50 years ago: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid released

Buch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Released: September 23, 1969 Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Genre: Western Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 102.31 Worldwide: ? Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 692.24 Worldwide: 1219.4

Directing: George Roy Hill Screenwriting: William Goldman Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin Review: “One of the most-popular, appealing, beguilingly star-driven, tragi-comedy Westerns ever made.” FS Goldman’s “witty script” FS is “loosely based” FS on the real-life “charming, turn-of-the-century, train-robbing outlaws” FS and “early 1900’s anti-heroes” FS “Robert Leroy Parker (Butch Cassidy) and Harry Longbaugh (The Sundance Kid) and the Hole in the Wall gang.” FS “One of the screen’s great buddy teams was born when Paul Newman and Robert Redford saddled up for this rollicking comic western about two legendary outlaws.” TV As the “two handsome leads,” FS they “redefined the buddy movie” A07 with their chemistry. “With a gleam in his baby blues, Newman dazzles as Butch, while Redford became a superstar with his self-deprecating portrayal of the dashing, trigger-happy Sundance.” TV The story follows the “free-wheeling, non-chalant Butch (Newman) and sharpshooting Sundance (Redford)” FS from the Old West to “their final confrontation in South America.” VD After they “bungle their second attempt on the Union Pacific Express…[they] are relentlessly pursued by authorities in a posse. With Sundance’s beautiful, school-teacher lover Etta Place (Ross), they flee to Bolivia to seek further wealth. In the end, they are outnumbered and die in a blazing, hail of bullets, freeze-frame shootout, reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde.” FS “The movie’s key song ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ is a fun counterpart to the actual plight of our friends.” A07 The song is featured during a light-hearted scene where Butch takes Etta on a bicycle ride. Sources: A07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films” TV TV Guide (August 8-14, 1998 issue). “50 Greatest Movies on TV and Video” VD Video Detective (1997). “Top 100 Films of All Time”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists: Oscars: Wins: 4 – Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Song (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”), Best Original Score Nominations: 7 – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound Other Awards: Box Office: Other Lists/Honors: First posted 6/29/2020; last updated 5/31/2023.

The Princess Bride opened

The Princess Bride Released: September 25, 1987 Studio: 20th Century Fox Genre: fantasy/action/romance/comedy Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 30.86 Worldwide: -- Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 66.03 Worldwide: --

Directing: Rob Reiner Screenwriting: William Goldman Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane Review: The Princess Bride is “a warm and silly fairy-tale, played with giddy delight by all concerned and directed with a rich vein of humour by Rob Reiner.” EM13 William Goldman wrote the original novel as an “affectionate pastiche of romantic fairy-tale stories” E18 and then adapted the screenplay as a “sly attack on Hollywood’s tendency to ignore the simple beauty of storytelling.” EM13 The story is framed by a grandfather (Falk) reading to his sick grandson (Savage), who feigns disinterest but is eventually captivated by the tale of Buttercup (Wright) who is kidnapped by Prince Humperinck (Sarandon) and her love Westley (Elwes) coming to her rescue. Throughout the movie, characters deliver excellent parodies of fairy tale tropes: as the “dashing hero” Westley “seems to have dug up Errol Flynn’s swagger” E13 and Buttercup serves as a “fair damsel in distress…who seems to have drifted in from a sitcom.” E13 Swordsman Inigo (Patinkin) delivers “a bouncy dash…stolen wholesale by Antonio Banderas for his Zorro.” E13 We also get a wedding speech from a tongue-tied minister, Billy Crystal and Carol Kane as a comic wizardly duo, André the Giant as a loveable, well, giant, and Wallace Shawn as his brainy sidekick. It all adds up to a beloved story that skewers fairy tales even as it displays great affection for them. Sources: E18 Empire (3/20/2018). “The 100 Greatest Movies” E13 Empire (1/1/2013). “Princess Bride Review” by Ian Natan WK A (). Wikipedia

Accolades: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Oscars: Wins: 0 Nominations: 1: Best Original Song (“Storybook Love”) Hall of Fames: Lists: Experts’ Picks: Genre Lists: First posted 5/27/2025.