LIFE Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

Paul Newman and Robert Redford, two of Hollywood’s most bankable stars in an iconic outlaw story of the Old West, took the tale of bank-robbing buddies above and beyond critics’ dismissal of the film as a weak copy of ‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ making it 1969’s top-grossing film. Over the last half century, the movie has grown in stature and is now considered a defining moment in ’60s cinema. To mark its 50th anniversary, the editors at LIFE present this new special edition that explores “The Lasting Legacy of Butch and Sundance.” Travel back to the Wild West where you’ll meet “The Lives Behind the Legend,” career criminals and folk heroes Robert LeRoy Parker and Harry Alonzo Longabaugh. Then, go behind the scenes of “The Making of a Movie Classic” and examine just how it went from “Cinema Smash to Cultural Icon.” Last, dissect the famous final scene and ride “Into the Sunset.” Packed with photos and inside stories, LIFE’s 50th-anniversary tribute is the perfect collector’s item to celebrate half a century with this Hollywood classic.