Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Excellent but underrated film

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY YEARS is a western prequel to BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID; they couldn't make a straight sequel to that movie for obvious reasons. This one sees the notorious duo just starting out, with William Katt (of CARRIE fame) a lot of fun as Sundance and Tom Berenger slightly wooden and uncomfortable as Butch. The film is directed by Richard Lester, of THE THREE MUSKETEERS fame, and much in the spirit of those movies, i.e. very silly, over-directed, and barging its way through genre tropes with high energy and low wit. What does keep this watchable are the minor roles for future greats, with Christopher Lloyd playing a typically goofy role (he gets one of the film's funniest lines), future ROBOCOP Peter Weller a lawman, Vincent Schiavelli a bad guy, and the great Brian Dennehy a typically larger-than-life presence.

On a scale of 1-4 I give it a 2 but it is definitely worth watching Tom Berenger has a very strange resemblance to Paul Newman never thought I'd say that. William Katt also has somewhat of a look like Robert Redford. Especially when he grows a mustache the movie definitely looks like it was filmed for television with the violence toned down I though it would be a shoot 'em up western. While it did have some shooting this movie is more about Butch and Sundance meeting up and starting their outlaw careers. After seeing this one for the first time I actually want to watch the original for the umpteenth time to see what was incorporated into it if you are a fan of the first one you will really enjoy this movie.

I have never been a fan of the original Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Though enjoyable, the film has been wildly overpraised for its overly cute script. Are these supposed to feared outlaws or a western Laurel and Hardy. Butch and Sundance the Early Days is pretty much of the same thing. It is fairly entertaining but it is also held captive by an overly cute storyline. This movie pretty much goes through the same territory as the same movie. The actors playing Butch and Sundance, Tom Berenger and William Katt, are very good. There are some enjoyable scenes but they go on forever, like the scenes in the snow that vary from slapstick comedy to an attempt at drama. Basically, if you are not a discriminating viewer and you don't have anything better to do, this is OK.

Under-Shown, under-appreciated, underrated and vastly overlooked gem. An entertaining little western with good performances and situations and with some genuinely funny lines. Look for Christopher Lloyd and John Schuck in brief but humorous character roles, and the menacing Brian Dennehy who offsets William Katt in the film's main gunfight. By no means the heavyweight and complex picture starring Newman and Redford that we all know and love but it gets along quite amiably on its own merits and does nothing at all to offend or tarnish the memory of George Roy Hill's classic. Still, one wonders just how great and memorable the premise could have been if it had been produced in the 90's with Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt as the younger Butch and Sundance. Think about it. While you do, pour yourself a shot of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid then watch Early days as the chaser.