Most of What Follows is True

It was a gorgeous day last Friday and, as the sun slowly crept away, the Tribeca Film Festival geared up for its second Drive-in of the year; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The screening was part of a tribute to the amazing William Goldman, who is responsible for Marathon Man, All the President’s Men, and beyond all else both the book and the movie versions of The Princess Bride.

Ever since I first witnessed the sepia toned opening to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, I have been in love with it. I once tried to write down every line that made me chuckle, but found that I couldn’t go 2 minutes without having to pause the movie. It’s funny and witty, but also truthful and sweet. In addition to the writing, the films leads; the impeccable Paul Newman and Robert Redford, created two of the most riveting characters I had ever seen. They engage the audience with every nuance of their movement, smiles, and tone of voice.

However, on Friday, I was really taken aback by the cinematography. The camera acts like an artist framing, highlighting, and blending everything on screen. Between director George Roy Hill and cinematographer Conrad Hall, the choice of what is in focus and how much and from how far things are seen augment the other areas of story telling and really push Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid into being a great film. The writing is brilliant and the acting’s superb, but the camerawork really takes advantage of what make the medium unique.