Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, April 28, 2022

BONNIE AND CLYDE

Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway
BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967). Director: Arthur Penn. 

Bonnie and Clyde go on a crime spree robbing banks in the 1930's and become folk heroes to part of the population, but their days are numbered. This film was quite polarizing when it first came out, with some finding it slick and cinematic; others repellent and empty -- both viewpoints have validity. Warren Beatty [Splendor in the Grass] isn't bad as Clyde Barrow, the leader of a group of depression-era bank robbers, but he's never quite believable, either. The same could be said of Faye Dunaway [Mommie Dearest]  as Bonnie Parker, although she certainly demonstrates star-making vitality. The trouble with both of the leads is that they never seem quite as stupid as the people they're playing. Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons and Michael J. Pollard as relatives and fellow gang members are perhaps more on the mark. 

Estelle Parsons and Gene Hackman
Today Bonnie and Clyde seems almost benign next to Goodfellas and similar movies. The picture doesn't really glorify these murdering robbers so much as it shows how pathetic and desperate they and their self-absorbed lives really are. But the movie can't really be considered a serious examination of these people because the characters lack dimension and the film can't seem to make up its mind whether or not to take them -- or itself, in fact -- seriously. In any case, the picture is generally entertaining and well-done, but it goes on about half an hour too long and is very Hollywood-ized to say the least. One could make a strong case that William Witney's The Bonnie Parker Story, made ten years earlier, is the better picture. 

Verdict: Okay, but maybe watch Little Caesar instead. **1/2.

2 comments:

angelman66 said...

I tend to agree with you about this one, Bill, this movie lacks something. I am a huge fan of both Dunaway and Beatty, and it is a stylish production but lacking depth. Estelle Parsons steals the film, she is an incredible actor. My favorite performances of parsons are as the bitchy sister In law of Barbra Streisand in For Pete’s Sake and as Betty Hill the UFO abductee alongside James Earl Jones!
- Chris

William said...

I've got to look for those performances as I admire Parsons as well, and you're right that she steals the movie. One of those always-reliable actors who add so much to every production!

As for B & C, I don't think anyone involved in the movie was looking for depth, LOL.