AFI (2007) • AFI-042
Bonnie and Clyde
1967 • Arthur Penn
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ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
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FAMOUS QUOTE
“We rob banks.”
Arthur Penn’s groundbreaking crime drama recounts the rise and fall of Depression-era bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. What begins as a romantic escape from small-town life quickly turns into a violent criminal spree across the American South. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway portray the infamous couple with charisma and tragic intensity. The film’s stylized violence, rapid editing, and sympathetic portrayal of outlaws shocked audiences upon release but helped usher in a new era of filmmaking. Often credited with launching the New Hollywood movement of the late 1960s, Bonnie and Clyde remains a landmark in the evolution of modern American cinema.
Why it matters
- It endures because its core tensions (sheriff; waitress; ambush) still feel modern, and the emotional turns land hard.
- It’s a masterclass in Crime, Drama storytelling—efficient scene work, memorable set-pieces, and choices that keep the tone confident.
- As a time-capsule and an influence engine, it’s a key snapshot of 1967—and you can feel its DNA in countless films that followed.
Watch for
- Recurring motifs and touchpoints (sheriff, waitress, ambush, prohibition era, submachine gun, texas)—notice how they show up, evolve, or get subverted scene-to-scene.
- How information is revealed (or withheld): pay attention to what you learn first, and what you only understand in hindsight.
- Performance details in close-ups—pauses, glances, and timing often do more than the lines.
- Transitions and visual rhymes: watch how the film connects scenes through matching images, sound bridges, or repeated blocking.
Vibe
Crime DramaOutlaw RomanceNew HollywoodDepression-Era AmericaGlamour & ViolenceRebel LoversMedia MythAmerican RestlessnessBullet-Riddled TragedyCounterculture Shock
AFI RANK
1998: #27
2007: #42
▼Moved down 15 spots