The Bonnie Parker Story

I hadn't heard of William Witney until this movie. Checking his profile on IMDb, I find that he was a complete filmmaker, a very prolific director, "Bonanza" and "Mike Hammer" being two of the most famous things he worked on. Now, about the salt and pepper in this movie: the very beautiful Dorothy Provine! Very beautiful! And very gifted! She is the film, it's worth seeing only because of her. I never thought I'd see her in such an extremely tough gangster role, after seeing her in very soft parts in movies like, "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", "Good Neighbor Sam" "The Great Race", "That Darn Cat!", "Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die", "Never a Dull Moment", all 6 excellent comedies that delighted my adolescence and that I have seen each many times, especially "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", which is also the best of all. Only 42 credits as an actress on IMDb but, due to her unique personality and talent, I'm convinced, she deserves to be discovered in all the movies in which she starred.

For those who don't know who Bill Witney was, let me explain, he was the most famous serial maker ever. The most gifted in that domain. Besides this, he also directed films and also TV episodes. Grade Z westerns too, starring Allan Rocky Lane, Gene Autry or Roy Rogers, singing cowboys. So, you see...This one, made in the late fifties, tells a topic in the early sixties mode ( rebel youth, juvenile delinquency) but which actually takes place in the thirties. Bill Witney, long before Arthur Penn, told Bonnie Parker's story using this juvenile revolt; smart, isn't it? Dotty Provine is outstanding here. It is taut, tense, tragic, and an excellent film noir from a serial specialist. But after all Spencer Gordon Bennet, also a vet serial director, gave us THE BOUNTY HUNTER, which was for him BONNIE PARKER STORY was for Witney. Try one day to watch, also from Witney, STRANGER AT MY DOOR, a strange film really worth; don't worry I will talk about it later.

When this story began, I noticed that this low budget film didn't even bother to try to look the correct period. While it was set in 1932, clothing and dress mostly looked like it was from 1958....and both had changed dramatically over this period of time. I can only assume the filmmakers simply didn't care about getting the look right or they had so little money to spend, they didn't bother. The real life Bonnie Parker looked about as much as Dorothy Provine as a tomato!

Either way, I wasn't very impressed.

The same can be said about the story itself. While it's supposed to be about Bonnie of Bonnie and Clyde fame, the story is only VERY broadly about them. Heck, they even call Clyde 'Guy' in order to avoid problems with royalties and permission to film the story in the first place! Had they stuck to the facts, such permission probably wouldn't have been needed but the film is essentially fiction.

Because of these problems, my advice is to just watch the film and accept it on its own terms. Ignore that it's not really Bonnie's story and ignore that the look of the film is all wrong...otherwise, finishing the movie will be very difficult! Ditto with the WAY over the top behaviors by Bonnie....she's played like a complete maniac with zero subtlety. And, at least this way, you CAN enjoy it because it's so ridiculous and overdone.

"The Bonnie Parker story" has the potential to be a cult movie. It is evident that a sad lack of bucks is the main cause of the faults of the film. No other reason, save some bizarre artistic choice, could justify the 1950s clothes and looks of the actors, within a 1930s story. And no bank-shot is shown all along the movie, another unwelcome by-product of a meagre budget.

In spite of its B-movie doom, "The Bonnie Parker story" has remarkable merits. The photography is accurate and evocative. The action scenes are realistic and very well filmed, the narration has a quick and smooth pace. The script oozes toughness and cynical wisecracking. In my opinion, a first rate job by the writer.

And then... that girl! That bomb of a wildcat-girl! Dorothy Provine is sensational, and not just for her stunningly gorgeous looks. Her aggressive, dynamic acting is unforgettable. She draws Bonnie's utterly amoral character, paired with an almost crazy courage, with a great force not lacking of subtlety. Huge fun to see her on the screen, especially when she ruthlessly ill-use and humiliate the male characters. An interesting, although undeveloped, side of Bonnie's psychology: she has an exclusive passion for command, while she seems not to give a damn for love. Well, let me give some credit to the little money used to make the movie. With a higher budget, probably they would have hired a more famous actress than Dorothy. What an enormous loss we escaped!

Dorothy Provine alone is largely enough to recommend "The Bonnie Parker story", but it's fair to take note of several other good sides of the movie.

Don't turn on this flick for a lesson about the real life gangsters here. Bonnie is the brains in this mob. Throw in some 1950s rockabilly on the radio from the future and enjoy the ride.