Stars
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty, is a American actor and filmmaker, he made his acting debut in Splendor in the Grass (1961) then followed by Bonnie and Clyde. He acted as a star vehicle for the movie while as being a producer, he was advertised as a key feature of the movie. I think he was casted due to his already popular image he also owned the rights to the Bonnie and Clyde meaning that he saw himself wanting to star in the movie.
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is a American actress, therefore bonnie and Clyde she had only ever had stage experience however the role bonnie is what rose her to fame. Penn strongly thought she was right for the role despite her lack of experience and convinced Warren Beatty to cast her.
Michael J. Pollard
Michael J. Pollard was a American actor, he often played quirky, likeable supporting characters. He had small roles in stage and television before Bonnie and Clyde, he came best known for his role in C.W moss. He was cast due to playing side characters before and felt that he was right for the role.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman a American actor, before his role in bonnie and Clyde he had small roles in Broadway and Tv episodes, his breakthrough being his role of buck barrow which he won Academy Award for. He was casted due to Warren Beatty being impressed with his role in “lilith.”
Denver Pyle
Denver Pyle a American film and television actor and director, he roles as a actor before this on a range of different shows. He played the Texas Ranger who seeks revenge on bonnie and Clyde.
Estelle Parsons
Parsons was a American singer and actress, she established her career on Broadway before progressing to film. She won a academy award for her role as Blanche Barrow.
Dub Taylor
Dub Taylor is a American actor who became well known on film and television , he often starred in westerns and played the role of C.W moss’s dad.
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder was a American actor, comedian writer and filmmaker. His first film role was a hostage in bonnie and Clyde.
Mise- En -Scene
Bonnie and Clyde was shot in Texas on location where the movie was set. This was due to Penn wanting to work independently without a large studio influence and using a real setting made the movie seem realistic and natural bringing the audience into the universe of the world. The movie is set in the 1930s the time of the Great Depression where it reflects the desperate nature of the time with multiple representations of people with the struggle of money. The interior sets show this well with a lot of the places they stay in looking run down reflecting the nature of time, this all contributes to the movies verstmilltude. The customs of the movie also influenced female fashion of the time, Bonnies characters short hair and outfits became iconic to the movie with lots of women in the 1960s wearing berets. The props in Bonnie and Clyde also where a key factor such as the cars being key theme, Penn was lent the 1930s classic cars. I think its interesting how their cars become a key factor in there “running way.”
Editing
The editing of bonnie and Clyde breaks away from the traditional rules of classical Hollywood. The movie starts with a sequence of bonnie in her bedroom, the first shot being her mouth a extreme close up. From the very beginning this breaks all the conventical rules of classical editing. Throughout the movie the editing stood out to me as unnatural but I think following the frantic narrative of the story works extremely well. The use of the jump cuts in the starting sequence of the movie show the need bonnie needs for adventure even if she’s in her bedroom, with the camera cutting to her in different places in the room.
Sound
The sound in bonnie and Clyde includes the use of motifs, non diegetic and Foley sound. The sound motif consists of a Blue grass song played on the banjo from the 1930s this plays during a car scene normally at the end when Bonnie and Clyde have escaped. The use of this shows the unserious nature they have about what they have just done and creates a light and comic tone. The sound editor Dede Allan was the first person who used sound bridges which are found in bonnie and Clyde. The movie also uses Gun shot noises to evoke surprise in the spectator with them being loud compared to he movie
Aesthetics
Bonnie and Clyde is set in the 1930sa during the great depression the movie works to make the movie realistic by having them meet people who have been kicked off their farm by banks . This creates a sense of realism that they are living in that period as many people in the great depression lost their savings and property. A example of tone for me was the ending and how it intentionally shifts the tone for a abrupt ending to make the audience shocked.
The visual style is heavily inspired by the French new wave movement they often used location shooting and camera techniques such as close ups. Bonnie and Clyde was shot on location where it was set to create a further sense of realism. Penn also used close-ups such as Bonnies mouth which are apparently supposed to show her hunger for a different life.
Representations
Woman-
I think their in a range in the ways which women are represented we have Bonnie who breaks the traditional values and takes on a life of crime, but on the opposite to that we have the character of Blanche Barrow who throughout the movie is made to be terrified of the crime. Bonnies character is represented as daring and bold extremely different to the social norms of the time. However Blanches character is scared of the robbery and often waits in the car. I think that Penn’s intentions where to have the character of blanche to show how bold Bonnies behaviour really was.
Men-
Men are represented in bonnie and Clyde as not stereotypical robbers and “bad guys.” for example Clyde is often overpowered by Bonnie on the decisions made and is seen to have moments of compassion. For example when robbing a bank Clyde lets an old man keep his money due to the economic situation of the time. His character is purposely shown to have moments of sympathy, to Maybe further their “Robin Hood.” like reputation. Clyde also avoids in the beginning becoming too emotionally involved with Bonnie possibly showing his character in a vulnerable light. Another representation we get is C.W Moss who is nonthreatining and unintelligent, he is often intimidated and in Awe of Bonnie. For example getting a tattoo due to her telling him too. Both these representations of Men show that they can be tough but have moments of weakness developing them into well rounded characters.
Authority Figures-
Park Ranger- During the movie Bonnie and Clyde capture and humiliate the park ranger. They portray him as vengeful and determined to catch Bonnie and Clyde. When they humiliate him he spits at bonnie showing that he isn’t scared of them this represents his character as bold unlike overs who tried to catch them turning around.
People of Colour-
The movie doesn’t feature a main character of colour, a scene where a ranch has been repressed by the bank. Two men who built the ranch walk up to bonnie and Clyde. One of them being a person of colour fire a gun at the sign. However this character does not have any dialogue.
Working class people-
We see a number of working class people, Bonnie and Clyde being ones themselves. Throughout the movie you see people who have lost their property to the banks and the Great Depression. I think bonnie running away from her small waitressing job represents that the working class people in the movie hope for more.
Political and social Contexts in Bonnie and Clyde
Vietnam war- The movie was filmed in the 60s, while the Vietnam war was taking place. Penn recognised that people were seeing the violence on the news everyday. Penn decided to reflect that within his work by having loud gun shots and graphic scenes. The audience that Penn was targeting this at this was a younger generation, this generation was more open to counter- culture meaning that they could reflect on the violence.
JFK assassination – In the ending scene, Penn was the first person to show a gun being shot and the result in one take. This could of been reflecting on the JFK assassination which was extremely televised.