Bonnie and Clyde 1967

¶ … Bonnie and Clyde

Through its film design, Bonnie and Clyde is able to capture a relatively truthful dramatization of Bonnie and Clyde's final journey together. Despite its many historical inaccuracies, the film is able to capture the essence of the Great Depression through the narrative and mise-en-scene. Bonnie and Clyde focuses mostly on the fictionalized relationship that develops between the titular characters and the various ups-and-downs that the couple underwent during their romantic relationship and criminal career. Despite the historical inaccuracies that arise during the course of the film, the film's concluding scene is the most jarring and violent scene. While the purpose of the final scene is to provide closure to the film, the combination of a simple set design and rapid composition culminates to depict the sudden and brutal take down of the infamous couple.

While the film focuses on the titular characters, the crime spree that they embark on serves as a subplot for the film. Clyde's grudge against the banking industry is a motivating factor for his actions. Although it is not explicitly stated within the film, the historical Clyde held a grudge against the U.S. government because he felt that he had been mistreated by the judicial system (Geringer). Because of this grudge, both the fictional and real-life Clyde embarked on a crime spree that targeted banks, robbing them with the help of his beloved Bonnie in addition to the various members of the Barrow gang. The duo was finally stopped on May 23, 1934 during the course of a sting operation that was meant to put an end to their inter-state crime spree (Geringer).

The final scene, or sequence of events, depicts the ambush that was organized by Texas law enforcement officials and was carried out with the assistance of Henry Methvin, a member of the Barrow gang, and Iverson Methvin, Henry's father (Geringer). In the film, as in real life, Bonnie and Clyde are driving down a desolate road when they encounter C.W. Moss -- the fictionalized version of Iverson Methvin -- who apparently is trying to fix his truck that has broken down by the side of the road. It is when Bonnie and Clyde stop to lend C.W. Moss a helping hand that they are ambushed and killed. This final sequence, unlike much of the film, is devoid of comedy, and instead focuses on the reality that Bonnie and Clyde faced during their final moments together.

The final sequence's setting is remote and desolate. While many scenes are shot on a stage or studio set, the final sequence, like many of the chase scenes, is shot in a natural environment. Using a natural/outdoor set helps to establish that Bonnie and Clyde are on the move from one place to another. The use of natural scenery adds a touch of realism to the film. Moreover, the time of year during which the Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed must also be reflected in the natural vegetation of the surrounding environment. Through the surrounding vegetation, it is evident that the scene was shot sometime during the summer, which helps to support the historical accuracy of the final ambush. In addition, because of the outdoor location, there is no need to alter any decor to fit the time period; the time period is established through props and costuming.

However, there are several limitations that are imposed by shooting a scene or sequence outdoors. Because lighting for the scene comes from the surrounding environment, shooting the film is limited to a specific time of day and is dependent on specific weather conditions.

Additionally, the realistic nature of the scene is heightened by the absence of superfluous sounds. The final sequence relies on the sounds that are naturally found in the surrounding environment such as birds singing and flying away, insects chirping, the rumbling of cars' engines, and the sudden explosive gunshots. This sequence, unlike the rest of the film, does not incorporate any music. Despite the fact that there is no music in the final sequence, sound in the film reflects the rising action and gets louder as the film progresses ("Did You Know?: Bonnie and Clyde (1967))."

Because the natural environment in which the scene is shot is devoid of any historical markers that can establish the time period during which these events occur, establishing a specific time period is dependent on props and costuming. In this case, the props that help to establish the timeframe are the vehicles that are used and the weapons, in this case tommy guns, the police use to massacre Bonnie and Clyde. Additionally, while there are some extraordinary shootouts that depicted throughout the film, they are for the most part loud and bloodless, that is until the final scene.

While the 1920s was an era of excesses, Bonnie and Clyde dress more casually. Additionally, despite the many bank heists that they pull off, they do not seem to spend the money they get on new clothes or flashy items. The costuming, despite being well-done, does not reflect the era. It is difficult to ascertain the time period in which the movie takes place by simply looking at the costuming. It is also important to note how costuming is used, especially Bonnie's costuming, to heighten the impact of the final sequence. Costuming is kept relatively simple throughout the course of the film; the manner in which the characters are dressed demonstrates that despite the fact that they have robbed multiple banks, they do not have much money. Furthermore, the costuming does not add nor detract from the story, but rather is a neutral element; there are few elements, if any, that indicate that the costuming is reflective of 1930s fashion and styling. While historical accounts state that Bonnie was killed while wearing a red dress, the fictional Bonnie is wearing a white dress when she is killed. It can be argued that the dress color helps to highlight the violence of the final sequence. For example, the blood from Bonnie's bloody corpses will show up brighter when contrasted against a white dress than when it is juxtaposed on a red dress (Geringer). Additionally, the muted color scheme of Clyde's costuming also serves the same purpose. If Clyde's costuming was a different color, then the violence of the shoot out may not be as prominent. Additionally, the costuming of the Texas law officials that brought down Bonnie and Clyde is reminiscent of the Texas "cowboy" stereotype. While Bonnie and Clyde are shown to be wearing a dress and vest, button up shirt, and slacks, respectively, the policemen are dressed in monochromatic outfits and are shown wearing cowboy hats. The contrast between the way that Bonnie and Clyde are dressed and how the policemen are dressed demonstrates the schism that existed between the criminals and law enforcement officials.