Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words couldn't be truer in regards to cinematography. More specifically, the cinematography in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. One could watch the entire film on mute and be able to tell you what the movie was about and analyze the character dynamics. No wonder this film was nominated and won countless awards for its cinematography alone! A few examples of this, that stick out in my mind, are: the undressing scene with Sundance and Etta, Butch and Etta on their bicycle ride, and the montage of photographs documenting their journey to Bolivia. 

Our first introduction to Etta is when she comes home late one night and Sundance is sitting in the shadows of her bedroom waiting for her. She enters her room and she hears the sound of a pistol being cocked, she turns, and Sundance tells her to undress. The only light is that of the moon, which filters in from Etta's bedroom window. The moonlight glints off Sundance's pistol, while Sundance is shrouded in shadow. Etta is bathed in the moonlight, and it almost seems like she is glowing when she gets down to her stark white undergarments. This scene had a sense of danger and intense lust. It isn't until the next morning that the audience knows that Etta and Sundance are in fact a couple. This scene (and cinematography of this scene) lays the foundation of their relationship.

Soon after this dimly-lit, lust-filled scene, the audience is thrown into the complete opposite direction, cinematography wise. It is a series of continuous shots filled with the bright, sunny morning, natural colors, and greenery. This is where we get a look into Butch's relationship with Etta. In this beautiful montage, Butch and Etta go for a ride on his new bicycle. Not only is the cinematography of this scene on the other side of the spectrum from the previous, Butch and Etta's relationship dynamic is quite the opposite; its lighthearted, joyous, and loving.

These two scenes, not only show a variety in use of cinematography, but also successfully show the differences between Etta's relationships with Butch and Sundance. This juxtaposition definitively sets up a dynamic psychological effect which carries throughout the rest of the film; lustful and passionate vs. loving and lighthearted. 

One of the smartest moves I thought the cinematographer made for this film was documenting Butch, Sundance, and Etta's journey from the west to New York to Bolivia by showing a montage of sepia photographs. Not only did it save time (and probably a lot of money), but gave more of an authentic feel, since this movie was based on real people and events. The photos also continued the insights into the characters' relationships with each other. For example, there are a string of pictures that show Etta and Sundance slow dancing on the cruise ship together, then a picture of Butch sitting off to the side watching Etta dance with a sad smile on his face. That one moment showed the entirety of their relationship in a nutshell. 

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a prime example of how cinematography works and when it works flawlessly. If one can get all they need to know just by seeing the film, sans sound, the cinematographer is doing something right. As Conrad Hall said, "Cinematography is infinite in its possibilities... much more so than music or language."

Works Cited

"Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid: The Bicycle Scene." - Melbourne Cyclist. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.melbournecyclist.com/video/1684380:Video:18815>.

"Conrad Hall Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/conradhall286371.html?src=t_cinematography>.

"Jarv's Entirely Subjective and Not at All Coloured by Personal Prejudice List of the Greatest Songs Written for Films!" Werewolves On The Moon. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://moonwolves.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/jarvs-entirely-subjective-and-not-at-all-coloured-by-personal-prejudice-list-of-the-greatest-songs-written-for-films/>.

"My Love Of Old Hollywood: Horseathon: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)." My Love Of Old Hollywood: Horseathon: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://myloveofoldhollywood.blogspot.com/2012/05/horseathon-butch-cassidy-and-sundance.html>.

"You May Clap?" You May Clap. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <https://youmayclap.wordpress.com/>.