NEW Butch Cassidy & The Sundance K (DVD)

1) There are many stories about how exactly Newman and Redford got cast. Some say Steve McQueen was supposed to star opposite Newman, but refused after he found out he would not get top billing. Also, originally, Newman was cast as Sundance and Redford was Butch. Depending on who you ask, either Redford or the Director recommended the switch. Newman strongly backed the casting of Redford, a relatively new and unknown star at the time. We are all glad he did. Their chemistry is fantastically brilliant, with colorful threads of wit, humor, and humanity thread throughout their relationship.

Newman, one of the finest actors of all time, projects a warm and friendly "old buddy, old pal" character as Butch Cassidy. This leader of the "Hole in the Wall gang" is devilish, ingenious, endeavoring, and affectionate (you will love the bicycle scene with Katherine Ross). His "Get rich quick" schemes have him and Sundance living life to the full hilt-alternating periods of lavish living, mishaps in bank/train robbing, and running/jumping/floating from a "out to kill" posse.

Redford's dry wit and serious demeanor nicely compliment Newman's character. No one delivers a line like Redford, you can almost hear his teeth grinding in the background. No scene illuminates this better than when they first arrive in Bolivia with dreams of wealth and easy living to find desolate farm land and a few goats. The wit is unsurpassed here.

2) Quotes/scenes that are classic, or at the very least pretty damn funny-
Butch Cassidy: What happened to the old bank? It was beautiful!
Guard: People kept robbing it.
Butch Cassidy: Small price to pay for beauty.

Butch: Boy, I got vision while the rest of the world wears bifocals.

Butch Cassidy: You jump first.
The Sundance Kid: No, I said.
Butch Cassidy: What's the matter with you?
The Sundance Kid: I can't swim!
Butch Cassidy: Why you crazy--the fall will probably kill you!

Sundance: Can you take the two on the right?
Butch: Kid, I think there's something I oughta tell ya. I never shot anybody before.
Sundance: One HELL of a time to tell me.

Butch Cassidy: If he'd just pay me what he's paying them to stop me robbing him, I'd stop robbing him!

4) If you buy the latest release of the film, there is a bonus "making of" feature at the end. It's a nice summary of how the cinematography, editing, music, and characters all came together to produce "one of the most popular screen westerns ever made, this Academy Award winning classic blends adventure, romance, and comedy to tell the true story of the West's most likeable outlaws."-(back cover) For example, the sepia toned frames of New York with Newman, Redford, and Ross superimposed give the film a vintage touch.

James Dean may have defined "cool" in "Rebel Without A Cause" but Newman and Redford certainly pull no punches in presenting their definition-their wit is beyond cool.