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{{short description|1979 Western film directed by Richard Lester}}
{{Short description|1979 film}}
{{refimprove|date=September 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
| name = Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
⚫
| image = Butch and Sundance- The Early Days FilmPoster.jpeg
| image_size =
⚫
| caption = Theatrical release poster
⚫
| image = Butch and Sundance- The Early Days FilmPoster.jpeg
⚫
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Richard Lester]]
| director = [[Richard Lester]]
| producer = Steven Bach<br>Jack B. Bernstein<br>[[William Goldman]]<br>[[Gabriel Katzka]]
| producer = Steven Bach<br>Jack B. Bernstein<br>[[William Goldman]]<br>[[Gabriel Katzka]]
| writer = [[Allan Burns]]
| writer = [[Allan Burns]]
| narrator =
| starring = [[William Katt]]<br>[[Tom Berenger]]
| starring = [[William Katt]]<br>[[Tom Berenger]]
| music = [[Patrick Williams (composer)|Patrick Williams]]
| music = [[Patrick Williams (composer)|Patrick Williams]]
| cinematography = [[László Kovács (cinematographer)|László Kovács]]
| cinematography = [[László Kovács (cinematographer)|László Kovács]]
| editing = George Trirogoff
| editing = George Trirogoff
| studio = Pantheon<br>[[William Goldman]]
| studio = Pantheon<br>[[William Goldman]]
| distributor = [[20th Century Fox]]
| distributor = [[20th Century Fox]]
| released = June 15, 1979
| released = {{Film date|1979|06|15}}
| runtime = 111 minutes
| runtime = 111 minutes
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| budget = $9 million<ref>{{cite book|first=Aubrey|last=Solomon|title=Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]|date=1989|pages=259}}</ref>
| budget = $9 million<ref>{{cite book|first=Aubrey|last=Solomon|title=Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]|year=1988|pages=259|isbn=978-0810842441}}</ref>
| gross = $5,136,913<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Butch and Sundance: The Early Days|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=butchandsundancetheearlydays.htm}}</ref>
| gross = $5,136,913<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Butch and Sundance: The Early Days|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=butchandsundancetheearlydays.htm}}</ref>
}}
}}
⚫
'''''Butch and Sundance: The Early Days''''' is a 1979 American [[Western (genre)|Western]] film and prequel to the [[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid|1969 film]]. It stars [[Tom Berenger]] as [[Butch Cassidy]] and [[William Katt]] as the [[Sundance Kid]], with [[Jeff Corey]] reprising his role as Sheriff Bledsoe.


⚫
It was directed by [[Richard Lester]] and written by [[Allan Burns]]. It generally received mixed reviews but was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] for [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1980 Academy Awards |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1980 |accessdate=2023-03-23 |work=oscars.org}}</ref>
⚫
'''''Butch and Sundance: The Early Days''''' is a 1979 [[Western film]] and [[prequel]] to the 1969 film ''[[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]]''. It stars [[Tom Berenger]] as [[Butch Cassidy]] and [[William Katt]] as the [[Sundance Kid]], with [[Jeff Corey]] reprising his role as Sheriff Bledsoe.


The film is set in [[Wyoming]]. The outlaw Butch Cassidy finds a new partner-in-crime, but he has a [[stalker]] who wants him dead. The man is a former ally of Butch who is convinced that Butch betrayed their former gang.
⚫
It was directed by [[Richard Lester]] and written by [[Allan Burns]]. It generally received mixed reviews but was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] for [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/oscar/movies/?id=butchandsundancetheearlydays.htm |title=Academy Awards|work=Box Office Mojo|accessdate=2010-09-09}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
{{More plot|date=May 2015}}
{{More plot|date=May 2015}}
In Wyoming, wannabe outlaw Butch Cassidy joins forces with sharpshooter Harry Longabaugh (who renames himself the Sundance Kid) and they carry out a series of robberies. However, Butch is stalked by a member of his former gang, O.C. Hanks, who believes he betrayed the gang. The two spend the winter in Telluride until they hear O.C. is in town, then rush away to deliver diphtheria serum to snowbound farms and become heroes. O.C. ambushes them and wounds Sundance by mistake. He recovers in Butch's home, tended by Butch's wife Mary and their two sons, who don't know their father's real job (he takes up butchery to earn money). O.C. turns up for a showdown and Sundance unintentionally kills him. Returning to crime, the pair rob a bank and then decide to rob a money train guarded by cavalry, not knowing Butch has been promised an amnesty if he gives up crime. They get the money, free the cavalry horses to prevent pursuit, and ride away dreaming of being famous outlaws.
In Wyoming, wannabe outlaw Butch Cassidy joins forces with sharpshooter Harry Longabaugh (who renames himself the Sundance Kid) and they carry out a series of robberies. However, Butch is stalked by a member of his former gang, O.C. Hanks, who believes he betrayed the gang.
The two spend the winter in Telluride until they hear O.C. is in town, then rush away to deliver [[diphtheria]] serum to snowbound farms and become heroes. O.C. ambushes them and wounds Sundance by mistake. He recovers in Butch's home, tended by Butch's wife Mary and their two sons, who don't know their father's real job (he takes up butchery to earn money).
O.C. turns up for a showdown and Sundance unintentionally kills him. Returning to crime, the pair rob a bank and then decide to rob a money train guarded by cavalry, not knowing Butch has been promised an amnesty if he gives up crime. They get the money, free the cavalry horses to prevent pursuit, and ride away dreaming of being famous outlaws.


==Cast==
==Cast==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Tom Berenger]] as [[Butch Cassidy|Butch Cassidy / Robert Leroy Parker]]
*[[Tom Berenger]] as [[Butch Cassidy|Butch Cassidy / Robert Leroy Parker]]
*[[William Katt]] as [[The Sundance Kid|the Sundance Kid / Harry Alonzo Longabaugh]]
*[[William Katt]] as [[The Sundance Kid|The Sundance Kid / Harry Alonzo Longabaugh]]
*[[Jeff Corey]] as Sheriff Ray Bledsoe
*[[Jeff Corey]] as Sheriff Ray Bledsoe
*[[John Schuck]] as Kid Curry / Harvey Logan
*[[John Schuck]] as [[Kid Curry]] / [[Harvey Logan]]
*[[Michael C. Gwynne]] as Mike Cassidy
*[[Michael C. Gwynne]] as Mike Cassidy
*[[Peter Weller]] as Joe Le Fors
*[[Peter Weller]] as [[Joe LeFors]]
*[[Brian Dennehy]] as O.C. Hanks
*[[Brian Dennehy]] as O.C. Hanks
*[[Christopher Lloyd]] as Bill Tod Carver
*[[Christopher Lloyd]] as Bill Tod Carver (billed as "Chris Lloyd")
*[[Jill Eikenberry]] as Mary Parker
*[[Jill Eikenberry]] as Mary Parker
*[[Joel Fluellen]] as Jack
*[[Joel Fluellen]] as Jack
Line 48: Line 52:
*[[Vincent Schiavelli]] as Guard
*[[Vincent Schiavelli]] as Guard
*[[Hugh Gillin]] as Cyrus Antoon
*[[Hugh Gillin]] as Cyrus Antoon
*[[Sherril Lynn Rettino]] as Annie
*Sherril Lynn Rettino as Annie
* [[Elya Baskin]] as Book-keeper
* [[Elya Baskin]] as Book-keeper
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}


==Production==
==Production==
Allan Burns worked on the script with [[William Goldman]], who was on board as executive producer; Goldman added some scenes and moments he wanted to introduce in the first movie but the bulk of the script was Burns'.<ref name="grant">'Sundance': Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch... Lee, Grant. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' (1923-Current File) (Los Angeles) 23 Apr 1978: m40.</ref><ref>The 'Hyphenate' Is Television's Latest Breed of Mogul: The 'Hyphenates' By Bill Davidson. ''[[The New York Times]]'' (1923-Current file) (New York City) 29 May 1977: 47.</ref>
Allan Burns worked on the script with [[William Goldman]], who was on board as executive producer; Goldman added some scenes and moments he wanted to introduce in the first movie but the bulk of the script was Burns'.<ref name="grant">{{cite news |author=Lee |first=Grant |date=1978-04-23 |title='Sundance': Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch |page=M40 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Davidson |first=Bill |date=1977-05-29 |title=The 'Hyphenate' |page=47 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/29/archives/the-hyphenate-is-televisions-latest-breed-of-mogul-the-hyphenates.html |access-date=March 23, 2023}}</ref>


William Katt had recently made ''[[First Love (1977 film)|First Love]]'' and was being called "a young Robert Redford" so ended up being cast as Sundance. Tom Berenger was cast after the studio were impressed by his performance in ''[[Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film)|Looking for Mr Goodbar]]''.<ref>FILM CLIPS: DYAN CANNON'S SHOOTING STAR Kilday, Gregg. ''Los Angeles Times'' (1923-Current File) (Los Angeles) 16 Nov 1977: g19.</ref>
William Katt had recently made ''[[First Love (1977 film)|First Love]]'' and was being called "a young Robert Redford"{{by whom|date=October 2020}} so ended up being cast as Sundance. Tom Berenger was cast after the studio were impressed by his performance in ''[[Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film)|Looking for Mr. Goodbar]]''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=1977-11-16 |title=FILM CLIPS: Dyan Cannon's Shooting Star |page=G19 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>


[[Jeff Corey]], portraying Sheriff Bledsoe, was the only actor to reprise his role from the original 1969 film.
[[Jeff Corey]], portraying Sheriff Bledsoe, was the only actor to reprise his role from the original 1969 film.


Director Richard Lester stated he had never seen the first movie.<ref name="grant"/>
Director Richard Lester stated he had never seen the first movie.<ref name="grant"/>
Line 63: Line 67:
==Reception==
==Reception==
===Critical response===
===Critical response===
[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4 and said it was "technically fine ... But as we listen to the freewheeling dialog, as we watch young Butch and the Kid blunder through their first adventures and finesse their later ones, there's a nagging question bouncing about in the backs of our heads: Why are we in this theater at this time? Did we want to know about the early days? Now that we're here, does the movie make us care? Not really."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/butch-and-sundance-the-early-days-1969 |title=Butch and Sundance: The Early Days |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=June 18, 1979 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |accessdate=April 22, 2019 }}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' also gave it 2.5 stars, writing that "Fox succeeded in getting the actors but failed to provide them with a really fine script. Which is not to say that 'Butch and Sundance: The Early Days' is a bad picture. On the contrary, it's pleasant enough, but that's about all."<ref>Siskel, Gene (June 20, 1979). "Butch, Sundance 'prequel' is too cute to cut it". ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. Section 3, p. 7.</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the film "so lifeless it's almost creepy ... You can't believe that Mr. Lester was in the same continent when it was made." Of the two leads Canby said, "There's nothing remarkably wrong about their performances but, for one reason or another, there's absolutely no rapport between them."<ref>Canby, Vincent (June 15, 1979). "Film: 'Butch and Sundance' Goes Off the Trail". ''[[The New York Times]]''. C10.</ref>
[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4 and said it was "technically fine ... But as we listen to the freewheeling dialog, as we watch young Butch and the Kid blunder through their first adventures and finesse their later ones, there's a nagging question bouncing about in the backs of our heads: Why are we in this theater at this time? Did we want to know about the early days? Now that we're here, does the movie make us care? Not really."<ref>{{cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=June 18, 1979 |title=Butch and Sundance: The Early Days |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/butch-and-sundance-the-early-days-1969 |accessdate=April 22, 2019 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]]}}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' also gave it 2.5 stars, writing that "Fox succeeded in getting the actors but failed to provide them with a really fine script. Which is not to say that 'Butch and Sundance: The Early Days' is a bad picture. On the contrary, it's pleasant enough, but that's about all."<ref>{{cite news |author=Siskel |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Siskel |date=June 20, 1979 |title=Butch, Sundance 'prequel' is too cute to cut it |page=7 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |department=Section 3}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the film "so lifeless it's almost creepy ... You can't believe that Mr. Lester was in the same continent when it was made." Of the two leads Canby said, "There's nothing remarkably wrong about their performances but, for one reason or another, there's absolutely no rapport between them."<ref>{{cite news |author=Canby |first=Vincent |date=June 15, 1979 |title=Film: 'Butch and Sundance' Goes Off the Trail |page=C10 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/15/archives/film-butch-and-sundance-goes-off-the-trail-the-boys-were-younger.html |access-date=March 23, 2023}}</ref>


''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote, "Tom Berenger and William Katt acquit themselves admirably, but simply can't compete with the ghosts of two superstars ... There are some patented Lester hijinks in the first half-hour of the prequel, but these peter out surprisingly soon. What's left is a mishmash of effective stuntwork and visuals, and a story line that moseys along with little suspense or excitement."<ref>"Film Reviews: Butch and Sundance". ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''. June 6, 1979. 20.</ref> [[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called the film "pleasant though slight."<ref>Thomas, Kevin (June 15, 1979). "A Prequel to Butch, Sundance". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Part IV, p. 1.</ref> Gary Arnold of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' declared it "the first attractive Western to mosey across the screen in several years. Not a great or even rousing Western, but at least a pleasant, warmly evocative one, beautifully visualized and incidentally enjoyable for its settings, texture, droll tone and sometimes amusing interplay of characters."<ref>Arnold, Gary (June 15, 1979). "Two for the Comeback Trail". ''[[The Washington Post]]''. B1.</ref>
''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote, "Tom Berenger and William Katt acquit themselves admirably, but simply can't compete with the ghosts of two superstars ... There are some patented Lester hijinks in the first half-hour of the prequel, but these peter out surprisingly soon. What's left is a mishmash of effective stuntwork and visuals, and a story line that moseys along with little suspense or excitement."<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 31, 1978 |title=Butch and Sundance – The Early Days |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/1978/film/reviews/butch-and-sundance-the-early-days-1200424524/ |access-date=March 23, 2023}}</ref> [[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called the film "pleasant though slight."<ref>{{cite news |author=Thomas |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Thomas (film critic) |date=1979-06-15 |title=A Prequel to Butch, Sundance |page=1 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |department=Part IV}}</ref> Gary Arnold of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' declared it "the first attractive Western to mosey across the screen in several years. Not a great or even rousing Western, but at least a pleasant, warmly evocative one, beautifully visualized and incidentally enjoyable for its settings, texture, droll tone and sometimes amusing interplay of characters."<ref>{{cite news |author=Arnold |first=Gary |date=1979-06-15 |title=Two for the Comeback Trail |page=B1 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>


The film reportedly lost $4 million. "It was a terrible movie," said a retired Fox executive. "It was a parody of a satire and it was filmed by talentless people. Naturally it bombed.... It takes a lot of money to produce a western. It has to be shot on location. You need horses, a period town, costumes and other paraphernalia that a contemporary film such as '[[Kramer vs. Kramer]]' doesn't require. That's why studios are reluctant to finance them." <ref>WHY THEY'RE SLOW ON THE DRAW Michael Blowen Boston Globe 29 June 1980: 1. </ref>
The film reportedly lost $4 million. "It was a terrible movie", said a retired Fox executive. "It was a parody of a satire and it was filmed by talentless people. Naturally it bombed.... It takes a lot of money to produce a western. It has to be shot on location. You need horses, a period town, costumes and other paraphernalia that a contemporary film such as '[[Kramer vs. Kramer]]' doesn't require. That's why studios are reluctant to finance them."<ref>{{cite news |author=Blowen |first=Michael |date=1980-06-29 |title=Why They're Slow On The Draw |page=1 |work=The Boston Globe}}</ref>


''Butch and Sundance: The Early Years'' holds a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/butch_and_sundance_the_early_days | title=Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] }}</ref>
⚫
==Release==


⚫
==Release==
A DVD of the film was released by [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] in February 2005. However, Anchor Bay has since lost distribution rights to the film and the DVD was forced to go out of print.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
A DVD of the film was released by [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] in February 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Butch And Sundance: The Early Days DVD |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Butch-And-Sundance-The-Early-Days-DVD/25586/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |website=Blu-ray.com}}</ref> However, Anchor Bay has since lost distribution rights to the film and the DVD was forced to go out of print.


[[Shout! Factory]] acquired the rights to the film and released it on DVD as a double billing with ''[[Death Hunt]]'' on February 1, 2011.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
[[Shout! Factory]] acquired the rights to the film and released it on DVD as a double billing with ''[[Death Hunt]]'' on February 1, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jane |first=Ian |date=January 22, 2011 |title=Death Hunt / Butch & Sundance: The Early Days |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/46583 |access-date=March 23, 2023 |website=DVD Talk}}</ref>


It is currently available on BLU-RAY through Timeless Media Group.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
It is currently available on Blu-ray through Timeless Media Group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Butch & Sundance: The Early Days Blu-ray |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Butch-and-Sundance-The-Early-Days-Blu-ray/81268/ |access-date=March 23, 2023 |website=Blu-ray.com}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0078919}}
*{{IMDb title|0078919}}
*{{amg title|7671}}
*{{AllMovie title|7671}}
*{{rotten tomatoes|butch_and_sundance_the_early_days}}
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|butch_and_sundance_the_early_days}}


{{Richard Lester}}
{{Richard Lester}}


[[Category:1979 films]]
[[Category:1979 films]]
[[Category:1970s Western (genre) action films]]
[[Category:1979 Western (genre) films]]
⚫
[[Category:1979 action films]]
[[Category:1970s buddy films]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:1970s American films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American buddy action films]]
⚫
[[Category:American buddy films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) action films]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Patrick Williams (composer)]]
⚫
[[Category:Films scored by Patrick Williams]]
[[Category:Films directed by Richard Lester]]
[[Category:Films directed by Richard Lester]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid]]
[[Category:Revisionist Western]]
[[Category:American prequel films]]
[[Category:English-language Western (genre) films]]
⚫
[[Category:Films set in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Films about stalking]]

Latest revision as of 11:37, 7 November 2024

Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Lester
Written byAllan Burns
Produced bySteven Bach
Jack B. Bernstein
William Goldman
Gabriel Katzka
StarringWilliam Katt
Tom Berenger
CinematographyLászló Kovács
Edited byGeorge Trirogoff
Music byPatrick Williams
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • June 15, 1979 (1979-06-15)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9 million[1]
Box office$5,136,913[2]

Butch and Sundance: The Early Days is a 1979 American Western film and prequel to the 1969 film. It stars Tom Berenger as Butch Cassidy and William Katt as the Sundance Kid, with Jeff Corey reprising his role as Sheriff Bledsoe.

It was directed by Richard Lester and written by Allan Burns. It generally received mixed reviews but was nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design.[3]

The film is set in Wyoming. The outlaw Butch Cassidy finds a new partner-in-crime, but he has a stalker who wants him dead. The man is a former ally of Butch who is convinced that Butch betrayed their former gang.

Plot

[edit]

In Wyoming, wannabe outlaw Butch Cassidy joins forces with sharpshooter Harry Longabaugh (who renames himself the Sundance Kid) and they carry out a series of robberies. However, Butch is stalked by a member of his former gang, O.C. Hanks, who believes he betrayed the gang.

The two spend the winter in Telluride until they hear O.C. is in town, then rush away to deliver diphtheria serum to snowbound farms and become heroes. O.C. ambushes them and wounds Sundance by mistake. He recovers in Butch's home, tended by Butch's wife Mary and their two sons, who don't know their father's real job (he takes up butchery to earn money).

O.C. turns up for a showdown and Sundance unintentionally kills him. Returning to crime, the pair rob a bank and then decide to rob a money train guarded by cavalry, not knowing Butch has been promised an amnesty if he gives up crime. They get the money, free the cavalry horses to prevent pursuit, and ride away dreaming of being famous outlaws.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Allan Burns worked on the script with William Goldman, who was on board as executive producer; Goldman added some scenes and moments he wanted to introduce in the first movie but the bulk of the script was Burns'.[4][5]

William Katt had recently made First Love and was being called "a young Robert Redford"[by whom?] so ended up being cast as Sundance. Tom Berenger was cast after the studio were impressed by his performance in Looking for Mr. Goodbar.[6]

Jeff Corey, portraying Sheriff Bledsoe, was the only actor to reprise his role from the original 1969 film.

Director Richard Lester stated he had never seen the first movie.[4]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Roger Ebert gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4 and said it was "technically fine ... But as we listen to the freewheeling dialog, as we watch young Butch and the Kid blunder through their first adventures and finesse their later ones, there's a nagging question bouncing about in the backs of our heads: Why are we in this theater at this time? Did we want to know about the early days? Now that we're here, does the movie make us care? Not really."[7] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune also gave it 2.5 stars, writing that "Fox succeeded in getting the actors but failed to provide them with a really fine script. Which is not to say that 'Butch and Sundance: The Early Days' is a bad picture. On the contrary, it's pleasant enough, but that's about all."[8] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the film "so lifeless it's almost creepy ... You can't believe that Mr. Lester was in the same continent when it was made." Of the two leads Canby said, "There's nothing remarkably wrong about their performances but, for one reason or another, there's absolutely no rapport between them."[9]

Variety wrote, "Tom Berenger and William Katt acquit themselves admirably, but simply can't compete with the ghosts of two superstars ... There are some patented Lester hijinks in the first half-hour of the prequel, but these peter out surprisingly soon. What's left is a mishmash of effective stuntwork and visuals, and a story line that moseys along with little suspense or excitement."[10] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called the film "pleasant though slight."[11] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post declared it "the first attractive Western to mosey across the screen in several years. Not a great or even rousing Western, but at least a pleasant, warmly evocative one, beautifully visualized and incidentally enjoyable for its settings, texture, droll tone and sometimes amusing interplay of characters."[12]

The film reportedly lost $4 million. "It was a terrible movie", said a retired Fox executive. "It was a parody of a satire and it was filmed by talentless people. Naturally it bombed.... It takes a lot of money to produce a western. It has to be shot on location. You need horses, a period town, costumes and other paraphernalia that a contemporary film such as 'Kramer vs. Kramer' doesn't require. That's why studios are reluctant to finance them."[13]

Butch and Sundance: The Early Years holds a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews.[14]

Release

[edit]

A DVD of the film was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment in February 2005.[15] However, Anchor Bay has since lost distribution rights to the film and the DVD was forced to go out of print.

Shout! Factory acquired the rights to the film and released it on DVD as a double billing with Death Hunt on February 1, 2011.[16]

It is currently available on Blu-ray through Timeless Media Group.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Solomon, Aubrey (1988). Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History. Scarecrow Press. p. 259. ISBN 978-0810842441.
  2. ^ "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days". Box Office Mojo.
  3. ^ "1980 Academy Awards". oscars.org. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Lee, Grant (April 23, 1978). "'Sundance': Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch". Los Angeles Times. p. M40.
  5. ^ Davidson, Bill (May 29, 1977). "The 'Hyphenate'". The New York Times. p. 47. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Kilday, Gregg (November 16, 1977). "FILM CLIPS: Dyan Cannon's Shooting Star". Los Angeles Times. p. G19.
  7. ^ Ebert, Roger (June 18, 1979). "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  8. ^ Siskel, Gene (June 20, 1979). "Butch, Sundance 'prequel' is too cute to cut it". Section 3. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  9. ^ Canby, Vincent (June 15, 1979). "Film: 'Butch and Sundance' Goes Off the Trail". The New York Times. p. C10. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  10. ^ "Butch and Sundance – The Early Days". Variety. December 31, 1978. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  11. ^ Thomas, Kevin (June 15, 1979). "A Prequel to Butch, Sundance". Part IV. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  12. ^ Arnold, Gary (June 15, 1979). "Two for the Comeback Trail". The Washington Post. p. B1.
  13. ^ Blowen, Michael (June 29, 1980). "Why They're Slow On The Draw". The Boston Globe. p. 1.
  14. ^ "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days". Rotten Tomatoes.
  15. ^ "Butch And Sundance: The Early Days DVD". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Jane, Ian (January 22, 2011). "Death Hunt / Butch & Sundance: The Early Days". DVD Talk. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  17. ^ "Butch & Sundance: The Early Days Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
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