Review of Bonnie and Clyde (1967) by William D — 24 Dec 2010

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, iconoclastic 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.".