One of the Most Memorable Films of The Century

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) is one of the most memorable films of the century. Based on real history of two of America's most infamous bandits, the movie became a Western classic, mostly because of the chemistry between Paul Newman and Robert Redford. These two played their bank/train-robbing characters with verve and the hint of a smirk, and moviegoers fell in love with them - guilty or not. The Ultimate Collection Edition begins with silent film clips of the train robbers.

Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford), former members of the "Hole in the Wall Gang," can't forget the easy filling of their money sacks from robbing banks. When banks become to sophisticated to rob, they turn to robbing trains.

The movie opens with Butch walking around a western town and checking out the new bank, one with bars, an alarm bell, and a guard. He looks at the grandfather clock as it strikes three and the closed signs go up and realizes it's a different world. Butch says, "What happened to the old bank it was beautiful?"

The guard replies, "People kept robbing it."

"Small price to pay for beauty," replies Butch.

Thus begins the cowboys' career of robbing trains. The men are as close as a married couple. They agree, disagree and confess secrets to each other. During a conversation when Butch is suggesting they enlist to fight in the Spanish War, they admit their real names. Butch's is Robert Leroy Parker, Sundance's is Terry Longbaugh.

They rob trains, visit saloons, and spend time away from the heat with Sundance's girlfriend Etta (Katherine Ross). There's actually more chemistry between Etta and Butch, who confesses that were not Sundance his friend, he would take up with Etta. Burt Bacharach and Hal David's catchy "Raindrops Keep Falling on Your Head" introduces the fun scene where Butch rides Etta around on the handlebars

Etta knows that Butch has come to take Sundance away for another robbery. When he comments he doesn't know where his money goes, Etta tells him, "Sundance says it's because you're a soft touch, always taking expensive vacations and buying drinks for everyone and you're a rotten gambler."

One thing he and Sundance are not - is afraid. They tackle each robbery like they were born for it. Yet at the same time, these guys have a gaiety about them that confirms they're having fun in life no matter what they're doing. However after a string of train robberies, the law is determined to get them so they're on the run big time. They get cornered and one horse gets shot. They move up into the rocks and are pushed back to the edge of a cliff. That's where we get the famous scene where they jump down into the rapids, hollering, "Oh sh*^.

From there Butch and Sundance follow up on Butch's idea to go to Bolivia. They take Etta along and quickly discover the joy of robbing that country's banks. More drama and good times follow. Many scenes are done as stills in sepia to further tell the story, which frankly I could have done without. I think they just delay the pacing of the story.

Screenwriter William Goldman does an excellent job of creating engaging characters and building intrigue throughout this highly acclaimed film, which won him an Oscar and earned three more for Best Cinematography - Conrad L. Hall, Best Music, Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical) - Burt Bacharach, Best Music, Original Song - Burt Bacharach (music) Hal David (lyrics) for the song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head." The film earned four more nominations for Best Director - George Roy Hill, Best Picture - John Foreman, Best Sound - William Edmondson and David Dockendorf.

Renowned cinematographer Conrad L. Hall certainly deserved his Oscar for his telling this story thought wonderful images. In the beginning of the movie when Butch and Sundance ride off on their horses and crest a hill, the blues and purples of the morning sunrise against the flat rocked mountain ranges tells us better than words this is a Western and what kind of world these characters live in.

Any western fan or fan of Paul Newman or Butch Cassidy who has not seen this film - shame on you!

Special Features - On Disc Two

• All of What Follows is True - William Golden talks about the story. Richard D. Zanuck talks about Fox's take on the film and westerns in general. George Roy Hill, Katherine Ross, Paul Newman take about the making of the film, how it found a funny bone during a time of crisis with the Vietnam War.

"From the second that I read it I knew it was going to be a movie I could look back at with some sense of pride," said Newman.

"There was probably a little fear that maybe it was a little too clever or too much fun and games, but it was still an attractive script and very well written," said Redford.

This is a very interesting feature.

• The Wild Bunch: The True Tale of Butch and Sundance - Don Reeves, curator of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, and others talk about what was fact and what was fiction about the real Cassidy and Sundance.

• Vintage Documentaries and Interviews - includes History Through the Lens Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: Outlaws Out of Time, in which Burt Reynolds and others talks about the real outlaws and how moviegoers routed for the bad guys.

• Interviews with Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, William Goldman and Burt Bacharach from the 1994 DVD.

• Deleted scene with commentary by George Roy Hill

• Production Notes

• The Films of Paul Newman

• Alternate Credit Roll

• Theatrical Trailer

• French, Spanish, English

Director: George Roy Hill

Writers: William Goldman

Cast Members: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones, Jeff Corey, Cloris Leachman

Rating: PG - some scenes probably not appropriate for under 10

Run Time: 110 minutes

Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Format: Color- Widescreen