Reviewed by Stuart O'Connor
Stars Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Gene Wilder, Estelle Parsons, Gene Hackman,
Michael J Pollard, Dub Taylor, Denver Pyle | Written by David Newman, Robert Benton & Robert Towne
UK certification 18 | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 111 minutes | Directed by Arthur Penn
Bonnie and Clyde is one of the few genuine Hollywood classics, and is considered a landmark film of the 1960s. It was nominated for 10 Oscars (it won just two) and ushered in a new era of tougher, grittier films — two years later came Pekinpah's The Wild Bunch, and two years after that was Dirty Harry. The story is, by now, pretty familiar — petty crook Clyde Barrow (Beatty, who also produced the film) hooks up with bored bad girl Bonnie Parker (Dunaway) and together they go on a crime spree across several southern states in Depression-era America. Joining them are Clyde's brother Buck (Hackman), Buck's wife Blanche (Parsons) and mechanic CW Moss (Pollard. A dream cast, and after seeing what the real Bonnie and Clyde actually looked like, the main pair could be considered a dreamboat cast. Beatty and Dunaway were easily two of the most beautiful stars at the time, so it's no surprise that they were cast to play "Romeo and Juliet in a getaway car". Also surprising is how well this film has stood the test of time — great acting, sparkling dialogue, terrific action and wonderful cinematography. It may not be all that accurate historically, but it still manages to pack a punch. However, there's one thing I really don't get — what's with the 18 certificate? I can understand that when it was released, Bonnie and Clyde was considered incredibly violent and bloody, but by today's standards it would probably warrant a 12A. The violence is neither extreme nor gratuitous, so it surprises me that it hasn't been submitted for reclassification to broaden its potential audience.
EXTRAS **** A genuine wealth of material. First up is a fascinating History Channel documentary about the real Bonnie and Clyde. Then there are three featurettes — Bonnie and Clyde's Gang, The Reality and Myth of Bonnie and Clyde, and Releasing Bonnie and Clyde — in whch all the participants look back at the making of the film. Then there are wardrobe tests with Beatty, and a couple of long-lost deleted scenes (minus soundtracks, which are still missing, but they have been subtitled from the original shooting script). A commentary track would be the icing on the cake, but you can't have everything.