Rating 8/10
I really enjoyed this film, i think the cinematography is unique to previous stuff i have seen before. I think the love story combined to the gangster aspect was setting a path for a new sub-genre of two partners in crime being lovers. A scene that sticks out to me is the opening scene of the film, I think the way Penn camera moved and follows Bonnie’s actions is seamless and a unique shot.
Critical score: 8/10
I enjoyed the film but I think the ending was unnecessarily graphic as we watch Bonnie and Clyde get aggressively shot without dying instantly as we see Clyde roll over in agony and Bonnie’s body fall out the car. However apart from this I enjoyed the film as it caused continuous apprehension to if they would survive another close encounter.
Stand out scene: I selected this scene where Bonnie attempts to leave Clyde and the other criminals but he chases her and they reunite in a field. This scene stands out to me as, for me it is the most prominent display of emotion from Clyde towards Bonnie as he is put in a position where he could have to continue alone and how he’d struggle. I also like the angle of this shot as due to the low angle tilting upwards we perceive Clyde in a more vulnerable position highlighting his care for Bonnie
What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?
A film movement that began in 1958 and lasted into the late 1960s, known for its change in conventional filmmaking techniques. Many of the directors involved in this movement began as film critics for Cahiers Du Cinema, a French magazine that promoted new ideas through experimentation and innovation. It was a rejection of mainstream cinema and old Hollywood, a youthful movement driven by young people who were passionate about film overall. Preference for directors to be the artistic driving force and be credited rather then the studio and stars.
What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave films?
French New Wave films often utilized natural light, used actors with less experience, improvisation, voice overs (non-diegetic) and real locations. This was a result of the low-budget nature of the films in addition to creating a strong feel of realism. For technique, handheld cameras contributed to the distinctive, more naturalistic style of these films as well as giving a doctumentryesque aesthetic. Jump cuts, often used by Jean-Luc Godard, became a distinct reflection of the movement, leading other filmmakers to challenge conventional filmmaking methods, and breaking through into mainstream cinema while working with low budgets and being restrained by the limited amount of money available to them. Democratisation style of cinema, allowing anyone to be a film-maker and create films.
Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde?
Directors François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard had a large impact on Arthur Penn throughout the making of Bonnie and Clyde. Originally, writers Robert Benton and David Newman initially approached them to direct the film, however they declined. Two of Truffaut’s films, Shoot the Pianist (1960) and Jules et Jim (1962), were particularly influential on Penn throughout production. French New Wave films were known for breaking traditional cinematic rules, Bonnie and Clyde echoed this by portraying two lovers who committed crimes consisting of robbery, burglary, and murder, stepping away from the usual depiction and representation of law-abiding American citizens. The turbulent nature of their relationship also reflected the movement’s shift from conventional storytelling. Bonnie and Clyde was a character study, historically based but far from historically accurate. Music was prominent in the scenes of their escapes in the van, this music was fast-paced banjo music (bluegrass music). It brings a comedic element to these dramatic scenes.
Identify 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French new wave cinema, explaining why this was the case
Location filming is often used in Bonnie and Clyde, embracing the French new wave style of filmmaking as it relies less on studios to create film but rather real places to create the set of the film.
Natural lighting is common in Bonnie and Clyde, as the normal sunlight is most prominent, this gives the film a more naturalistic look. This links to the French new wave as the natural light enhances the classic low-budget nature of the French new wave.
Jump cuts were seen as a trademark of the French new wave era, they were well used in Bonnie and Clyde especially before their deaths at the end of the film. The camera jumps from close-up shots of Bonnie and then to Clyde of them looking at each other and then to the police ready to shoot them, as well as some scenery shots leading into their separate deaths. By using jump cuts, it creates a tense atmosphere and dramatize their deaths.
What is meant by “New Hollywood” New Hollywood, also known as the American New Wave, refers to the innovative movement in American film history during the late 1960s to early 1980s where young filmmakers gained creative control, emphasizing narrative style, and realism.
The Hollywood studio system started declining when TVs became more prominent and popular in American households. The habit of going to the cinema once a week was being broken because of at home entertainment. The film Cleopatra was a big flop, 20th century fox lost a lot of profit because of this film, which weakened young people’s confidence in the current studios. Young people found entertainment in French NewWave cinema, which was on topic for their generation and more experimental.
1. The Graduate (director) mike Nichols, melodrama, romance 1967
2. Midnight Cowboy (director) John Schlesinger, drama 1969
3. The Wild Bunch (director) Sam Peckinpah, western adventure 1969
4. Easy Rider: (director) Dennis Hopper, road adventure 1969
He establishment had lost its audience and not addressed them, leading to films like the graduate and easy rider being made.
Disgraced politician RICHARD NIXON. Watergate revolved around members of a group associated with Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign breaking into and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972,
Vietnam war, proxy war America tried to stop the spread of communism through the Vietcong. Protests all over America rose which led to violence around the country.
In the ghettos black Americans started protesting because of racial discrimination.
RFK and MLK get shot weeks apart in the late 1960s
What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave– The term French New Wave comes from the French film movement which was incredibly self-aware and rejected the traditional styles of classical filmmaking, leading to an experimental era of film, which notably influenced American filmmaking styles for years to come. 50s-60s. Working with a low budget because of post ww2 France.
•What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave Films?
•Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde? Why do you think this was the case? François Truffaut inspired Arthur Penn, particularly with his film Jules Et Jim which was a 1962 French new wave film- this film challenged the gender ideals of men and women which could also be seen in Bonnie and Clyde 1967 while also utilising voiceovers, snappy editing and fast pacing to show the newer European era of cinema.
•Identify at least 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and say why this was the case. In the opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde we can see an extreme close-up shot of Bonnie which breaks the traditional style of the classic establishing shot. The multiple jump cuts of Bonnie in the first scene creatively showcase the influence of snappy fast paced editing that French directors started to use in this era. The use of jump cuts speed up the pace of the film which was enjoyable for younger generations of America and Europe.
Another notable scene in Bonnie and Clyde which showcased the French new wave influence was the famous death scene. Penn ends this film with a cut to black to show that his characters were dead and gone. There was no tidying up the end of the story or hopeful resolutions which was a direct steer away from the traditional classical Hollywood style. There was an abundance of violence in this scene, it was bloody and chaotic. Penn’s use of violence shows the move away from the Hayes code which limited violence and crude acts. This showcase of violence was an allegory for the Vietnam war which acts were dutifully hidden from the Americans at home. The ending of Bonnie and Clyde ushered ideas that criminals might be loveable, adding to the idea that violence could be art.
Lastly, when bonnie meets her family, and then cuts to her running through the field this scene is another notable example of the break away from the classical Hollywood style which always made the effort to frame the characters. The handheld shaky camera shows the influence of a documentary style of filmmaking which made its way over from France during this era. A filter is used in this scene which creatives a dream-like atmosphere which connotes a life that Bonnie could have lived if her life was not corrupted by crime. This also subverts from the technical rules followed by directors in classical Hollywood who did not experiment with filters and colour (post 1927).
1.How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach film narratives? Penn abandoned the traditional “prude” style of filmmaking commonly used by directors in the classical era who were under the Hayes code. Penn used brutal violence, sexual innuendos, and casual humour in Bonnie and Clyde specifically to show the change from traditional Hollywood to the new Hollywood.
2.What is discontinuity editing? discontinuity editing is an editing style that is the opposite of classical editing. In a discontinuous sequence, the filmmaker will deliberately use an arrangement of shots that seem out of place or confusing relative to a traditional narrative. There’s no smooth or logical flow to the shots as they are edited together. This can seem disorienting or ambiguous, but it is used to demand participation on the part of the audience to engage in the intention of the plot
A great example of discontinuity editing is the famous (and favourite of mine) ritual/killing of colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. The disorientating cuts between Willard and the ritual show the morality and differences between the American soldiers compared to the Cambodian tribe, ultimately showing the death, killing, and violence takes shape in every culture, but is perceived differently as to reason of cause. To further explain this… Willard has been sent on a mission by the American government to kill Kurtz for his actions with the Cambodian tribe. Willard began his journey travelling up the Cambodian river from Vietnam, he starts with American ideals of patriotism which is paired with continuity editing. Slowly as he gets closer to Kurtz leading him to the ritual scene, discontinuity editing takes over showing Willard’s loss of morality as he begins to take the place of Kurtz, falling into ideals of animalistic killing shown through the water buffalo killing (which was a very real water Buffalo being killed)
3.Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise of the Auteurs” in Hollywood? in “Old Hollywood” many actors, producers and studios were credited as the main workers on a film and given the spotlight. Once the French new wave era started many thought that the directors or the “Auteurs” should be credited as the storytellers of the film. The directors started to be seen as the creative driving force.
4.What is the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films? We can see the lasting impact of the French new Wave era in films today, With projects like Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis (2024) which used experimental editing with aspect ratio. Or we could go back to 1994 to see Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction which creatively used discontinuity editing to piece together multiple storylines into one. Martin Scorsese also used many French New Wave influences in his films like Casino which used snappy jump cuts to showcase the rise of Ace Goldstein’s casino.
What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave? A film movement which emerged in 1958 up until the late 1960s, which was characterised by its rejection of traditional/mainstream filmmaking. Many directors who played a part in this movement started out as film critics for Cahiers Du Cinéma – a French magazine – which encouraged experimentation and innovation. Pulling away from studio success and control, directors become the most credited for the films success (auteur theory). Often they were low budget projects due to the aftermath of World War 2, lack of resources and money.
What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave films? The stylistic and structural elements included narrations, breaking-the-fourth-wall, non-linear storylines, music to shift emotion, tone and to create a distinctive aesthetic. Using locations to film instead of built sets, natural lighting which allowed the camera to move 360 degrees. Handheld camera which gave a documentary-esque style, jump cuts – a ‘fractured’ style of editing – sometimes used non-actors, often improvising dialogue and movements. Democratisation of cinema: it was all fair, anyone could be a filmmaker.
Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde? Why? The directors François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard heavily influenced Penn when he was making Bonnie and Clyde – they were even approached by writers, Robert Benton and David Newman about directing the film, yet they turned it down. Two films by Truffaut influenced Penn when he was making Bonnie and Clyde: Shoot The Pianist (1960) and Jules et Jim (1962).
Their influence could’ve partly been to do with the fact that screenplay writers, Newman and Benton were French New wave fanatics. Also, the theme associated with French New Wave films was that they broke away from traditional norms; the story of Bonnie and Clyde is about two lovers who committed robberies, burglaries and murders, straying away from the traditional American law-abiding citizens, as well as their relationship dynamic which was tumultuous.
Identify at least 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and say why this was the case.
I decided to give this film an 8/10 because I really enjoyed the storyline, plot and love arc between Bonnie and Clyde as their relationship was emotional from when they met to when they died. Not only this but the rest of the characters were unique and entertaining but also humorous at times. The overall acting of the characters was powerful and raw, though the film was really violent at times making it a bit harder to watch. I also enjoyed the fact that the film was shot in colour rather than black and white as it personally made it more enjoyable and entertaining to watch.
In my opinion, the most memorable scene was the field scene with Bonnie & Clyde after Bonnie tries running away. Not only does this scene have beautiful cinematography and colouring making it pretty to look at but the acting from both actors was emotional and powerful especially as this is the first scene where we are fully exposed to Clyde’s true feelings towards Bonnie making it even more memorable.
| Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) | Critical Score- 6.5/10 | Memorable Scene For me the most memorable scene was the scene at the lake where Bonnie, Clyde and the rest of their group confront the sheriff. This is because it shows their characters very well and it establishes their group all together as a mischievous group of criminals for the first time. It is also a clumsy scene, so it shows Bonnie and Clyde’s inexperience but also their evilness. |
What is meant by the term New Hollywood? (Consider how this links to the decline of the Hollywood Studio System of the Golden Age) New Hollywood refers to the shift in habits amongst Americans in the early 1960s, television took away audiences from cinemas.
Name some of the films, directors and stars from this period. Cleopatra (1963, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz– the release of this film coincided with the collapse of the studio system), Easy Rider (1969, directed by Dennis Hopper), Carnival Of Souls (1962, directed by Herk Harvey), The Godfather(1972, directed by Francis Ford Coppola). Some stars included: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster.
What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema? The New Hollywood era of cinema spanned from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, and within that time frame America endured: Three assassinations on public figures, John. F. Kennedy (1963), Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), and Malcom X (1965). In 1959, through till 1973, America was involved in the Vietnam war, soldiers were fighting in Vietnam whilst American citizens protested against the war (1966, White House protests) because Americans wanted to halt the spread of communism from soviet powers. President, Richard Nixon’s, Watergate Scandal from 1972 until his resignation in 1974. The Civil Rights movement which aimed to abolish legalised racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement in the country (1954-1968).
How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach film narratives? Many directors, such as Arthur Penn, approached film narratives with an ‘anti-establishment’ point of view, meaning that they went against the established norms for Americans and how they should behave. This typically involved ‘outsider’ characters and the pursuit of freedom which laid outside of societal norms; this was reflected in the real world with protests, riots, and movements.
What is discontinuity editing? A noticeable cut in a sequence which grabs the audience’s attention due to its unnatural and ridged nature. This jump cut technique is typically used to indicate a significant jump in time.
Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise Of The Auteurs” in Hollywood? A lot of the biggest names in Hollywood today gained notoriety during this time period, to mention a few: Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorcese. Unlike Old Hollywood, where the actors in a film created excitement around a film, this era shone the spotlight on the directors behind the films – a result of this was films being recognised for their ‘auteur style’.
What was the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films? The New Hollywood style left its mark on the film industry by allowing and encouraging director-driven creativity and experimentation.
Initial Rating – 5/10
Favourite moment – A moment which stands out to me the most is when they take pictures together with Clyde’s brother, Buck Barrow, and his wife Blanche. This stood out to me the most as Blanche seems to represent the ideals and morals of old Hollywood films, as well as, American society during the 1900s-1950s – as a woman she is defined by her husband and is almost docile. In the pictures, Blanche takes one with her husband whereas Bonnie, who stands for the second wave, feminist movement during the 1960s, poses alone with a cigar and a pistol.
Initial Rating – 9/10
What I enjoyed about Casablanca was it’s simplicity, set design, and character dynamics. Each character got a satisfying development across the story and it led to me feeling sympathetic for the problems being faced by our main trio. The design of Rick’s bar, as well as the exterior shots of Casablanca, were visually interesting and kept me engaged in the story unfolding. As for the editing style, I can’t say that it made the movie any more interesting to me but it worked well for the themes being portrayed in the movie.
Humphrey Bogart – Rick Blaine
Bogart had a successful Hollywood career prior to Casablanca, usually playing secondary villain characters until being cemented as a suave leading man by Casablanca. On contract with Warner Bros, and originally not cast as Rick (for Ronald Reagan)
Ingrid Bergman – Ilsa Lund
As Ingrid was of Swedish origin, she waconsidered ‘exotic’ by American producers, and Curtiz wanted Ilsa to be played by a foreign actress, as he thought they would be able to sympathise with her character. She was active in Europe before Casablanca, being in films like 1936’s On the Sunny Side, or 1935’s Walpurgis Night.
Paul Henreid – Victor Laszlo
Paul was born in Austria to Austrian-American parents, and developed a love for acting early on. Paul was originally attracted to the role of Victor due to his hatred for the Nazi regime, as he was sectioned into concentration camps before reaching America.
Claude Rains – Captain Louis Renault
Rains was a British actor known for playing villains, like The Phantom Of The Opera and The Invisible Man
Conrad Veidt – Major Strasser
Conrad was from Germany but strongly opposed the Nazi regime, speaking out against their anti-sematic viewpoints. Most of his filmography features anti-nazi and anti-war films, apart from occasional villainous roles like in “The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari” and “The Man Who Laughs” (in which the character he plays became the inspiration for DC’s Joker)
Sydney Greenstreet – Signor Ferrari
Greenstreet avoided appearing in any films until he was 61, where he worked with Humphrey Bogart in “The Maltese Falcon” only a year before Casablanca.
Peter Lorre – Ugarte
Lorre was a Hungarian actor, who was known for playing “timidly devious” characters. He worked with Warner Bros for years on different crime films.
S.Z. Sakall – Carl
Sakall is a Hungarian actor who worked on stage throughout the 10s-20s. He moved to Hollywood after the Nazi’s pushed him out of Berlin. He spent his career playing supporting roles in film and musical.
Madeleine LeBeau – Yvonne
French actress who fled France with her Jewish husband after Axis takeover, once arriving in America she was given a contract by Warner Bros and started with Casablanca
Dooley Wilson – Sam
Wilson was a popular musician in the 20’s and 30’s, having toured across the world with his band before starring in Casablanca.
Joy Page – Annina Brandel
Though her stepfather was the head of Warner Bros, he did not want Page to be in Casablanca. Reluctantly she was cast at age 17, and never made any movies with Warner Bros again
John Qualen – Berger
Originating in theatre troupes in America and Canada, Qualen went on to make over 100 movies across his career, with his biggest role being in 1940’s “The Grapes Of Wrath”
Mise En Scene in Casablanca
Although Casablanca is set in Morocco, it was shot on a soundstage in Burbank, California; specifically in Warner Brothers Studios. It was chosen to be shot on specially designed soundstages instead of on location in Morocco due to both the expense of international production and the ongoing war in Morocco at the time. Each set was built for the movie, meant to mimic actual Moroccan architecture to create verisimilitude for the settings.
Editing in Casablanca
Casablanca utilises the invisible style of storytelling to engage us in the character’s personal relations. The very claustrophobic and intimate shots of Rick and Ilsa we see when they are talking in Rick’s bar clue us in to the dynamic that they share, and allows us to connect with the emotional tone of the scene.
Sound in Casablanca
Max Steiner composed the orchestral score for most of the film, which provided an epic and patriotic feel to particularly emotional scenes. Though it is synonymous with the film, “As Time Goes By” wasn’t written for Casablanca, it was written for a Broadway musical by Herman Hupfeld.
Aesthetics in Casablanca
Casablanca’s set and costume is designed to specifically create verisimilitude for Casablanca, trying to precisely mimic the architecture and sensibilities of an urban Moroccan town.
Hal Wallis, as producer for Casablanca, put together the production team and script for the movie.
Themes and Issues
Isolationism – a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries. Rick starts the movie as an isolationist, but ends as a sentimentalist and a patriot.
What was America’s view on WWII? 88% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe, and only 35% of Americans believed their government should risk war to help the British.
Representation in Casablanca
Women: Minor female characters, only used as love interests or “damsels in distress” if not background characters, gender roles reinforced
Men: Leading force of the story, all characters with authority are male, gender roles reinforced
Authority Figures: Police, private investigators, all white males
People Of Colour: Only a few POC characters, most notably Sam, the piano player
Americans: Rick and Sam, presented as positive and in demand characters
Europeans: Most European characters as shown to be struggling immigrants caught between war-torn countries
34 different nationalities are represented in Casablanca, both in front of and behind the camera.
Political and Social Contexts in Casablanca
ALLIES – Great Britain, The United States, and The USSR
AXIS – Germany, Italy, and Japan
France was occupied quite early in WWII, causing some rogue soldiers to become the “free French” (allies). Vichi France is a territory occupied by the German forces in France, run by a pseudo-German government (has control over Casablanca)
WWII starts in 1939, but The US doesn’t join the war until the December 7th Pearl Harbour bombing by Japan in 1941, prompting their entry to the war.
Operation Torch
Allied invasion of French North Africa during WWII. Torch was a compromise operation that met the british objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale. “It captured the zeitgeist”
On November 26th, 1942, Casablanca was premiered in New York City
Casablanca Conference
Was held in Casablanca, from Jan 14-24 1943. Used to plan the Allied European strategy for the next phase of WWII. Main discussion was between US President Franklin B Roosevelt, and British PM Winston Churchill.
Americans learn about the war through Newspaper, Radio, and Film.
(1900-1930)
Film makers and producers moved to Hollywood to avoid Thomas Edison’s lawyers in New Jersey, and because of it’s usually sunny weather and diverse landscapes
Some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood were Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Buster Keaton, John Gilbert, Nosferatu, and The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari
The early Hollywood studio system was like a factory or production line, as they integrated an assembly line method of creating a movie, by having specific jobs done in order to efficiently produce their films
The first “talking picture” was The Jazz Singer, which released on the 6th of October, 1927
The end of the silent era caused problems for some performers working in the film industry as many actors didn’t have the voice for talkies
The Great Depression, World War I, the Wall Street Crash, and the Dust Bowl were happening in America (and around the world) at this time in cinema history
The Hollywood Studio System
(1930-1947)
•1) What were the Big 5 studios & what type of movies was each studio famous for? Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, RKO, Warner Brothers
•2) Explain what vertical integration and block-booking was? Vertical Integration was when a production company owned all parts of movie production and distribution, and block-booking
•3) Why and when did the original studio system collapse? It was challenged under the antitrust laws in a 1948 Supreme Court ruling which sought to separate production from the distribution and exhibition and ended such practices
•4) What was happening in America(and around the world) at this time? The Great Depression had just started and WWII was right in the middle of the era, so people were worried at about war and financial struggles during the Studio System period
•5) What genres were popular and why did people go to the movies in this period?
gangster films, musicals, historical biopics, social-realism films, lighthearted screwball comedies, and westerns were all popular at the time, and people went to the cinema as a form of escapism from the grim reality of the post-depression society they lived in
Classic Hollywood Style
What is meant by the invisible style of storytelling? Subtle cuts and non-distracting set and costume design contribute towards an immersive storyline and character development
What is continuity editing? When shots are presented chronologically to provide a cohesive storyline for a movie