From left to right: Gene Hackman as Buck Barrow, Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow, and Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker
Bonnie and Clyde (1967), a gangster thriller based on the legendary bank robbing duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, shocked and awed audiences in the 1960s, due to its realistic portrayal of gun violence and sex. Starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as the Depression-era lovers, the film was hugely influential in multiple arenas.
Parker (Dunaway) poses with a cigar and gun, earning her the real-life nickname "gun moll"
High Fashion Cred: During the decade of mod miniskirts and space-age fashion, Bonnie and Clyde brought something new to the trend table. Depression-era style was in again, and calf length skirts and neckerchiefs became just as hip as go-go boots and PVC.
Bonnie and Clyde gave second lives to humble and unfashionable pieces. After the film came out, beret and cardigan sales suddenly skyrocketed.
"We rob banks."
Designers continually reference this film in their collections. Take Michael Kors for instance - it's obvious to see that everyone's favorite bank robbers are a constant source of his line's inspiration.
Best dressed: The famous yellow sweater, grey skirt, cream beret combo was my favorite look of the movie. Bank robbing never looked so fabulous. The iconic look got a sexy second life in a later scene, when she sheds the sweater and poses in the bathroom with a cigarette and her beau's Panama hat.
Dunaway and Beatty die in style as Bonnie and Clyde...
... vs. the actual crime scene photo of Bonnie and Clyde's bodies and bullet ridden car
Most visually stunning scene: In the beginning of the final scene, our anti-heroes sweetly share a juicy pear during a car ride through the country. Two minutes and what seems like a bazillion bullets later, they're dead. If "going out with a bang" was ever defined by one scene, it would be this one.
Most unexpected scene stealer: Before this film, gun shootings had always been caught in two film shots. For instance, the gun going off would be one shot and the injured victim would be a separate shot. Bonnie and Clyde accomplished an incredible feat in the film industry when the complete act of shooting a person was caught in one shot for the first time. The victim is an unfortunate bank manager that Clyde shot through his car window (above).
Substance score: 9. Whether you're male, female, fashion-obsessed or anti-fashion, there's enough style and substance in this film for everyone. Widely recognized as one of the best movies of all time, Bonnie and Clyde was ranked #47 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years... 100 Movies" list and is also featured in Time magazine's list of "All-Time 100 Movies."
The "screaming horse's ass" Blanche Barrow, played by Estelle Parsons
The real Blanche Barrow
Oddly enough, though Beatty, Dunaway, Gene Hackman and Michael J. Pollard were all nominated for an Academy Award for their acting, only Estelle Parsons took home a trophy for her incredibly obnoxious performance as an idiotic Blanche Barrow. The real Blanche Barrow sued Warner Brothers for depicting her as "a screaming horse's ass." In reality, Barrow was arguably more attractive than Parker, and never gave up any information to help the police find the crime duo.
"Hey boy, what you doin' with my mama's car?"
It's too bad that a remake is in the works starring perpetually peppy Hilary Duff. I can't imagine her pulling off the role with even a sliver of the sex appeal that Faye Dunaway had, can you?
During a climactic shoot-out, Dunaway still manages to flash some sexy garters.
If you live in the Indianapolis area and would like information about or an invite to our next Fashion Movie Night, please email me at thehautehoosier
FMN celebrates both iconic films that have shaped fashion in a significant way and documentaries offering a behind the scenes look into the fashion industry. In a series of blog posts following our FMN viewing parties, I analyze the impact of each film on fashion.
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