Masculinity in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"

Sorry about no update last week...I'm in my last two weeks of classes and am sort of bogged down. So, I leave you with another essay....

Joan Mellen in Big Bad Wolves states, “The ideal man of our films is a violent one. . .Male stars are people manufactured from the raw material of humanity to appear as supermen overcoming women and lesser men by sheer determination and will, involving, in varying permutations, competence, experience, rationality- and charm”(1). This ideal of masculinity is often promoted in Westerns by stoic cowboys pitted against Indians and the Open West. “The Western promotes a masculine ideal of a strong, unemotional, aggressive hero closely tied to nature and hard manual labor” (Benshoff, 254). George Roy Hill’s 1969 film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a Western made in classic Hollywood style, attempts to defy the stereotypes of masculinity by portraying Butch Cassidy as a sensitive, compassionate man who reflects the ideal man of the 1960s, rather than a man of the late 1800s, the time the film is set. However, Butch’s closest friend, the Sundance Kid, reflects the ideal stoic, emotionally reticent man. Through Butch and Sundance’s interactions with each other, with women, and with members of other races, as well as Butch’s eventual evolution towards a more ideally masculine man, the film reinforces typical male stereotypes.
Two different types of men
Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) represent two very different types of men: Butch, the brainy, kind-hearted man of the sixties and Sundance, the aggressive, silent cowboy. The opening sequence of the film stresses both of the characters’ dominance over other men. As the film begins, all characters remain nameless and although you hear other voices, the faces of Butch and Sundance are the only ones visible. Additionally, a shot cuts from Sundance’s face to a gun in a holster and back to his face, which emphasizes his strength and masculine power by placing him on the same level as the deadly weapon. Furthermore, a gun could be interpreted as a phallic symbol and Sundance’s connection to it highlights his masculinity. Once Butch utters Sundance’s name, the face of the other man in the scene is revealed because Sundance’s name itself establishes the dominance that the director relied on Redford’s face to relay earlier in the scene From the beginning, both men, particularly Sundance, are portrayed as idyllic males; men “capable of feats of power and control inaccessible to mere mortals”(Mellen, 5).
Butch embodies traits such as tenderness, intuition, and generosity, feminine qualities that may make viewers question his identity as a male, but also stand as links to his image as a more modern man of the 1960s (Mellen, 7). The Vietnam War was still raging at the time the film was made and in accordance with mass protesting, the ideal man was one who was sensitive and thus, disconnected from the brutal horrors of the first televised war in our nation’s history. Butch is different from the men who pursue him; the men that he and Sundance refer to as “those guys.” “Those guys” who “[threaten] our country, our ideals, our way of life…who led us into a disastrous war” (Brauer, 122). Through his sensitivity and reliance on thought and “love, not war,” Butch attempts to represent a new ideal man who defies the stereotypes of masculinity in old Westerns.
Butch is slight in stature compared to his co-stars and to compensate, his intelligence is continually emphasized as his source of strength. Rather than fight to reacquire control of his gang, he tricks Harvey, a man attempting to stage a mutiny, into a state of vulnerability and wins through cunning. In this scene, Butch leaves his shirt on, enhancing his intellectual traits, which greatly contrasts with Harvey’s bare chest, a symbol of pure physicality and brute strength. Additionally, in the film, twice Sundance tells him, “You just keep thinking Butch, that’s what you’re good at,” and later he assures Butch, “You’re the brains…you’ll think of something.” These statements serve to further contrast Butch from Sundance, and they are meant to emphasize Butch’s position as a leader and a thinker, while portraying Sundance as the physical sidekick who acts on Butch’s orders. This is further emphasized by Sundance’s wish to stand and fight in dangerous situations, while Butch continually thinks of new ideas to avoid violence. Rather than face the Superposse, the group of men attempting to capture Butch and Sundance, and “be done with it” as Sundance suggests, Butch decides they’ll give up crime and “go straight.”
Butch’s interactions with other characters also portray him as a different type of man. When robbing the train, Butch seeks only to obtain money and tries to ensure that none of the civilians are hurt. When they blow the train door open, he ignores the safe and first goes to the wounded man on the floor and asks, “You ok?” Later, when Sundance becomes impatient with an interfering woman, Butch orders, “Put the gun down, there is no need for violence.” Thus, Butch is a “nice bandit” who is less of a threat to society than even the law-abiding men who pursue him with rifles. Finally, the filmmakers attempt to portray Butch’s sensitive and compassionate attitude as the essence of being a “real man.” One of the saloon girls Butch dotes upon insists that he’s “the only real man [she’s] ever met” not because he has money, but because he always checks to see “if [she’s] happy or not.” The filmmakers attempt to emphasize the idea that Butch is the real man by the fact that many people refer to Sundance as “the Kid,” and Butch even addresses him as “Kid.” Although Sundance more properly reflects the stereotypical male, he is referred to as a child, not a man, thus elevating Butch’s character to represent what a true man should be.
Sundance, portrayed by Robert Redford, the “complete man” according to a press release on the film, represents all the facets of stereotypical masculinity. Redford himself asserts that a real man “acts and does not indulge in sissified thinking” as Butch Cassidy does (Mellen, 7). Sundance embodies Redford’s beliefs, always wanting to stand and fight, begging to “just let [him] have one shot at ‘em,” rather than contemplate a non-violent solution. Steve Neale remarks that a real man “is one marked not only by emotional reticence, but also by silence, a reticence with language” (12). Mellen insists as well that “the more silent the hero, the greater his nobility” (13). Sundance is the perfect image of both emotional and linguistic reticence. He is often separated from the pack allowing him to sit in silence, supporting the idea of rugged individualism. For example, in the saloon, he sits outside, speaking only to Butch, and throughout the majority of the film, he is stone-faced, showing little or no emotion. Although different from Butch, this also reflects sixties values as “the traumatic events of the sixties induced the Hollywood hero to tighten up. . .and to find comfort in his own recalcitrance” (Mellen, 249). He is quiet and says no more than he has to, which is in great contrast to Butch who talks incessantly, particularly when the men are in danger of being caught and he is nervous. When Butch tries to talk to Sundance, he reciprocates with one or two words or simply stares at Butch in a way that communicates all he needs to say, mostly annoyance or frustration. Butch notes Sundance’s silence and sarcastically asks, “Why are you so talkative?” and Sundance replies (also sarcastically), “Just naturally blabby I guess.” “Film after film has insisted that the masculine male is he who acts-and kills-without a moment’s thought” (Mellen, 9). Sundance also represents the view of the ideal man as violent. He is noted as being one of the best shots that ever lived, and he kills without thinking, as illustrated by firing his gun before even seeing what he’s shooting at. Hearing a sound behind him, he thinks only of his own endangered existence and kills an unsuspecting snake.
Additionally, Sundance is embarrassed to admit to anything that may make him less manly. He insists that he and Butch fight the Superposse, rather than trying to escape by jumping into the river below them. Not only does he not want to run away like a coward, but he hates having to admit he can’t swim. When Butch won’t let the subject drop, he finally admits, “I can’t swim” and looks away, embarrassed at his failure to succeed at a physical activity. His embarrassment is only worsened by Butch’s laughter at this confession, and so he agrees to jump, gritting his teeth and cussing all the way. Sundance takes offense at anything that may compromise his masculinity, as illustrated when Butch reminds him of standard procedure when robbing a Bolivian bank and he angrily retorts, “I know how to rob a bank.” When the men fail to rob the bank because of a language barrier, Sundance refuses to learn Spanish and sits apart from Butch and cleans his gun instead, a much more manly activity than becoming educated. Sundance is the perfect example of masculinity: violent, silent, and emotionally reticent.
Stereotypes Reinforced
Although the film strives to portray Butch as the better, more idealistic man, in the end, Sundance’s style of masculinity proves to be more effective and Butch even begins to evolve towards becoming that type of macho man. Although Butch is the leader of the “Hole-in-the-Wall Gang,” he often looks to Sundance for approval, support, or advice on what to do. This fact suggests that although Butch is an intelligent leader, he needs Sundance, the symbol of true masculinity, to survive. When the pair is on the run from the Superposse, Butch asserts with confidence, “I think we lost ‘em, do you think we lost them?” When Sundance replies, “No,” Butch quickly changes his mind saying, “Neither do I,” as they continue to ride away. Also, Sundance regularly doubts Butch’s judgment asking, “Sure this’ll work?” and his doubt is always proved to be well-founded as Butch’s plans fail. Additionally, as the film progresses, Butch moves more towards becoming a man more like Sundance because of the failure of his plans. By choosing to go straight, rather than fight, Butch and Sundance wind up in a disastrous situation, and Butch is forced to move more towards stereotypical masculinity to survive. When they try to steal money back from bandits to preserve their jobs, Sundance realizes they will have to shoot the uncooperative bandits. Butch admits that he’s never shot anyone before, again revealing himself as a non-typical male because he has never committed an act of violent aggression. However, “a man is not a real man unless he is also a competent killer” (Mellen 12), and Butch is forced to shoot the bandits to become a “real man.” Although he is shaken by his deed, from that point on he strives to reach true masculinity. He becomes more disconnected from Etta, Sundance’s girlfriend, and when she is speaking to him, he only half listens to her and focuses on Sundance. He supports Sundance’s rejection of farming, a non-violent profession, and realizes that they must remain bandits, a violent and thus, masculine profession.
Butch’s relation to his clothes, as well as he and Sundance’s costumes also reinforce typical male stereotypes. Butch wears a white shirt and grey hat, which emphasizes his sensitivity and role as a “nice bandit.” However, as he moves more towards typical masculinity, he begins to wear a grey shirt and a brown hat, emphasizing his transition to a more violent, “bad” guy. Sundance wears a black shirt and hat for the entirety of the film, emphasizing his role as a stereotypical male and violent bandit. “The Western hero can rarely be seen out of Western uniform, separated from the conventional dress and armoury of the fictional cowboy and gunfighter, for fear of feminizing his body and appearing to offer it for a sexualized look” (Lusted, 31). Towards the beginning of the film, while Butch still stands squarely for a different type of masculinity and possesses many traits deemed as feminine, he is depicted undressing to sleep with a woman. However, as the film progresses, he moves towards fulfilling Lusted’s description and jumps into a pond to bathe fully-clothed. As he moves closer to the image of ideal masculinity, he clings more firmly to his clothing to avoid emasculating himself and presenting himself as a sexual object, rather than a man. Throughout the entirety of the film, we never see Sundance separated from his clothing, even wearing long pajamas when he is sleeping. The men’s clothing also reinforces typical masculinity.
Interactions with Women
Their interaction with women also reinforces typical gender roles of both males and females. At first glance, the film would seem to be progressive in its depiction of male treatment of women. The men bring Etta along on their trip to Bolivia, and she even assists them in robbing banks. However, her primary purpose in the film is as a sexual object. Our first encounter with her does not initially permit us to see her face close up or hear her speak. Rather, we see her curvaceous body and shots of her undressing, and it appears that Sundance is attempting to rape her as he scares her by hiding in her bedroom and referring to her not by name, but simply as “teacher-lady,” ordering her to undress in front of him. We shortly discover that they are a couple, but Sundance’s treatment of her is still degrading and an act that typifies a lascivious male. Additionally, the cinematography emphasizes his dominance in this scene. In each shot of him, there is a close-up on his face which takes up the entire screen. However, each shot of her is a medium shot, making her appear small next to her surroundings, especially compared to Sundance. Etta is his property, an object that he can easily discard, as illustrated by his nonchalance when Butch claims to be stealing his woman. Furthermore, Etta has a relationship with Sundance, the image of stereotypical masculinity, and Butch has no long term relationships, but looks to saloon girls for sexual pleasure. Although Etta displays obvious fondness for Butch and even questions her relationship with Sundance, she stays with the “real man.” Furthermore, Sundance makes it quite clear that he is only inviting her to accompany them to Bolivia because she is convenient and traveling with a woman is “good cover.” He tells her that if she whines or makes a nuisance “he’ll drop her flat.” She also maintains typical gender roles by viewing her position as 26 and single as “the bottom of the pit” and agreeing to accompany them and “mend [their] socks and stitch [them] when they’re wounded,” stereotypical women’s work. A press release about the film from 1969 states, “They’re bringing just one piece of baggage-Katharine Ross.” Referring to her as baggage again emphasizes her role as an object, not a human being. When they get to Bolivia, Sundance reminds Etta that “she’s here to back [him] up-without [him], she’d starve. In this scene, Sundance also reinforces the dominance of his masculinity over Butch’s saying, “And you, you shut up.” Finally, “masculinity was treated as possible for men only through the exclusion of women from their lives” (Mellen, 248). Indeed, Butch and Sundance fulfill the ideals of masculinity only when women are not present, and Etta is there only to remind us of their heterosexuality. She is absent from any important aspects of the film and in the end, she leaves Bolivia voluntarily as they fulfill their masculinity in one last hurrah. According to Mellen, men can choose marriage or Latin America, and the pair opts for the latter with the woman leaving them to their fate as “true males” (286).
The Shoot-Out
The men’s relationship with each other and their final moments together further emphasize and cement their stereotypical masculinity. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a classic buddy film and the Butch/Sundance relationship represents all of the facets present in typical buddy films, and “it set the tone for buddy films to come in the seventies” (Mellen, 286). The buddies only truly flourish without the presence of women and “seem united in a virtual marriage” (Mellen, 286). Their witty banter and incessant quarreling are reminiscent of an old married couple. Even as they lay wounded they tease each other with witty barbs:
Butch: Is that what you call that giving cover?
Sundance: Is that what you call that running? If I knew you were gonna stroll…
Butch: You never could shoot, not from the beginning
Sundance: And you were all mouth…
In their final moments, the men remain close, as a shot of the entire room in which they are taking refuge reveals them huddled next to each other in the corner. Although Sundance’s dialogue may suggest otherwise, he shows his love and loyalty to Butch by wrapping his injured hand for him. The buddies stick by each other no matter what.
They remain true to their typified masculinity until the end and many aspects of the film’s final shoot-out reinforce this. Realizing he can’t shoot well enough to cover for Sundance, Butch runs after more ammunition, and although he is still not as manly as Sundance who is violently shooting down the enemy, his dominance is still emphasized by the fact that he is responsible for obtaining their only hope of winning. Additionally, they maintain their masculinity as they crouch in hiding, each striving to remain tough and not show their pain to one another. They continue their petty quarrels to the end as they bite their lips, determined to hold back the pain, like real men.
In the final shoot-out, their interactions with the Bolivian officers, men of another race, also assert masculine stereotypes. The two white Anglo-Saxon men are able to easily defeat the men of another race. Butch effectively dodges all but one of their bullets, and although the officers easily miss, Sundance successfully kills most of them with only a few shots. Finally, the death of a mule in the scene, but not the horses, emphasizes the value of their masculine traits. The mule, being a sterile, weak being, easily meets its death, while the physically superior horses survive. Thus, offhandedly, it is revealed that masculine men who are strong and aggressive are more highly valued and likely to survive. In “Masculinity as a Spectacle,” Neale states:
The shoot-outs are moments of spectacle, points at which the narrative hesitates, comes to a momentary halt, but they are also points at which the drama is finally resolved. . .They thus involve an imbrication of both forms of looking, their intertwining designed to minimize and displace the eroticism they each tend to involve, to disavow any erotic look at the male body.
The shoot-out at the end of the film really illustrates this point by concluding with a freeze frame of the two men running out to meet certain death. They are portrayed at the height of their masculinity: two buddies without women, running out bloody and sweaty to violently fight for their lives. The film ends with this freeze frame and we are left with the image of two stereotypical masculine men, frozen forever in their manliness.
Although the character of Butch begins as a man very different from the typical ideal man, in the end, he becomes more like Sundance, as Sundance is affirmed as the “real” man who represents what it truly means to be masculine. The film strives to progress past the stereotypes of classical Hollywood, but fails to do so as “the buddy film negotiates crises of masculine identity centered on questions of class, race, and sexual orientation, by affirming dominant cultural and institutional apparati” (Cohan, 195).


Works Cited
Bauer, Ralph. “Who Are Those Guys? The Movie Western During the TV Era.” Focus
on the Western. Ed. Jack Nachbar. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1974. 118-128.
Benshoff, Harry M., Sean Griffin. America on Film. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
Lusted, David. The Western. Edinburgh Gate: Pearson Education Limited, 2003.
Mellen, Joan. Big Bad Wolves: Masculinity in the American Film. New York: Pantheon Books, 1977.
Neale, Steve. “Masculinity as a Spectacle.” Screening the Male: Exploring Masculinities in Hollywood Cinema. Ed. Cohan, Steven and Ina Rae Hark. London: Routledge, 1993. 1-20.

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