| Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Richard Lester |
| Written by | Allan Burns |
| Produced by | Steven Bach Jack B. Bernstein William Goldman Gabriel Katzka |
| Starring | Tom Berenger William Katt Michael C. Gwynne Peter Weller Brian Dennehy Christopher Lloyd |
| Cinematography | László Kovács |
| Edited by | George Trirogoff |
| Music by | Patrick Williams |
Production companies | Pantheon William Goldman |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | June 15, 1979 |
Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $9 million[1] |
| Box office | $5,136,913[2] |
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days is a 1979 Western film and prequel of sorts to the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It stars Tom Berenger as Butch Cassidy and William Katt as the Sundance Kid.
It was directed by Richard Lester and written by Allan Burns. It generally received mixed reviews but was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.[3]
Plot
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
- Tom Berenger as Butch Cassidy / Robert Leroy Parker
- William Katt as The Sundance Kid / Harry Alonzo Longabaugh
- Jeff Corey as Sheriff Ray Bledsoe
- John Schuck as Kid Curry / Harvey Logan
- Michael C. Gwynne as Mike Cassidy
- Peter Weller as Joe Le Fors
- Brian Dennehy as O.C. Hanks
- Christopher Lloyd as Bill Tod Carver
- Jill Eikenberry as Mary Parker
- Joel Fluellen as Jack
- Regina Baff as Ruby
- Peter Brocco as Old Robber
- Vincent Schiavelli as Guard
- Hugh Gillin as Cyrus Antoon
- Sherril Lynn Rettino as Annie
- Elya Baskin as Book-keeper
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'.[4][5]
William Katt had recently made 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.[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]
Release
The film reportedly lost $4 million. "It was a terrible movie," said the 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." [7]
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]
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]
It is currently available on BLU-RAY through Timeless Media Group.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Solomon, Aubrey (1989). Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History. Scarecrow Press. p. 259.
- ^ "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ "Academy Awards". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
- ^ a b 'Sundance': Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch... Lee, Grant. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) (Los Angeles) 23 Apr 1978: m40.
- ^ 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.
- ^ FILM CLIPS: DYAN CANNON'S SHOOTING STAR Kilday, Gregg. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) (Los Angeles) 16 Nov 1977: g19.
- ^ WHY THEY'RE SLOW ON THE DRAW Michael Blowen Boston Globe 29 June 1980: 1.