They’re young…they’re in love…and they kill people.
Grade: ★★★★☆
Producer/star Warren Beatty had
to convince Warner Brothers to finance this film, and it went on to then become
their second highest grossing movie, after My Fair Lady. It also caused major
controversy as it redefined violence in cinema and portrayed the criminal
protagonists as sympathetic anti-heroes.
The film is loosely based on the
crime spree of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker during the 1930s, and begins as Clyde
(Beatty) is caught trying to steal the car of Bonnie (Faye Dunaway)'s mother.
Bonnie is excited by Clyde's outlaw ways and he obliges her by robbing a store
and then stealing a car. And so their legendary crime spree begins. They move
from town to town, pulling off small heists, until they meet up with Clyde's
brother, Buck Barrow (Gene Hackman), his shrill wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons)
and simple-minded gas station attendant C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard). This
new gang robs a bank and Clyde is soon portrayed as a modern day Robin Hood
because he allows one bank customer to keep his money.
One of my favorite scenes came
when I realized that the role of the Texas Ranger was played by none other than
Uncle Jesse! No, not John Stamos...Denver Pyle from The Dukes of Hazzard!
He was hot on their trail, but was quickly over-powered and humiliated as they
posed for photos with him and eventually handcuffed him in a canoe and set him
adrift.
Uncle Jesse eventually gets even
as he sets up a raid that leaves (SPOILER ALERT) Bonnie and Clyde both
injured, Buck dying and Blanche captured. The ever-loyal C.W. takes the injured
duo to his father's farm to get them patched up. Little does he know that his
father has arranged a plea bargain with Uncle Jesse and a trap is set that ends
in one of the bloodiest shootouts in cinematic history. Of course, it does seem rather tame by today's standards.
The movie made stars out of
Beatty and Dunaway, and even features the screen debut of Gene Wilder as a
mortician who was briefly kidnapped by the gang. Nominated for a staggering 10
Oscars, the movie walked away with two, one for photography and one for the
amazing Estelle Parsons for her portrayal of Blanche. You may recognize Parsons
as Roseanne and Jackie's mom on Roseanne.
Why you should watch Bonnie and Clyde: It's a great movie with great acting and definitely deserves to be on the list!
Why you should skip Bonnie and Clyde: Just watch it already! It's a great movie!
Did you know? In the movie, Clyde Barrow was portrayed as impotent, but in real life he was actually bisexual. One of the stipulations that Beatty made when accepting the project was to change the storyline of Clyde's affair with C.W. Moss.
In reality, the gangsters picked up about three different people in their travels. They were merged into one character in the form of C.W. Moss.
Bonnie Parker: We rob banks!
U.S. / RUNNING TIME: 111m
DIRECTOR: Arthur Penn
PRODUCER: Warren Beatty
SCREENPLAY: David Newman, Robert Benton
CAST: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J.
Pollard, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, Denver Pyle
OSCARS: Estelle Parsons (Actress in Supporting
Role), Burnett Guffey (Photography)
OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Warren Beatty (Best Picture), Arthur
Penn (Director), David Newman, Robert Benton (Screenplay), Warren Beatty
(Actor), Faye Dunaway (Actress), Michael J. Pollard (Actor in Supporting Role),
Gene Hackman (Actor in Supporting Role), Theodora Van Runkle (Costume)
