Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979)

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

William Goldman (characters)
Allan Burns (written by)

Release Date:

12 October 1979 (Denmark)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A "prequel" of sorts to "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," chronicling the two outlaws' lives in the years before the events portrayed in the Newman/Redford movie. |

Plot Keywords:

Sundance Kid | Butch Cassidy | Prequel | Prison | Hold Up

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

William Katt	...	The Sundance Kid / Harry Alonzo Longabaugh
Tom Berenger	...	Butch Cassidy / Robert Leroy Parker
Jeff Corey	...	Sheriff Ray Bledsoe
John Schuck	...	Kid Curry / Harvey Logan
Michael C. Gwynne	...	Mike Cassidy
Peter Weller	...	Joe Le Fors
Brian Dennehy	...	O.C. Hanks
Christopher Lloyd	...	Bill Tod Carver (as Chris Lloyd)
Jill Eikenberry	...	Mary Parker
Joel Fluellen	...	Jack
Regina Baff	...	Ruby
Peter Brocco	...	Old Robber
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Guard
Hugh Gillin	...	Cyrus Antoon
Sherril Lynn Rettino	...	Annie (as Sherril Lynn Katzman)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Quotes:

Butch Cassidy: But don't you know who I am?
Old Robber: No, I'm sorry, sir, I don't.
Butch Cassidy: Well, I'm a fairly well-known outlaw.
Old Robber: Oh?
Butch Cassidy: Maybe not so much around these parts, but, ah, Utah... Wyoming.
Old Robber: I believe I have heard of you! Mr... ah...
Butch Cassidy: Cassidy.
Old Robber: Cassidy! That's right! Dutch Cassidy!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Magic Sword (#5.11)" (1992)

BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY DAYS (Richard Lester, 1979) **1/2

This unnecessary prequel to a seminal western is still fairly enjoyable on its own and the two leads (Tom Berenger and William Katt), then virtually unknown, mimic Paul Newman and Robert Redford, respectively, surprisingly well; Jeff Corey is even on hand to reprise his role from the earlier film! Good-looking if forgettable entertainment - and curiously straightforward, given the stylization of the original and the involvement of Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT [1964], PETULIA [1968]) who, earlier in the decade, had also directed two rousing adventures, THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973) and its sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1974)!