We salute the work of Bonnie And Clyde director Arthur Penn, who passed away yesterday aged 88.
Arthur Penn, the eminent director of Bonnie And Clyde, has sadly passed away aged 88.
Released in 1967, Bonnie And Clyde is recognised as one of the most important films of its period, ushering in the New Hollywood era of counterculture movies such as Easy Rider, Cool Hand Luke and The Graduate, and for pushing the boundaries of screen violence with its notoriously bloody climax.
It was by no means the only memorable film in Penn’s career, however. 1975’s Night Moves was a tautly made detective thriller that featured a pitch-perfect turn from Gene Hackman, as well as early appearances from Melanie Griffith and James Woods.
Less well known was the Penn’s 1981 movie Four Friends, a 60s-set drama starring Craig Wasson and Jodi Thelen, which was greeted warmly by critics, most famously the New York Times’ Vincent Canby, who ranked it alongside Bonnie And Clyde as one of the director’s most important works.
Arthur Penn died in Manhattan yesterday, just one day after his 88th birthday.