BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967) - ♦♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Arthur Penn

Written by - David Newman, Robert Benton, Robert Towne

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

"Bonnie and Clyde is a romanticised account of the life of the notorious bank robbing couple,  whose debauchery and predicaments became part of Americana folk stories from the great depression. 

The film is simply remarkable and its speaks for itself. It was arguably the first example of a successful American New Wave feature, certainly one of the first to achieve success with both audiences and the critics. It came from a time when cinema was competing for survival against the threat of the rise in popularity of television, with each household growing to own at least one. 

While its narrative on paper seems to be directly inspired by the film noirs and gangster flicks of the old US cinema tradition, the way in which it was produced and presented is clearly more influenced by a European style, especially by the groundbreaking French New Wave movement. This can be plainly seen by the sudden shifts in tone, but also by the particular way in which the characters of the outlaws are romanticised. 

Furthermore, Bonnie and Clyde does not shy away from violence, often shocking, particularly so in the unforgettable and heart stopping sequence. 

Arthur Penn's flawless and bold direction mixed craftily the gritty graphic violence with the essential love and romanticism represented by the titular couple, itself a narrative aspect full of psychological density that is just as engaging as the action packed events that unfold around them. 

One must not forget to praise Warren Beatty, who was the film's mogul and insisted on the film's outlook and controversial tone, not for the last time throughout arguably the most exciting period in American cinema. And along with Faye Dunaway, with their charismatic presence as well as their iconic and three dimensional acting, consigned their characters to cinema history, freely re-inventing them as symbols of timeless rebellious romanticism."

Drama, USA