Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Zip, zip, zip, the action seldom stops. No need in this flick for lengthy dialog; instead the saga's told through guns not words. Reminds me a bit of the noir classic Gun Crazy (1949). There too, character emerges through Smith and Wesson rather than talk talk. No need here to echo consensus views-- the movie remains a grabber. I doubt any storyline has more effectively defined relationships through growth of friendship, love, and violence than this one. Naturally, there's the topic of sex between lovelies B&C. But it's an undercurrent, not a defining feature. Of course the movie remains a Hollywood treatment, which means glamour, clean clothes, and liberties with fact. But then what else is new. After all, it's results that count.By now I've memorized every spotless feature of the Beatty-Dunaway gazillion close-ups. But more telling are those poverty-stricken settings. They reek of the Dust-Bowl 1930's and farm workers' plight, all the while predatory banks close in. No wonder desperadoes like Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and B&C got romanticized by common folk. And what about those work ravaged old faces that speak volumes. They sure don't come from Hollywood and Vine. Anyhow, I expect this 1967 movie caught a counter-culture tail wind, one that overcame surprisingly low studio expectations. Still, the results hold up pretty darn well. So catch it when you can.

I enjoyed this films ups and downs and overall think it is a very enjoyable film. This film is quick to the plot and really tries to portray and accurate view of bonnie and Clyde's life. As a fan of gangster films I thought this movie was well acted and directed. The actors are chosen well and the camera seems to be in a good spot most of the time. the sound is also very interesting in this film like the gunshots are noises when driving. Overall I enjoyed this film.

RELEASED IN 1967 and directed by Arthur Penn, "Bonnie and Clyde " stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in the titular roles chronicling the criminal exploits of the pair and their associates from 1932-1934, ending with duo's sudden execution. Michael J. Pollard plays Clyde's main accomplice C.W. Moss while Gene Hackman and Estelle Parsons play Buck & Blanche, Clyde's brother and sister-in-law. Denver Pyle appears as the Texas Ranger who tracks 'em down.The movie sticks pretty close to the facts and is generally serious, yet with an occasionally fun, bumbling tone offset by flashes of fatal violence. Some changes from the real story include… W. D. Jones and Henry Methvin are combined into the character played by Pollard obviously to limit the size of the gang to five for dramatic purposes. The two main actors are way too tall for the parts. Bonnie was barely 5' feet tall and Clyde was only 5'6". In the movie Bonnie (Faye) is 5'7" and Clyde (Beatty) is 6'2". To the film's credit, it shows Clyde walking with a limp and explains why: He needlessly cut off his big toe in prison and seriously injured the other one in order to get out of hard labor. I say needless because he was released early a mere week later. The fact that Barrow was willing to mutilate his body to avoid labor (or to be transferred to another facility, whatever the case) shows how desperate, impulsive and dimwitted he was as a person.Unfortunately, the movie fails to show the stoo-pid accident where Bonnie suffered severe leg wounds after being trapped in a burning vehicle. She never fully recovered and either had to be carried or walked with a limp until her death at the age of 23 (Clyde was 25 when they were executed). Another key crime not shown was the brutal (and unnecessary) shooting of two law enforcement officers by Clyde and W.D. at a dance in Oklahoma, yet the movie shows the gang killing several officers when threatened, so this can be overlooked. I think the reason they omitted this particular early crime was because Penn & gang didn't want to portray Clyde as a vicious murderer so early in the story, which would strip sympathy from viewers.Modern audiences don't realize how shocking "Bonnie and Clyde" was when it was released. Even by 1980 it was still pretty shocking. The script and the actors bring you into the world of the simpleton characters that are initially giddy about their wild times and fame, but over the course of the two years acquire an understandable sense of certain doom. The film starts out slow to establish the main players and the bloody realities of their misguided lifestyle are mainly saved for the last act. Although Dunaway and Beatty are way too tall for the roles, they deliver the goods. Not to mention, Pollard's notable performance as C.W. (W.D. was merely 16 during the crime spree).To balance out the story, I encourage you to see 1992's "Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story," which is another quality version of the real-life crime spree.THE MOVIE RUNS 111 minutes and was shot mostly in east Texas, but also S. California. WRITERS: David Newman & Robert Benton.GRADE: A

Though the theme is not great, the way it is carried is. Arthur Penn is pushing many buttons in this film and is feeling comfortable, something that was not the case in say "The Chase" (1966) - exactly because the theme is easier and relatively light. There is a tight smile one every scene and you can never tell the good and the bad guy. This is life, this is great art.