In the ongoing debate about graphic violence in the movies, Bonnie and Clyde is something of a watershed. 

It is tame stuff by today’s standards, but in 1967 the climactic assassination scene, where Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed and ripped apart in a slow motion orgy of gunfire, attracted plenty of notoriety, and became hugely influential on “new Hollywood” cinema.

It is a pity in a way, as the film itself has so much more to offer. There is a lightness of tone to the duo’s initial fumbling blossoming relationship and life of crime, which gives way to an inevitable sense of impending doom as their crime-spree gets more violent and the net closes in around them.

Arthur Penn’s movie features terrific performances, not just from Warren Beatty (never better) and Faye Dunaway as the leads, but some fantastic supporting players, notably Gene Hackman (in an early role) and Michael J Pollard as members of the gang, and Gene Wilder as a kidnap victim. 

This great image is the French ‘grande’ poster for this landmark movie. This can be found for sale here.