Apr
13
Butch Cassidy, from Alston Mabry
April 13, 2008 |
What is it about heists, and big scores, and Bolivia? Just watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for the first time in a long time. And couldn't help but enjoy William Goldman's terrific writing, much of which seemed very relevant to speculators.
A selection:
_____
(In the beginning, Butch watches a very solid, solidly-guarded bank being closed up for the night.)
Butch (to the Bank Guard): What happened to the old bank? It was beautiful.
Guard: People kept robbing it.
Butch: Small price to pay for beauty.
_____
(The moment of recognition, of reassessing one's positions.)
Macon: I didn't know you were the Sundance Kid when I said you were cheatin'.
_____
(Right after the "knife fight" with Harvey.)
Butch: Hey, what's this about the Flyer?
News: Well, Harvey said we'd hit it both this run and the return. Said nobody's done that to the Flyer before, and no matter how much we got the first time, they'd figure the return was safe and load it up with money.
Butch: Harvey thought of that?
News: Yes sir, he did.
Butch: Well, I'll tell you something fellas, that's exactly what we're gonna do.
_____
(A regime change in pursuit.)
Butch: Ah, you're wasting you're time. They can't track us over rocks.
Kid: Tell them that.
Butch: (Looks for himself.) Who are those guys?
_____
(Butch and the Kid finally escape Those Guys and return to Etta's. They read about the posse in the newspaper.)
Butch: Hey. It was Baltimore. And La Fours. You know who else?
Kid: Who?
Butch: Jeff Carley, George Hyatt, E. T. Kelleher.
Kid: (Looks at the paper.) Jees, we lucked out getting away, you know that? Why would these guys join up and take after us?
Butch: Oh forget it. A bunch like that won't stay together long.
Etta: They will. If Mr. Harriman has his way.
Kid: Who?
Etta: Mr. E. H. Harriman of the Union-Pacific Railroad. He resents the way you've been picking on him, so he's outfitted a special train and hired special employees. You spent the last couple of days avoiding them. It's really sort of flattering if you want to think about it that way.
Butch: A setup like that costs more than we ever took.
Etta: Apparently he can afford it.
Butch: That crazy Harriman. That's bad business. How long do you think I'd stay in operation if every time I pulled a job it cost me money? If he'd just pay me what he's spending to make me stop robbing him, I'd stop robbing him.
_____
(Butch and the Kid get jobs guarding the payroll for mine operator Percy Garris, played by the great Strother Martin.)
Butch: I think they're in the trees up ahead.
Kid: In the bushes on the left.
Butch: I'm telling ya, they're in the trees up ahead.
Kid: You take the trees, I'll take the bushes on the left.
Garris: Will you two beginners cut it out.
Butch: Well, we're just trying to spot an ambush, Mr. Garris.
Garris: Morons. I've got morons on my team. Nobody is going to rob us going *down* the mountain. We have got no money going *down* the mountain. When we have got the money on the way *back*, then you can sweat.
_____
You can watch the movie, in segments, online .
Marion Dreyfus adds:
Wm. Goldman has always been one of my most cherished reads. He is invariably intimate, clever, personable and cunning in resolving his plots. His films are always champions of amusing interactions, psychological insights and ebullient plotting.
Stefan Jovanovich relates:
I once chauffeured Dad and Bill Goldman and one of his friends buddies to a Mets game. Seaver had one of his rare off days and the score was something like 9 to 1 by 6th inning. Dad wanted to leave early and beat the traffic but Goldman and his buddy were determine to stay. As the game ground to its inevitable conclusion, they seemed more and more interested, even animated. It finally dawned on my father that the author he was courting had a more than trivial bet on the over-under -which he won.
Vincent Andres says:
Reminds me another terrific movie from/with Paul Newman about optimism at its top (i.e. life at its worst) :
Sometimes a Great Notion (aka NEVER GIVE AN INCH)
A really great movie in my rememberings.
"Hank Stamper (Newman) and his father Henry Stamper (Fonda) operate a logging business in Wakonda, Oregon. The town comes to grips of economic despair, due to the local union's strike against a large lumber combine. When the Stamper's are asked to join the strikers, they refuse and are considered traitors. However, Hank continues to push his family on cutting more trees, despite Hank's wife (Remick) wishes for him to stop. Shortly later, Leeland Stamper, Henry's other son and Hank's half-brother, returns home after years of absence, which causes more unrest."
Stefan Jovanovich replies:
Vincent proves yet again his impeccable sensibility. SAGN is Kesey's best novel (the only one where his politics did not override his gifts as a writer), and the movie has Richard Jaekel, who was a wonderful actor. It also has a more than decent portrayal of the actual work of logging. (My claim of expertise here is based solely on one summer spent bucking logs for a gyppo outfit in the early 70s in Oregon - truly the hardest work I have ever seen or done.)
Comments
Archives
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- Older Archives
Resources & Links
- The Letters Prize
- Pre-2007 Victor Niederhoffer Posts
- Vic’s NYC Junto
- Reading List
- Programming in 60 Seconds
- The Objectivist Center
- Foundation for Economic Education
- Tigerchess
- Dick Sears' G.T. Index
- Pre-2007 Daily Speculations
- Laurel & Vics' Worldly Investor Articles