Butch and Sundance: The Early Days

PG

Released Jun 15, 1979

1h 51m

Western

Comedy

List

33%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

52%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Prequel to the 1969 western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in which a gang of bank robbers arrive in a small town disguised as preachers. However, their plot is confounded by the presence of a band of Mexican outlaws, and their incompetence at thieving soon shows through.

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Variety Staff

Variety

This prequel doesn't match its progenitor in either casting or style.

Feb 23, 2012

Full Review

Stephen Farber

New West/California

The entire movie seems slightly bloodless.

Nov 3, 2021

Full Review

Bernard Drew

Gannett News Service

It's all pretty bland stuff.

Sep 20, 2019

Full Review

Augusto Martínez Torres

El Pais (Spain)

The main appeal of the movie is the long final scene of the train robbery, where the visual gags are entertaining, appropriate, and well placed. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 6, 2019

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...there's just no storyline holding the whole thing together.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 22, 2011

Full Review

Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Many quirky spins on familiar standards

Jun 28, 2003

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Jennifer F

Quiet frankly a really good prequel! The actors were all unknown at the time, audiences were really critical back then, knowing Robert Redford and Paul Newman, but you will recognize many of them now. Having lived in the West for many years, this is a local treasure and an entertaining script, much needed in the today's state of overt 'perfection'. If not for the imperfect individual fortitude of those before us, we wouldn't be here to complain about it. Enjoy!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/08/23

Full Review

sam f

Always enjoyed this look back at these characters, and the cast is great. The first-ever "prequel."

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

If there absolutely positively had to be another Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, without Paul Newman or Robert Redford then this belated follow-up is actually pretty good.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Not a bad western, it has good sets, costumes and decent cinematography. It's a bit slow at times but overall it was entertaining. Good leads, well made.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979) My Rating: 6/10 Genre: Western, Comedy Director: Richard Lester MPAA Rating: PG Runtime: 115 minutes Available On: DVD

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A prequel to the original film. I thought it was good.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

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Richard Lester

Director

William Katt

The Sundance Kid

Tom Berenger

Butch Cassidy

Jill Eikenberry

Mary Parker

Jeff Corey

Sheriff Ray Bledsoe

Paul Plunkett

Bob Cassidy

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Synopsis

Prequel to the 1969 western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in which a gang of bank robbers arrive in a small town disguised as preachers. However, their plot is confounded by the presence of a band of Mexican outlaws, and their incompetence at thieving soon shows through.

Director: Richard Lester
Producer: Gabriel Katzka, Steven Bach
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: PG
Genre: Western, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 15, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 19, 2020
Runtime: 1h 51m