Great Films – Bonnie and Clyde

The switch from Old Hollywood to New Hollywood is very distinct. Most people seem to strongly have a preference although personally two of the best movies I’ve seen(my all time favorites are far too recent) are each from the different eras. One of these films is Bonnie and Clyde which truly started this film revolution in Hollywood.
What is so different about Bonnie and Clyde from the previous films that were produced in Hollywood? Well, it’s violent. The majority of tales told in Old Hollywood are much more romanticized and epic however, in New Hollywood, the importance was placed on realism. Films became gritty and violent because they were trying to show a version of reality that didn’t cover up any of the parts.
Bonnie and Clyde is the story of the infamous bank robbing duo and their adventures from the time they first meet to their death. There are not a large series of events found within the film as it focuses primarily on the relationship between the duo and the way that being criminals changes them. specifically Bonnie.
Warren Beatty gives a fantastic performance as Clyde which is really a compliment coming from me because male actors rarely impress me. He got into the role and made you love him and see nothing wrong with the crimes he was committing.
Faye Dunaway was a delight in her Oscar nominated role as Bonnie. She was able to portray a woman who committed crimes without remorse but still felt the pain of losing her family and being ignored because of whiny other women. She showed the pain of feeling ignored by your partner very well yet was the type of badass that men typically portray.
The chemistry between the two was amazing and not something you typically find. The strength of this chemistry helped to enhance their performances and bring the film to a truly fantastic level where its above most other films.
The effect of New Hollywood can also be seen in the plot of the movie as most films at this time didn’t focus on such violent and ruthless subjects and the directors at the time felt these stories also needed to be told.
Bonnie and Clyde is a very important film in the history of cinema for ushering in a new period in the history of the medium. It’s also a really good film that I would recommend to everybody because I cannot find it possible for somebody to find Faye Dunaway’s turn as Bonnie to be anything less than a delight.