1/1/24 - Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - BBC2 - 2200

TV & Film TV & Film: Chat / Discussions
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“Bonnie and Clyde,” directed by Arthur Penn, is a groundbreaking film that revolutionized Hollywood’s cinematic norms in 1967. The film bravely blends the elements of comedy, romance, and brutal violence, presenting a unique take on the infamous criminal couple, played by Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty. Their performances are electrifying, capturing the raw energy and desperation of the characters. The film’s narrative structure is innovative, using montages and quick cuts that mirror the frenetic lives of the protagonists. The violence, while graphic, serves to underscore the tragic inevitability of their fate. “Bonnie and Clyde” is a daring exploration of the American dream turned nightmare, making it a landmark film in the New Hollywood era. Its influence on cinema is undeniable, and it remains a must-watch classic for film enthusiasts. © tv-films.co.uk

Several reasons for me (as a film enthusiast) to watch this:

  • I haven’t seen this in years

  • It’s an HD version

  • It’s on BBC2 - no adverts

At the time of release I was 18 and so heavily influenced by the movie that, for quite a while, I dressed like Clyde and even managed to attract a couple of Bonnies. Cosplay may be common now but it wasn’t back then and we stuck out like sore thumbs … :open_mouth:

There’s a lot that I could say about the movie but beautiful, bloody and brutal sums it up.

It was a movie that no-one wanted to make and no-one wanted to star in until Warren Beatty bought the rights. Even when the movie was completed the studio put it on limited release only. Again, Beatty stepped in and used his considerable “pulling power” to force a general release, which resulted in a
colossal “smash” … a $2.5m movie eventually made $70m and changed movie-making forever.

Bonnie and Clyde was one of the first films to feature extensive use of squibs—small explosive charges, often mounted with bags of stage blood, that detonate inside an actor’s clothes to simulate bullet hits. Released in an era when film shootings were generally depicted as bloodless and painless, the Bonnie and Clyde death scene was one of the first in mainstream American cinema to be depicted with graphic realism.

It is to be noted, however, that the movie strays so far away from the truth the those who were part of the “reality” and still alive sued and complained. Reality was far more complex and far from beautiful.

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I haven’t seen that film for ages so I’m reluctant to comment. I’m not sure about brutal, the final scene ( as I remember) was almost balletic, a bit Sam Peckinpah without the attitude?

I’ll put the film on my watchlist Omah :+1:

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I’ve always remembered it as in the 70’s.
I saw it twice with two different girls.
Georgie Fame cashed in on it’s popularity too and had a top twenty hit about them.

Gene Wilder is in one good scene too.

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Release Date

Bonnie und Clyde (1967) - Release info - IMDb)

Maybe you saw a re-release in the '70’s … :slightly_smiling_face:

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I wasn’t disputing it.Just admitting to a bad memory :grinning:

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I have a vague memory of watching it. It’s not my type of film. That’s why I remember purposely watching it. I wanted to know why they did it. I thought I would find the answer in the film. I didn’t.

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Can catch up on BBC iPlayer for 30 days.

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The movie is not a documentary … it’s a brief and glamourised dramatization of events and the people involved.

Why did Bonnie and Clyde turn to a life of violent crime? They were born poor and destined to become poorer. There was only one way out - live fast, die young.

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I’ve just watched the movie and it felt surprisingly “modern”, with the emphasis on style rather than content. I guess that, in 1967, I thought it was “realistic”, starting as it did with “growing-up” photos of the pair and continuing with dusty one-street towns in the Mid-West. Throw in period cars and guns engaging in cornfield battles, where blood gushed from wounds a-plenty and, no doubt, I was hoodwinked into believing the alternate reality.

Now I realise that no 1930’s waitress ever looked as gorgeous as Faye Dunaway … :wink:

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I’ve just checked on Amazon, the uncensored version is available on DVD for just over eight quid!
I’ll give it ago in the near future. Once again I haven’t seen the film for many a year but I do vaguely remember the violence being very stylised. I’ll be interested to see it again through fresh eyes so to speak.

Next on my list of vintage films to watch is something from the early 70s’s directed and co produced by Michael Winner. This particular film is also violent but probably was and still is far more controversial. It’s in my DVD rack raring to go when I’m in the right frame of mind :+1:

This is a Bonnie and Clyde thread so I won’t go off topic but it’s fair to say that Faye Dunaway is far easier on the eye than Charles Bronson…no contest!!!

Actually I’m beginning to wonder if there’s any merit in starting a spanking new thread for budding film critics on OFC. I suppose it could be generic and embrace all genres, a kind of a film club of sorts for those interested.

What do reckon Omah…or anybody else for that matter?

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I think I remember the acting by the two stars as being very Hollywood

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What makes the version uncensored?

ETA I found this:

Censorship

International censorship

HBO Max

  • The scene that shows Bonnie in the start of the film walking to her dresser was modified for the HBO Max broadcast. In the HBO Max version the camera zooms in on the top half of her body. As a result you can no longer see her panties or asscrack.

TV censorship

  • The shots of Bonnie attempting to perform oral sex on Clyde were removed from network television versions.

In the BBC version, it does seem that it has the zoom in for the walk to the dresser but, frankly, it’s not obvious. Bonnie certainly “goes down” on Clyde.

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Not for me - I prefer to stick to one movie per thread (unless there’s a connection to another).

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That’s a very good question, I’ll have a dig around on Google later. I know that for example that a small part of a scene in Death Wish was cut and that there are or were both clipped and unclipped DVDS available. I have the vague idea that it’s a similar situation with Taxi Driver but I’ll have to check.