No Kidding

Time for me to talk about another classic I saw recently for the first time, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I had modest expectations going in, in retrospect perhaps too high. I'd loved the Robert Redford/Paul Newman pairing in The Sting (didn't everyone?) and figured there would be something to like here in this earlier film starring the two.

Unfortunately, the great rapport between the two leads -- though considerable -- is really the only thing this movie has going for it. It starts with a deficient script from William Goldman. Decade before he'd perfect the blending of comedy, action, and drama in The Princess Bride, he messed it all up here. The movie is never funny enough to elicit more than the occasional polite smile, never tense enough to bring a sense of adventure, never serious enough to provoke a genuine emotion.

That poor script is then made poorer with bad direction by George Roy Hill. He and his cinematographer seen more interested in showing us the sweeping plains, craggy rocks, and rolling vistas than presenting an interesting story. They also seem to be getting paid by the montage. This movie is drowning in them, sometimes actually presented in sepia tones because get it people? This is history!

In the midst of it all is a ridiculously out of place score by Burt Bacharach. I somehow had forgotten that the famous song Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head was written for this movie. A fine song, but for a Western? And this is actually among the least misplaced musical choices in the styles employed for the film.

Going back to Newman and Redford, their interactions keep this movie from being a total bust. Still, I can't see a reason to watch this movie when you could watch The Sting instead. I rate this movie a D.