Thursday, July 23, 2020

2020 Muriels Hall of Fame inductees: Bonnie and Clyde (1967, Arthur Penn)

"What’s there to say about Bonnie & Clyde that hasn’t already been said? A landmark film that took influence from the French New Wave, but added an American twist, it ushered in a type of film in Hollywood. Its iconic ending shocked and awed audiences with its violence. It’s a classic for a reason.

“As a viewer, though, with a somewhat terrible memory, the violence is all I remember. Recently, I did a rewatch of the film and was struck by something else. The frankness of Bonnie and Clyde’s sexuality, and the frustration of being a woman - especially a sexual woman.


“Setting the couple up to be a sort of ‘modern-day’ Robin Hood, the film plays around with ideas of poverty & depression. The main theme for me, however, became the struggle of women wanting to ‘have it all’. Even if your version of ‘having it all’ is having a happy life with a bad boy." ~ Wendy Mays

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