Bonnie and Clyde is a very interesting movie that depicts some famous characters in American Mythology. Both Bonnie and Clyde existed in real life, but are normally thought of as these romanticized criminals who were in love and traveled America doing crime. Both in the movie and in real life they are at least slightly different than the mythological versions of themselves.
The movie begins when Clyde tries to steal Bonnie’s mothers car. The movie is set in the depression-era in Texas, which still has some feel of the wild west, though more bleak. Bonnie is intrigued by Clyde, so she decides to become his partner in crime, despite not being as criminal as he was already. They try to pull of some small scale crimes, and slowly build up their gang.
The add C.W., Buck and Blanche to their gang, and Blanche and Bonnie do not get along. Their criminal acts slowly become grander and more violent. They go from robbing gas stations to robbing banks. Texas Ranger Frank Hamer pursues the gang, and ends up killing Buck, capturing Blanche, and getting her to reveal C.W.’s name to the law enforcement. Bonnie, Clyde, and C.W. hide out with C.W.’s father, who strikes a deal with the law enforcement. The deal states that he will allow the police to get Bonnie and Clyde as long as his son is spared. C.W.’s dad takes the deal and Bonnie and Clyde are killed.
Bonnie and Clyde live the life of lawless people in the American Wild West at a time when the law is still around, and chasing them. That is why their time is short. Their flame burned bright but didn’t last. This movie made me curious about the romanticization of crimes and lawlessness Americans sometimes have. The Wild West is heavily romanticized, maybe because there is great freedom with lawlessness, and that is what America is founded on.