Daily Dialogue — April 11, 2014

SUNDANCE: Ready?
BUTCH: No, we’ll jump.
SUNDANCE: Like hell we will.
BUTCH: No, it’ll be okay. If the water’s deep enough we don’t get squished to death. They’ll never follow us.
SUNDANCE: How do you know?
BUTCH: Would you make a jump like that you didn’t have to?
SUNDANCE: I have to and I’m not gonna.
BUTCH: Well we got to otherwise we’re dead. They’re just gonna have to go back down the same way they come. Come on.
SUNDANCE: Just one clear shot. That’s all I want.
BUTCH: Come on.
SUNDANCE: Uh-uh.
BUTCH: We got to.
SUNDANCE: Nope. Get away from me!
BUTCH: Why?
SUNDANCE: I wanna fight ‘em!
BUTCH: They’ll kill us.
SUNDANCE: Maybe.
BUTCH: You wanna die?
SUNDANCE: Do you?
BUTCH: All right. I’ll jump first.
SUNDANCE: Nope.
BUTCH: Then you jump first.
SUNDANCE: No I said!
BUTCH: What’s a matter with you?
SUNDANCE: I CAN’T SWIM!

Butch looks at him, incredulous, then busts a gut laughing.

BUTCH: Why you crazy? The fall ‘ll probably kill ya!

Sundance lowers his gun. Shoots a queasy look over the cliff. Butch slides him one end of his belt. They rise, holding the belt between them, run and jump off the cliff.

SUNDANCE: Ohhhh-ahhhh-Awwwww Shiiiiiiittttt!!!!

— Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), screenplay by William Goldman

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Fear, suggested by Gordon. Today’s suggestion by John Arends.

Trivia: Lula Parker Betenson, sister of the real Butch Cassidy, often visited the set, and her presence was welcome to the cast and crew. During lulls in shooting she would tell stories about her famous brother’s escapades, and was amazed at how accurately the script and Paul Newman portrayed him. Before the film was released, the studio found out about her visits and tried to convince her to endorse the movie in a series of ads to be shown in theatres across the country. She said that she would, but only if she saw the film first and truly stood behind it. The studio refused, saying that allowing her to see the film before its release could harm its reputation. Finally, at Robert Redford’s suggestion, she agreed to do the endorsements — for a small “fee.”

Dialogue On Dialogue: Nothing better than seeing a brave character’s fear exposed like Sundance who is afraid of water because he can’t swim. Brings to mind Indiana Jones and his fear of snakes.

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