Went to the cinema...

...this time.  This was shown recently as part of TCM's "Screen Classics" showing in movie theatres across the country.  My sister, Cindy, went with me.  We sat in a movie theatre with about 20 other people, and I laughed heartily at a film that does what few can...not take its subject too seriously...while being obviously constructed by VERY serious people.

You do realize that on every one of these I put up a link to the AFI Top 100 (10th Anniversary Edition), right?  I think I want you to marvel at that list as a sum.  On with the show.

Film 79

79.  "Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid" (AFI Rank #73)

Know what's great?  Hitting Google Images and typing in the name of this film.  Because what you get are a bunch of posed sepia tone or black and white publicity photos of the impossibly handsome faces of its leading men.  As I want to illustrate these articles with shots from the, you know, ACTUAL FILM...this is a little frustrating...and yet appropriate.

1969 is well represented on the list, with 4 films (along with 1976 and 1982, this is the most for any one year).  An odd theme is present in the three on the list that I've seen ("Easy Rider," "Midnight Cowboy," and this one).  I haven't seen "The Wild Bunch," yet, but that's one of only 5 left on the list I've never seen before.  Anyway - all three are "buddy films" where travel is involved, and all three end in *SPOILERS* death.  Oops.  Shoulda said something about spoilers earlier.  I mean, these films have only been around for 46+ years, I understand.  (EDIT:  For the record, I recognize the contradiction in me NOT discussing the end of "Easy Rider" in my essay about that film with what I just did.   I'm a hypocrite.  Sue me.)  I'm not sure what that means, but 1969 was a tough year for the "Age of Aquarius" folks, as Woodstock in August yielded to the tragedy at Altamont in December.  The feel good part of the freedom of the 1960s was coming to an end, and the commercial opportunities/cynicism were settling in.  People also expanded from weed and acid to cocaine.  It was a rough time.  Perhaps these films are accurate mirrors of the time.  Perhaps that's looking too deep.

When I reviewed "Bonnie and Clyde," my friend, Craig, pointed me to an article written by Mike Royko at the time of its release, in which Royko asked people who were harmed by the real-life Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow if they understood that the film was not "real-life," and therefore harmless.  (or something akin to that)  Those affected said that they weren't going to see that film, and Royko concluded the article with a statement that he was obviously wrong to be angry about a movie that glorified some truly horrible people, no matter how fictionalized.  Art trumps reality, and Royko couldn't get that, he stated.  Royko was right.  As were the people who reviewed the film.  Their job was to write about the story presented, historical accuracy/real victims be damned.  Royko's was to write about the real things that story was based on.  Both perspectives mattered.  I mention this because this film does a lot of the same.  I've researched a bit this morning, and the story of the real Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) is fairly accurately told in the film.  And the film makes us love some criminals.  There are parallels with "Bonnie and Clyde" that can be uncomfortable.  I don't care.  I love this film.

This film was directed by George Roy Hill, who had a reputation as an aloof, stubborn, perfectionist.  This film, so exquisitely paced, so dependent on its director for its life, is a joy.  A pure joy.  We've (I've, really) been discussing soundtracks recently.  Know what I noticed while watching this film?  There was NO music after the opening credits until the bicycle sequence with "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head."  Then, another long period of no music until the montage which moved Butch, Sundance, and Etta (Katharine Ross) to Bolivia.  Then, later, the "South American Getaway" piece appears.  Music is barely used in this film, and I think it's a better film for that choice.  It's counter-intuitive, to a certain extent, but it's an effective use of silence.  I think, the longer that I deal with this project, that music is often used to set pace.  Its absence here accomplishes the same goal.  I applaud it, wholeheartedly, for this film.

I also have to mention what I've now come to regard as one of my top 10 of film sequences, the chase sequence.  Watching this 10+ minute segment of film with an audience was great fun.  I probably laughed louder than I should have several times, but I get so wrapped up in the running gag of "Who are those guys?" I can't help myself.  I also thrill at watching as Redford and Newman go from relatively confident to more and more dubious/scared as the sequence advances.  It then becomes desperate, as the two outlaws realize that they are not getting away.  They are being chased by not only the best tracker around, but also by the best lawman, who is leading the chase.  Our heroes are always a distance ahead of their pursuers, but the pursuit never stops.  Never.  It's a wonderful segment, ballsy as hell, and it makes me smile.


Other genius segments include the aforementioned photo montage sequence that serves as our transition between Acts I and II.  The original intention of this sequence was to use the sets for "Hello Dolly," and film a great deal of New York on that set.  The studio withdrew its permission to do so, and so an alternative plan was required.  Still photos on the set made for what was probably a much more effective method of showing time passing.  The sequence feels innovative, it does its job, and it makes us believe the filmmaker really, really cares about what he is presenting.  I may be gushing a bit.  I kinda love this film.  A lot.  I mentioned the "South American Getaway" music.  That montage is also fantastic.  This film is full of iconic images.  Everyone remembers Butch and Sundance jumping off the cliff.  Everyone remembers the ending.  These are all-time film moments.

Writing on this film is tremendous.  Written by William Goldman, who wrote a little film that is well loved, "The Princess Bride."  Eminently quotable, the script is a tight, intelligent piece.  Lines come fast and furious at times, and have the impact of a sledgehammer.  The laugh lines are plentiful, and I really enjoyed the camaraderie of laughing with an audience.  "Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"  "Don't you get sick of being right all the time?"  "I don't know where we've been, and I've just been there."  The script demands that we pay attention, and keep on our toes.  It expects us to be intelligent.  It doesn't pander.  Again, like everything else in this film, this script is well-crafted.

Ultimately, though, as I hinted at early on in this, it is the pairing of Robert Redford and Paul Newman that drives this film, and makes it sing.  Katharine Ross is very good, as is everyone else.  It's Butch and the Kid, though.  Their relationship is so well performed, you can sense the chemistry between the actors.  Both men keep us captivated, time the humor just right, do drama great, show tension...hell everything.  It's a terrific example of the symbiotic nature of acting.  A bad partner can kill a scene immediately.  Even the greatest of actors can fail when chemistry misses.  These two actors wound up making another tremendous film together with George Roy Hill, the Oscar winning "The Sting."  I mentioned earlier that Hill had a reputation as a...prick.  Both Newman and Redford worked with him over and over.  Again, we're talking symbiosis.  I've been on both sides of this phenomenon as an actor and a director, and I can tell you, even in the tiny way that I've experienced it, it's magical.  That's what Newman and Redford feel like whenever they share the screen in this film.  Magic.  It's cool that someone went ahead and filmed this.  We can watch it whenever we like, and marvel.

I love this film.  As Cindy and I were discussing it, she mentioned that our father really enjoyed this film.  We, as children of his that share his sense of humor, also find it incredibly funny.  I'm glad I got to share this film in this way with her.  My sister and I can usually make each other laugh, and this was another thing that we got to share.  It was a lot of fun.

If you haven't seen this film, watch it.  If you have, I can't imagine that you don't love it, so watch it again.  Because it's that good.

Ebert's original review is here.  It's NEGATIVE!  And I could not disagree more.  What he sees as flaws, I see as strengths.  I also quibble with the idea that the language is somehow too modern for the era.  Fuck that.  Roger was off his rocker.  That he could so love "Bonnie and Clyde," which absolutely suffers from pace issues, while disliking this...is mind-boggling.