Original subtitles

(dramatic Western music)

- [Narrator] There's a reason they called it the wild West.

- Are you new around here? - I'm Butch Cassidy.

- Harry Longabaugh, I go by Sundance now.

(slow romantic music)

- Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have a care in the world?

- All you need is money.

- I don't think you can buy happiness, Harry.

- Well, I sure would love to give it a try.

- [Narrator] Butch Cassidy's wild bunch was one of the most

successful gangs of the era.

- Friday night.

The Union Pacific 30 grand in cash.

- This is where I think it might be.

It can set up you and Etta for life.

- You boys are gonna run out of luck these days.

- We're highly skilled professionals.

- [Narrator] This is the true story

of "The Great Train Robbery."

(gun fires)

(train whistle blows)

I was just a young man when I first headed West.

In the years that followed I became a cowboy,

a gunslinger and even served as sheriff of Dodge City,

one of the most lawless towns in the country.

My is name is Bat Masterson.

Now I'm a reporter and I've come West again

to chronicle the world that I know best, the American West.

The lure of gold, land, destiny,

flooded the frontier with men both good and bad.

These are the incredible true tales of the wild West.

(climactic music)

I lost track of how many train robberies I knew about

when I was a lawman in these parts.

Back in those days it was cause for a celebration

if a train got where it was going without getting robbed.

There was one train robbery that no one ever forgot.

(train whistle blows)

(man knocks)

- Sir, I have a telegram for you, sir.

- Well, go ahead and read it.

- Medicine Bow, Wyoming, stop.

Number one held up one mile west of Wilcox, stop.

Express car blown open, stop.

Mail car damaged, stop.

Safe blown open, stop.

Contents gone.

(train whistle blows)

- [Bat] When the Union Pacific Overland Flyer

was robbed just west of Wilcox, Wyoming in June of 1899,

it was only a matter of putting two and two together

to figure out it was the work

of one of the most notorious outlaw gangs in the West,

the Wild Bunch.

The leader of that gang was Robert Leroy Parker

and the second in command was Harry Longabaugh

better known as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

(man knocks)

- Come in.

- [Bat] And nobody knew them better than Etta Place,

the girlfriend of the Sundance Kid.

- Thank you for coming in, Etta.

It's nice of us to grace us with your presence

here in Dodge City.

- I've always enjoyed Dodge City.

And it breaks up the trip nicely.

But my train does leave at three o'clock sharp,

so I only have a couple of hours to talk, Mr. Masterson.

Now according to your letter, you'd like to talk to me

about a train robbery.

- Not just a train robbery, the great train robbery,

that's what folks are calling Wilcox holdup these days.

- Oh my, it's very dramatic, isn't it?

(man chuckles)

But I'm not sure I can be of much help.

I really only know what I read about in the papers.

- Well, let's just see what might come back to you then.

(dramatic music)

I don't think I ever knew how Butch and Sundance

teamed up in the first place.

- [Etta] They met in Colorado, Telluride,

Sundance was a horse trainer, a good one too.

- That is one beautiful mare, is she yours?

- No, just breaking her in for someone in town

that needs a racer, I don't recall the name.

- You new around here?

- Ah, I tend not to stay anywhere long enough for me

not to be new.

- I'm Butch Cassidy. - Harry Longabaugh.

- Harry what?

- Well, I go by Sundance now.

- Ah, so you're from Sundance are you?

- Nah, stole a horse there, went to jail for it,

inside they started calling me the Sundance Kid.

I didn't much like Harry so.

- So, is this man you're working for know

that you're a reformed horse thief?

- Whoever said anything about being reformed?

- So, you thinking about stealing this horse?

- Oh, that crossed my mind.

- I wouldn't if I was you.

- Oh, why's that?

- 'Cause she's my horse.

Just bought her with a partner, same man that hired you.

- Then why'd you ask me if she was mine then?

- Wanted to see if you was a liar.

I don't mind a horse thief but I cannot tolerate a liar.

(dramatic guitar music)

(Sundance laughs)

- I like that.

Butch, right?

- You and Sundance were,

may I say romantically involved?

- Yes, you may.

But Sundance wasn't a talker, neither was Butch.

And I never pried.

(slow romantic music)

- That is one beautiful view.

- Yes, it is indeed.

You're not even looking. (Etta chuckles)

My mother always warned me about smooth talkers.

- Well, you can't blame a man for talking pretty

about a pretty lady.

- Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have a single care

in the world?

- All you need is money.

I mean, once you have that,

there's nothing else to worry about.

- I don't think you can buy happiness, Harry.

- Well, I sure would love to give it a try.

Thought I'd spread out in Montanan, settle down,

maybe even start a family.

I could put these robbing days behind me.

- I just wanna be next to you, it doesn't matter where.

- Well, you don't have to worry about that.

Wild horses couldn't even keep me away from you.

- Am I interrupting something?

- Actually yes. - No.

(dramatic music)

- [Butch] We need to talk.

- What's on your mind, Butch?

- All right, listen to this.

An old acquaintance of mine is the new station manager

in Wilcox, he's gonna come by later to talk.

He said he's got some information that could be valuable.

- Now, I don't know, Butch.

Etta and I was just talking about settling down,

playing it straight.

- But kid, if this is what I think it might be,

it'll set up you and Etta for life.

Let's just at least hear what he has to say.

- Well, I guess it couldn't hurt

to hear a man out, I suppose.

Do me a favor, don't tell Etta.

- Now and I know Butch and Sundance

worked as a team for awhile.

But when did those other boys show up?

- I really have no idea Mr. Masterson.

They were already around when I met Sundance.

- Let's see there was Will Carver, mean as dirt

and played with dynamite, not a good combination.

And Ben Kilpatrick.

- Butch and Sundance always called him the tall Texan.

- You know I arrested old Ben once, not a bad fella.

(man hollers) (dramatic music)

As far as horse thieves go.

(loud crash)

- And don't forget about Harvey Logan.

He went by.

(man hollers)

- Kid Curry.

Born killer. - Yes.

He always unnerved me.

- All three were with Butch and Sundance

on the Wilcox holdup correct?

- So far as I know, yes.

But that's only- - Only what you read.

(dramatic guitar music)

Now what I heard was that it wasn't just dumb luck

those boys robbed that train carrying all that money.

Story goes they got a tip off from the station master

at Wilcox.

- Butch, Pacific Express, that's the car running,

Friday night on the Union Pacific Overland Flyer,

number one from Omaha to Boise.

Bonds, gold, 30 grand in cash and there may be more.

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

Pacific Express, that's the car running, Friday night

on the Union Pacific Overland Flyer.

- How big's the vault?

- Big, it's one of their sturdiest.

You're gonna need some fire power to blow it.

One other thing, there's a railroad posse train

stationed in Laramie.

Two dozen men and horses on it, plenty of ammo,

ready to go as soon as they catch word of any trouble.

- Does that ring a bell?

- All I can tell you, Mr. Masterson

is that Butch and Sundance didn't leave anything to chance.

(dramatic music)

- You get them? - Got them boss.

(man laughs)

- We already got us half a dozen lanterns.

- Yeah, but they ain't Union Pacific regulation lanterns

are they?

What'd they cost us Ben?

- Nothing, stole them. (man laughs)

- That figures.

- Got the birthday candles boys.

(dramatic music)

- Morning.

- What's going on around here?

- Oh, nothing you need to worry

your pretty little head over.

- Well, I am worried, Harry.

What happened to us going off on our own

and buying that farm?

I thought we were finally gonna get settled

after that last job.

- We will, I promise you we will.

We just need to get while the getting's good.

- What happens when the getting isn't good anymore?

You boys are gonna run out of luck one of these days.

- Luck, nah, we ain't lucky,

we're highly skilled professionals.

We just need to get one or two under our belts

and we'll be set for life, darling.

- That's what you said the last time

and the time before that.

Eventually I came to realize, Sundance didn't care

nearly as much about the money as he did

about the excitement of it all.

- What's under there?

- Destiny.

(man laughs) (dramatic music)

- Well, that's cute, Butch but aren't you a little old

to be playing with toy trains?

- This, my friend, is how we're

gonna relieve the Union Pacific Railroad of over $30,000.

We won't even have to fire a single shot.

- All right, let's hear it.

- Now we know the train's gonna be coming in from the east

heading toward Wilcox about 4 a.m.

(train whistles)

That's gonna give us at least a couple of hours

before daybreak.

And that train's gonna be traveling through

the wide open plains.

It's not gonna have any reason to slow down, that is-

- Until the bridge.

- Where are boys are gonna be waiting right here.

Ben and Kid, they'll be acting as signalers

with regulation Pacific Union lanterns.

(train whistle blows)

Now that bridge has gone out before

when the river's flooded.

The engineer's gonna think that our boys

just saved them from going right to the river.

(train runs then stops)

- That was some storm come through this canyon.

(dramatic music)

- Let's open up that (indistinct).

- [Butch] And I'll be the lookout on the hill

watching the whole thing.

Your job is to make sure there are no delays.

- What about that posse train filled to the brim

with armed lawmen?

- Will's gonna plant plenty of dynamite on the bridge.

Then we've gotta force the engineer

to get across the bridge quickly.

(train runs)

(dramatic music)

(fuse burns)

(dramatic music)

- Will's gonna light the fuse, then skedaddle.

- And then we blow that bridge to high heavens.

(loud explosion)

- Without that bridge, we won't have to worry about

that posse train no more.

- Well, what about the passenger cars?

- Don't need them, once we get over that bridge

and uncouple the car from the express car,

that's where the vault is.

- Nice, we're getting rid of the excess baggage.

- You boys are gonna take that train two, three miles

down the track.

- By that time, it'll be close to sunup, Butch.

- And that's smoke's gonna be seen from miles around,

so you need to get in that vault quick.

- Grab that money and get on out of there.

(dramatic music)

- [Butch] Once you're down the line,

get them to unlock the vault or blow it open.

- And why do I get the feeling that you're lying to me,

if there's one thing I can't tolerate it's a liar.

- I'm not lying to you, mister.

I don't have a key.

That's a Pacific Express car, they own it,

all we do is pull it for them.

Only one who has a key is Mr. Woodcock

and he's in there right now.

- There's someone in there right now?

Well, you tell him to open up.

- He won't open up for me or nobody.

- Well, I guess he just needs a little coaxing.

(dramatic music)

(man knocks)

Mr. Woodcock, in case you're wondering why you're stopped.

Well, sir, you're getting robbed.

Now we don't want no one to get hurt,

so why don't you open that door up,

so we can get in there and get what we came for?

I know you're in there, don't be shy!

- [Mr. Woodcock] I ain't opening this door for nobody!

Those are my orders.

This door's not to be opened till we get to Portland.

- Now don't be difficult Mr. Woodcock.

I'd hate to have to come in there in a bad mood.

- [Mr. Woodcock] I'm sorry, mister, those are my orders

and I intend to keep them.

- Well, I guess we'll take that as no.

All right, Willie, light them up.

You sure we need two sticks,

Butch didn't want nobody getting killed?

- It won't kill them, just shake them up a little.

(dramatic music)

(loud explosion)

(man coughs)

- I'm awful sorry it had to come to that, Mr. Woodcock

but I ain't a man known for being patient.

Now you need to open that safe

so we can finish our business.

- What?

- I said you need to open that safe!

- What'd he say?

- He said you have to open the safe!

- I can't open the safe, it's on a time lock!

It won't open till we get to Portland.

- You sure are making this difficult, Mr. Woodcock.

All right, Willie, you're up again.

(dramatic music)

(bird calls)

- Run for you life!

- How much of it did you use? - All of it!

(loud explosion)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(horse calls)

(man knocks)

- [Sundance Kid] Etta it's me, open up!

- What happened to you two?

- No time to explain, we need you

to take these two saddlebags and hide them

in the dry well behind the old grove.

- And walk, they won't be able to track you

if you don't ride.

- That's right. - Okay.

You mean right now? - Yes.

- Come on, kid, we gotta get out of here.

- There's a posse bearing on us and they mean business.

- Okay, (woman mumbles), okay, okay, okay

but what am I supposed to do if they show up here?

- They're not after you, they're after us.

(horse calls)

- Okay, but when am I gonna see you again, Harry?

- I don't know, darling.

Look, last thing I wanna do is leave you right now

but I gotta go. - I know.

(slow music)

- [Bat] The Union Pacific had every lawman in the territory

after those boys.

- Yes, I believe they did.

And it didn't take long before they were all caught

or killed.

- Well, maybe not all of them.

Which brings us to what happened to Butch and Sundance

in Bolivia.

- I'd rather not talk about that, Mr. Masterson.

It's still very difficult for me.

- I understand.

There's a lot of rumors about what really happened

down there, Etta.

All anybody knows for sure is that two Americans

died in a gun fight with Bolivian soldiers

there in an Vicente.

There's never been any proof it was Butch and Sundance.

- Sundance loved me, he would have come back to me

if he was able to.

The fact that he never did is all the proof that I need.

I'm sorry, Mr. Masterson, but I think I said

all that I can say about this

and it's getting late, I don't wanna miss my train.

- Well, I hope I haven't upset you, Etta.

I sure do appreciate your time.

Have a safe trip home. - Thank you.

Train travel is so much safer now.

- Yep, but not nearly as exciting.

(dramatic music)

This is the only known photo of Etta Place

and Harry Longabaugh, AKA The Sundance Kid.

All five members of the Wild Bunch would eventually

be killed by lawmen.

Though some dispute that Butch and Sundance

died in Bolivia.

Butch and Sundance's Wilcox Wyoming train robbery

inspired the first commercially successful motion picture

in 1903.

- Will you please mention in your article

that I'm living in San Francisco now,

in case those rumors are true?

I'd like Sundance to be able to find me.

- I'll do that, Etta.

(dramatic music)