Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) changed American cinema, reinvigorating the gangster genre with European, New Wave techniques and a radically candid view of sex and violence. Starring Warren Beatty, who also produced, and Faye Dunaway, the film whipped up a frenzy of controversy and paved the way for the 'New Hollywood' of the 70s.
For Lester D. Friedman Bonnie and Clyde is a pivotal film that reflected and contributed to the profound change in American values in the 60s and 70s. After detailing how Penn, who was specially interviewed for the book, Beatty and writers David Newman and Robert Benton brought the film to the screen (in the face of studio hostility), Friedman explores its revolutionary treatment of youth, fashion, crime and authority.
