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Subtitles for Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

posted 8 years ago by mjlangenbru
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I know a lot of films change the wording around a bit for different reasons when switching between languages, but this one seemed bizarre.

After the Sundance Kid (Redford) says to Butch (Newman) that he can't swim:

Original English Lines "Why you crazy? The fall will probably kill ya."

Subtitled French Lines "Don't worry. We don't have a chance anyway."

Thought it was a bit strange, especially since it takes away from the original brilliant hilarity of their situation. With the French change, it seems like he is just referring to the posse approaching.

Just found it curious as it is one of the great movie lines of all-time in my opinion and the change comes off so flat in comparison.

I wonder what George Roy Hill or William Goldman (the writer) thought of those translations. Maybe that's why George Roy Hill put it in this movie?

Thoughts?

[–] cmashieldscapting 8 years ago

Thanks for posting about the subtitles! I was just going to ask whether the French translations in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid matched the English and you answered my question! (I was impressed, though--that was Newman's real laugh, right? But the French dubbing starts right in over the last laugh perfectly, without missing a beat--that part, at least, was well done.)

The one which was really amusing as hell, and which I came to remark about, was from True Grit. The original line spoken by John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn: "Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-cPWheNyaA The French translation: "I suggest you defend yourself." Geez, are they all that understated and polite?

Here is a terrific French dub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou7SgVLbkz4 (Sorry, best copy I could find at present of "If I Were a Rich Man" from the film Fiddler on the Roof in French--there used to be a better quality one. The lines, "Pardon me, Reb Tevye," and "If You Please, Reb Tevye," are in the original English, but in French he sounds as if he could be on the streets of Paris!)

[–] atlasmb 8 years ago

Those subtitles from "A Little Romance" are hilarious. It makes me wonder if this was an intentional joke by the director.