ted Cassidy) challenges Butch's leadership. After comically snuffing the rebellion, Butch agrees with one of the gang on risking the double robbery of a Union Pacific payroll train. Despite blowing up the entire baggage car, they survive the first stage of the robbery and spend some down time with Sundance's girl, schoolteacher Etta Place (Katharine Ross). But after hitting the train on its return trip, Butch and Sundance are relentlessly pursued by a posse of world-class lawmen planted on board by the wily railroad president. Realizing that their days are numbered, the outlaws head for Bolivia. The film, which launched the career of Redford and boosted George Roy Hill's to another level, owes its ineffable charm to the terrific chemistry between the two stars, to William Goldman's warm and witty screenplay, and to a director capable of walking a tightrope between the comic and the elegaic.

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Dating from 1969, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidhas never lost its popularity or its unusual appeal as a star-driven Western that tinkers with the genre's conventions and comes up with something both terrifically entertaining and--typical of its period--a tad paranoid. Paul Newman plays the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy as an eternal optimist and self-styled visionary, conjuring dreams of banks just ripe for the picking all over the world. Robert Redford is his more level-headed partner, the sharp-shooting Sundance Kid. The film, written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by George Roy Hill (The Sting), basically begins as a freewheeling story about robbing trains but soon becomes a chase as a relentless posse--always seen at a great distance like some remote authority--forces Butch and Sundance into the hills and, finally, Bolivia. Weakened a little by feel-good inclinations (a scene involving bicycle tricks and the song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is sort of Hollywood flower power), the film maintains an interesting tautness, and the chemistry between Redford and Newman is rare. (A factoid: Newman first offered the Sundance part to Jack Lemmon.) --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

On the DVD: This anamorphic widescreen print of the 2.35:1 Panavision original looks marvellously crisp, highlighting the sepia tinting and washed-out, over-exposed look of the film nicely and making the best of the deep focus cinematography. The mono soundtrack sounds clean and clear in Dolby 2.0. The commentary track is hosted by documentary-maker Robert Crawford with contributions from George Roy Hill, cinematographer Conrad Hall, and lyricist Hal David (who chips in during the "Raindrops" sequence). The 40-minute documentary dates from 1968 and is narrated by director Hill, who talks in detail about the making-of process, comments on his relationship with the three principals (Katharine Ross was the difficult one apparently), and adds little nuggets such as how they sprayed the bull's testicles to make him charge at the end of the bicycle scene. Also included are a series of absorbing 1994 interviews with all the main players: Newman, Redford, Ross, writer William Goldman, and composer Burt Bacharach. Trailers, Production Notes and an Alternate Credit Roll complete an attractive package. --Mark Walker

Aspect Ratio:	2.35 Wide Screen, 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	The Making Of Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid Documentary, Audio Commentary By George Roy Hill And Hal David And Robert Crawford And Conrad Hall, Cast And Crew Interviews, 3 Theatrical Trailers, Alternative Credit Roll, Production Notes, Interactive Menus, Sc
Year:	1969
Release Date:	August 27, 2001
Runtime:	106 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	01061 D V D
Keywords:	Special, Kid, Butch, Cassidy, Sundance, Edition, Wide, Screen, Westerns
Genre:	Westerns