Life on the Run

Today was my first viewing of Bonnie and Clyde. I had heard about this movie before, including references in several songs (Jay Z and Beyonce's duet "Bonnie & Clyde". It's a well-known tale in the United States, and this 1967 movie is just one of the many versions of the story. But being the curious person that I am, I couldn't help but wonder about the real story. Who were Bonnie and Clyde? I decided to do a quick Google search, and I found a Wikipedia article all about them. In the 1930s, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow travelled throughout the South, especially in Missouri. They robbed several small country stores and gas stations, and often posed for pictures of themselves to spread the word of their robberies in the newspapers around the country. They definitely wanted people to know who they were.

Many of these details were beautifully replicated in the film. Of course, as with all urban folklore, there are always a few ambiguous details, but the key points are clear. It started out with Bonnie in her bedroom, undressed. From her second floor room, she looked out of the window and saw Clyde attempting to steal her mother's car. Even though this was literally the first five minutes of the film, it was easy to tell that Bonnie had a strong attraction to Clyde. It's truly amazing what love can make you do if you let it: at first, Bonnie was definitely no criminal, but that all changed quickly when Clyde walked into her life. I remember that she didn't even know how to use the gun, but he taught her well. 

In the blink of an eye, Bonnie and Clyde were driving around Joplin, Missouri, holding up banks. It was great that we took advantage of nearly the entire period to watch this movie today (besides the technical difficulties) as we watched Bonnie and Clyde narrowly escape from law enforcement. One of my favorite moments was when C.W., a freshly-recruited mechanic, had been put in charge of driving the car. He made one of the worst mistakes of a thief: he parallel parked the escape vehicle, leaving him stuck between two cars. Who does that? 

When it comes to visual effects, the rustic cars, old-fashioned clothing, and antiquated buildings all contributed to the atmosphere of this movie. This was definitely not 2014. Despite the fact that this movie itself is ancient, it is very well-done, and I can't wait to see how these two lovebirds end up.