Bonnie and Clyde

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Bonnie and Clyde

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Bonnie and Clyde

Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons

Producer/star Warren Beatty had to convince Warner Bros. to finance this film, which went on to become the studio's second-highest grosser. It also caused major controversy by redefining violence in c... read more read more...inema and casting its criminal protagonists as sympathetic anti-heroes. Based loosely on the true exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker during the 30s, the film begins as Clyde (Beatty) tries to steal the car of Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway)'s mother. Bonnie is excited by Clyde's outlaw demeanor, and he further stimulates her by robbing a store in her presence. Clyde steals a car, with Bonnie in tow, and their legendary crime spree begins. The two move from town to town, pulling off small heists, until they join up with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman), his shrill wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons), and a slow-witted gas station attendant named C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard). The new gang robs a bank and Clyde is soon painted in the press as a Depression-era Robin Hood when he allows one bank customer to hold onto his money. Soon the police are on the gang's trail and they are constantly on the run, even kidnapping a Texas Ranger (Denver Pyle) and setting him adrift on a raft, handcuffed, after he spits in Bonnie's face when she kisses him. That same ranger leads a later raid on the gang that leaves Buck dying, Blanche captured, and both Clyde and Bonnie injured. The ever-loyal C.W. takes them to his father's house. C.W.'s father disaproves his son's affiliation with gangsters and enters a plea bargain with the Texas Rangers. A trap is set that ends in one of the bloodiest death scenes in cinematic history. The film made stars out of Beatty and Dunaway, and it also featured the screen debut of Gene Wilder as a mortician briefly captured by the gang. Its portrayal of Bonnie and Clyde as rebels who empathized with the poor working folks of the 1930s struck a chord with the counterculture of the 1960s and helped generate a new, young audience for American movies that carried over into Hollywood's renewal of the 1970s. Its combination of sex and violence with dynamic stars, social relevance, a traditional Hollywood genre, and an appeal to hip young audiences set the pace for many American movies to come. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Id: 10895854

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Recent Reviews

Bonnie and Clyde Recent Reviews
  • garyX
    May 22, 2012
    garyX
    Telling the story of notorious armed robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, this Oscar nominated script was actually offered to both Truffaut and Godard, but even they could not have done a better job. Warren Beatty's awkward and impotent Clyde who sees himself as some kind of s... read moreelf styled Robin Hood is perfectly matched with Faye Dunaway's Bonnie, who sees him as a way out of her dreary small town existence. Their dysfunctional relationship is far more interesting than the usual Hollywood sappiness and there is plenty of warmth and humour as they cut a swathe through a wonderfully reconstructed depression era America, making their inevitably brutal demise all the more shocking and powerful. One of the best crime dramas of the sixties and the template for the likes of True Romance and Natural Born Killers. And Faye is surely a better cure for impotence than Viagra...
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 26, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Bonnie and Clyde is one of the great American classics. This is a near perfect film, but it lacks somewhat in its authenticity. The film however boasts a strong cast of talented actors, and each is wonderful in the roles they play. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Warren Be... read moreatty and Faye Dunaway; they really brought something unique to the screen. The film has some decent robbery sequences, but where the film delivers is when the Barrows Gang has a few shootouts with the Law. Bonnie and Clyde is a thrilling crime film that's definitely a classic of film, and one of the best gangster action films of the 60's. If you're looking for great thrills, then Bonnie and Clyde most certainly does just that. Where Bonnie and Clyde falls short is like I said its authenticity. The gang were mostly armed with Browning Automatic Rifles (BAR) and how the died is not really what happened in the film. The real Bonnie and Clyde were driving at high speed as officers opened fire, in the film they stopped on the side of the road and the officers opened fire, killing them. A good ending, but it would've nice if they would have filmed it the way they actually got shot up. The gang also was portrayed as somewhat friendly as well, yet they were hardened killers in real life. Aside from these points, I thought this was an awesome and effective crime film, and is one of the essential must see classics of the genre.
  • jennifxu
    July 30, 2011
    jennifxu
    Words cannot describe how much I love this movie. The scenes between Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway crackle with electricity. Glamorous x 1000. I want to BE one of the members of their gang. Backed up by a stellar supporting cast, it also boasts a catchy score, magnificent camera... read morework, and one HECK of an ending.

    One of the few movies that captures Faye Dunaway's ephemeral glamour to the fullest. I'm so glad I saw it.
  • fb223580
    July 24, 2011
    fb223580
    I decided to watch this after a WB Studios tour of the lots on which it was filmed and listening to tales of Warren Beatty's badassery.

    The movie did not disappoint--I was bowled over by Beatty and Dunaway's charisma and glistening sex appeal, and their chemistry was playful, al... read moremost stupidly childlike and surprisingly touching till the end. I'm glad it didn't glamorize the life of an outlaw, and captured the elements of weariness, anxiety and the longing for stability that ground away at the Barrow Gang (mostly in the look on Bonnie's face) after months upon months of living in a getaway car together. Little details of their personalities and "peculiarities" were much appreciated. Overall, an honest movie in good, naughty fun but also with a lot of heart.
  • ceWEBrity
    May 15, 2011
    ceWEBrity
    Bonnie and Clyde carries with it a sense of fun that seems to clash with its surprising violence, remarkable for its time but still quite visceral today. Its energy cannot be denied, and though Arthur Penn occasionally lets the film get away from him (most notably with Estelle Pa... read morersons' misguided Blanche, a spot of "comic relief" who manages to be shrill and unappealing in every scene except her last), this is one of the forefathers of modern-day, character-driven action. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are almost frustratingly gorgeous, charming in their depravity - the stuff of legends, if legends were about people doing Very Bad Things. Great ending, too.
  • axadntpron
    February 20, 2011
    axadntpron
    Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the New Hollywood. Heavily influenced by the French New Wave, this film was very daring for it's time and holds up really well. Beatty and Dunaway are spot on and the tonal shifts between comic violence and realistic violence really make this film... read more unique. For me, it was a good primer on understanding not only the style of the New Hollywood, but why it was so important.
  • dunmyer
    December 24, 2010
    dunmyer
    I first saw "Bonnie and Clyde" in a high-school Film Appreciation course. I couldn't at the time appreciate its melancholy artistry or its pioneering quality. Seeing it now is a revelation, after some 25 years of studying cinema and other art forms. What a gorgeous, enriching, ... read moreiconoclastic work of art "Bonnie and Clyde" is.

    This is not to say that it's a perfect or even truly great film. It is not. But it has an immense amount of value, and I understand now why it is thought of as a watershed event, turning American film away from the conventions of the 1950s and 60s and ushering in a new golden age in American film. Without "Bonnie and Clyde," I don't think there would have been a "Midnight Cowboy," a "Five Easy Pieces," a "Godfather," or a "Chinatown," to name just a few.

    "Bonnie and Clyde" brought the European-style auteur film to America, films made by directors who were first and foremost artists, not businessmen or craftsmen churning out product according to the master's instructions. "Bonnie and Clyde" reeks of artistry and poetry in every shot in an uncompromising way.

    The brutality of the film is also revelatory. It represents a refusal to turn a blind eye to the brutality of life. Real life is not always gentle and pretty, and "Bonnie and Clyde" looks this reality squarely in the eye. It doesn't just point to death, it shows you death. We've gotten used to this now, but in 1967 it must have been terrifying.

    It is especially poignant to re-experience this pioneering film now, given that its director, Arthur Penn, just died three months ago. Mr. Penn: Thank you for pioneering the auteurist American film. Thank you for not compromising and putting art first. You enriched American life immeasurably.

    NOTE: If you want to learn more about the movement "Bonnie and Clyde" started, see Mark Harris's fantastic 2008 book, "Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood."
  • ajv2688
    December 10, 2010
    ajv2688
    This is the movie everyone talks about from 1967! If you watch it today you will in no way feel it's an old movie, it's very modern, it was avant-garde in 67. The story is good, and the actors are great. Plus there's a lot of violence and blood. A great gangster movie.
  • lewiskendell
    October 23, 2010
    lewiskendell
    "One time I told you I was gonna make you somebody. That's what you done for me. You made me somebody they're gonna remember."

    Well, what an entertaining ride this was! This semi-true look at the notorious activities of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow started well and never slowe... read mored down or dipped in quality for a second. It was funny, action-packed, and has an euphoric sense of excitement that many older movies don't aim for.

    The story started with Bonnie & Clyde's first meeting, and continued on during the many Depression-era robberies they became famous for, to their deaths. It's pretty well-known that the duo died young, but by the finale of the movie you'll have become so attached to these characters that their end will still feel like a blow. Dunaway and Beatty are excellent as the two main characters, and the supporting cast also doesn't disappoint.

    From the dialogue to the camera angles to the pacing, Bonnie & Clyde seems designed to hold your attention like a vice until the very end. It's a very modern-feeling movie, and one that any classic or contemporary movie fan shouldn't hesitate to check out. Recommended.
  • fb619846742
    June 20, 2010
    fb619846742
    One of the best gangster films of all-time, hands down. This film's influence on the gangster genre is unmatched, and a certain Quentin Tarantino found his niche for film-making after seeing this masterstroke. What this movie offers is three career-making performances from Warren... read more Beatty (offering a very different, sexually conflicted anti-hero), Faye Dunaway (a smoking hot blond who is easily frustrated), and Gene Hackman (a very different role, largely comedic as a joking redneck), as well as a potently violent ending that is permanently etched into my mind for eternity. A Gene Wilder cameo is never a bad thing, either.
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