“Once they divide up, we take 'em. No trouble. Right?”
Why it's great
The plan sounds routine until the nervous Right? gives him away.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
Once they leave, we finish. No trouble. Right?
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Who Are Those Guys, Explained
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid · 1969
Chapter 6 of 12 · 2'06"
Butch and Sundance wait to spring an ambush, but the men following them refuse to split up and the plan collapses. A flat 'Maybe' and the question 'Who are those guys?' capture the shift: the hunters have become the hunted, and for once they don't know who is chasing them.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:02–1:19
Butch and Sundance Set a Failed Ambush
77s - 1:52–2:04
❝ Monologue · 4 lines Ray's angry outburst
Four quick lines pour out his fear of being dragged down with them.
13s
Who Are Those Guys, explained
What happens
Butch and Sundance lie in wait, expecting their pursuers to divide up. The pursuers don't take the bait, so the ambush falls apart and the two men have to improvise. Later, someone confronts them for showing up in the territory of an old acquaintance, angry that they were seen together and that they never drew their guns.
What's really going on
The scene turns on a reversal. Butch and Sundance have always been the ones setting traps, but here the trap fails and they can only ask, 'Who are those guys?' Their confidence is gone; the pursuers are professional, patient, and unknown, which is worse than being outnumbered. The later confrontation underlines the cost: an old acquaintance says, 'You said you'd never come to my territory,' and warns that being seen with them could ruin him. Friendship is no longer safe. These men are running out of places to hide, and the two who once controlled every situation now control nothing.
Key lines & what they mean
- “Once they divide up, we take 'em. No trouble. Right?”
- The plan assumes the pursuers will split, making them easy to beat. The speaker wants reassurance that it will actually work.
- “I wish we had rifles. I mean, they got rifles.”
- A quiet admission that they are outgunned; the complaint is really about being at a disadvantage.
- “You could at least have drawn your guns!”
- An angry accusation: even if they couldn't fight, they should have looked ready to, instead of showing up harmless.
- “Boy, for a gunman, you're one hell of a pessimist.”
- A joking jab at a famous gunman whose caution sounds more like gloom than toughness.
Theme
- Survival — The two men are hunted by an unknown force, and even an old friend turns them away to protect himself.
- Friendship — A former acquaintance refuses to shelter them, showing how quickly loyalty collapses when survival is at stake.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level5/7
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Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“I wish we had rifles. I mean, they got rifles.”
Why it's great
A wish followed by a hard fact quietly measures the odds against them.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
I wish we had a coach. I mean, they got one.
“You could at least have drawn your guns!”
Why it's great
Could have turns the complaint into a reproach for a missed gesture.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
You could at least have called me back!
“Boy, for a gunman, you're one hell of a pessimist.”
Why it's great
He teases the famous gunman for being a cowardly pessimist, a joke between old friends.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
For a driver, you're one hell of a back-seat worrier.
Monologue
One character carrying the scene — shadow the whole passage❝ Ray's angry outburst
Just cos we were friendly doesn't allow you to break in. What would happen to me if we was to be seen together? I'm too old to hunt up another job! You could at least have drawn your guns!
Four quick lines pour out his fear of being dragged down with them.
Up next · 07drop the chargesThe scene: Butch and Sundance Try to EnlistTakeaways
What you walk away with- A confident plan can hide a nervous question.
- Come up with means to invent idea, not to move closer.
- Ray's anger is really fear of being seen with them.
- Could have drawn blames a gesture that never came.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWho is chasing Butch and Sundance in this scene?
They don't know. That's the point of 'Who are those guys?'—the pursuers are an unknown, well-organized group that keeps following them no matter what they try.
Why does the ambush fail?
Butch expects the pursuers to divide up so they can be picked off. Instead the group stays together, so Butch and Sundance are the ones caught off guard.
Who is Ray, and why is he angry?
Ray is an old acquaintance whose territory they've entered. He's furious because being seen with two wanted men could cost him his position and his livelihood.
Why does Ray say he's too old to hunt up another job?
He means he can't afford to lose the job he has. If he's linked to outlaws he could be fired, and at his age finding work again would be nearly impossible.
What does "shake 'em" mean?
It means to lose or throw off the people following you. Butch and Sundance say they need to do something and shake 'em—get the pursuers off their trail.