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Created Apr 19, 2008 12:15AM PST • Edited Oct 14, 2017 01:02PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Legendary movie about legendary bank robbers fails to live up to its legend. Over-the-top performances and violence that is far from the current cutting-edge make Bonnie and Clyde somewhat of a museum piece. That said, with star power and style points to spare, the movie is worth watching for most any fan.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   Warren Beatty projects major movie star charisma here, and is well matched by Faye Dunaway in her trend-setting beret. Gene Hackman, who I normally love, is over-the-top in his portrayal of Buck Barrow.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

   Estelle Parsons won an Oscar for her supporting role, though her performance seems undistinguished to me.

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    Forty years have passed since the movie came out, longer than between the real Bonnie and Clyde and the movie. This must have seemed – if not fresh in 1968 – certainly quite a bit more topical.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Great 4.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0

    Famous for exploding squibs (to simulate blood squirting bullet wounds) and natty attire, especially Faye Dunaway’s beret.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.8

17. Sex Titillating 1.7

    Hollywood stud Warren Beatty plays Clyde as impotent.

18. Violence Fierce 2.2

    Once cutting edge in its depiction of gun violence, the movie seems almost tame by current standards.

19. Rudeness Polite 1.5

21. Reality

    Glib 1.3

    Bonnie and Clyde became local media celebrities, making this a classic Hollywood story: no matter how heinous their deeds, if the media are interested and the characters good-looking, we got ourselves a movie!

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.8

    Substantial circumstantial liberties were taken: how Bonnie and Clyde met, who their sidekicks were, how they dealt with their victims, etc.

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0