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The movie that prefigured the 1970s renaissance in American cinema gets a new DVD treatment this week, a little late for its fortieth anniversary but welcome nonetheless. Bonnie and Clyde was originally hated by its studio, shunned by critics, yet celebrated by a public ready for something to articulate a growing frustration with authority. But its genius has been hijacked ever since: four decades of filmmakers have either missed the point of its violence and pathos or oversimplified them past the point of recognition. Maybe this new restoration can help correct that.

Directed by Arthur Penn, the story loosely adapts the true-life adventures of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, two East Texas lovers that robbed banks and became media celebrities during the early years of the Great Depression. Their willingness to draw attention to themselves ("We're the Barrow gang," Clyde famously remarks to commence a robbery) and their growing public esteem draw increasing acrimony from law enforcement officials, including an errant Texas Ranger they allow to survive with disastrous consequences.

Arranged as a loose assembly of set pieces, the film's episodic structure works except that several key scenes end before the viewer may be done with them. Penn came to movies after a career directing television, and indoor moments often have a cramped staginess that begs for space. Even an important encounter outside a gas station carries the stuffy confines of a studio. The scenes set outdoors, including a melancholy reunion between Parker and her mother, are lovely but vastly unlike each other, so that their very look contributes to an overall disjointed texture.

Fortunately the performances outgrow their surroundings. Warren Beatty depicts Barrow as a firebrand huckster, a hoodlum with a street preacher's twinkle in his eye. Faye Dunaway displays an entire range of emotions as waitress-turned-criminal Parker, in the kind of performance that makes actresses into movie stars and movie stars into screen legends. In fact the entire cast demonstrates astonishing range, and it's exciting to see costars Gene Hackman and Gene Wilder in roles among their earliest performances. Each actor's very screen identity forms as the film unfolds, as if the movie charts the courses of their careers.

Penn and producer Beatty were wise in emphasizing the outlaws' moral distinction between "the laws" and "just folks, like us." Writers David Newman and Robert Benton (with help from Chinatown scribe Robert Townsend) position the Barrow gang as compassionate anarchists, quick to kill police but just as willing to let a black sharecropper shoot up a foreclosure sign. By connecting their protagonists to the rogue heroes of Warner Brothers' gangster films from the 1930s and 40s, they reintroduced much of what made America love movies during the Depression to a generation that shared its frustration with inhuman and inhumane institutions. Ironically Warner Brothers itself released the film only after Jack Warner initially balked at an early version, presumably because of the graphic violence and startlingly sexual subtexts.

And Bonnie and Clyde unreservedly embodies the rebellion of its time. Police are conniving if not outright treacherous, and possessed of a hivelike mentality. Merchants are cowardly and bankers are reckless or incompetent. Even fathers are abusive and devious. By comparison, sharecroppers and other struggling folk are generous and tolerant. Unfortunately this uncompromising division between those with authority and the powerless is shown with a simplicity that modern audiences might find facile or even jingoistic.

But that same dichotomy affords Barrow, Parker, and their cohorts outsider status while making their tragic glory believable. Penn masterfully strikes a sense of foreboding again and again, often in haunting grace notes: a young boy falling down a hill to rest limp at Parker's feet; the benediction of a poor farmer allowed to keep his money. Ultimately the characters rise above their fates through a resigned nerve more redemptive than criminal impulse.

 A pivotal early scene displays the gang's spirit: "We're gonna have ourselves a time, boy!" exclaims Barrow's brother Buck (Hackman), awkwardly trying to prolong a reunion's good cheer. Moments later, Barrow explains how he mutilated himself to escape a prison work detail but was paroled a week later. "Ain't life grand?" he remarks with weary nonchalance, as the two go out to confront bleak futures.

- Michael Kabel

DVD Special Features: The newly remastered and remixed version is available in a two-disc Special Edition that also includes additional scenes, several documentaries, and theatrical trailers. The Ultimate Collector's Edition includes the same features as the Special Edition as well as a reproduction of the 1967 pressbook and a hardcover book of photos.

But, for a better summary of what the Chamber's much-discussed report actually says, you'd have better luck looking to Dan Kennedy - "Casino Supporters Support Casinos."

I understand that some of the issues we're dealing with here are tricky. And I'm a reporter, so math does scare me, too. But you can't write off the costs just because the Globe editorial board does.

If you chase down half the "opponents say" caveats in today's front page story, you'll find a much different scenario at play than all the governor's promises being fulfilled. You're left with, as I termed it earlier today, a cost-benefit analysis without the costs. A benefit analysis.

And that doesn't do much good when the argument against Deval Patrick's casino plan hinges on the fact that the costs aren't immediately obvious, but they're very real, and they erode the benefits remarkably quickly.

First off: Rate of return. For every dollar residents pump into the Lottery, towns immediately get $0.24 back in local aid. Of every dollar residents would drop into a casino, they'd recoup $0.03 or $0.04. So casinos aren't just inefficient as a means of delivering local aid (or property tax relief and transportation funding) - they're, at best, eight times less efficient than the Lottery. And if you want to make up that difference, you'd better open up those wallets wide.

Dan Bosley, who co-chairs the committee examining Patrick's casino bill, sent a letter to his colleagues this afternoon in which he called the Chamber's study "flawed" for relying on research from the casino industry and Clyde Barrow. "While I question their conclusions," Bosley wrote, "there has never been a question over the creation of a revenue stream from casinos. If you build them, people will spend money. However, there is a vast difference between revenue and economic development and the administration fails to realize this."

What the administration has never admitted, and what the Chamber report and the stories regarding it ignore, is the fact that the money going into casinos is not new to the economy. It's transferred from within the economy - as if in a shell game, if you will. The greater the share of money coming from areas close to the casino, the greater the shift away from local businesses and towards the casino will be. That's why Patrick favors destination casinos over slots - to minimize economic cannibalization.

The number in the Chamber report that should terrify casino proponents - a number that's been ignored in the press so far - is the study's contention that, of the $2 billion - $2.3 billion in annual gross gaming revenue that three local casinos would generate, only $500 million to $550 million would be coming from out of state.

So, if three-quarters of casino revenue would be coming from in-state, and, as the Boston Federal Reserve has said, up to three-quarters of money spent in a casino is already spent inside the economy ... uh, that's not good.

Hey, guess what, everybody? Governor Deval Patrick wants to build three casinos in Massachusetts. He’s been saying that they’ll bring 30,000 jobs in tow. Turns out, they won’t. Shocking, we know. But it’s this revelation that gripped Beacon Hill this week. All other concerns were crowded out.

Most close observers (depending on whom you read) have known for several months now that the governor’s casino research is compromised and his economic assumptions shaky. And now that the town’s paper of record has spoken on the subject, the fan is really covered in it.

The administration has even stopped citing its 30,000 jobs figure, and taken to speaking of “tens of thousands” of jobs instead.

That’s a significant fact, because it marks the first time in this whole gambling debate that reporting has been able to knock the administration off its talking points. A similarly damning Mass Taxpayers Foundation report was reportedly met with anger, profanity and the like behind closed doors, but the pessimistic data laid out therein hasn’t stopped the administration from using gambling revenues as a panacea for everything from property taxes to transportation funding to addiction treatment to Tim Cahill’s sick man. But now, with a high stakes legislative hearing on the horizon, Patrick has been shoved off his mark. The Globe having done its damage, Dan Bosley’s recent statement to us that, “The governor’s going to come down and say, ‘We’re going to have 30,000 jobs,’ and I’ll say, ‘No, you’re not,’” suddenly takes on a whole new layer of meaning.

The governor initially responded to the Globe report by trying to argue, "There are going to be all kinds of claims about whether it's 30,000 construction jobs or 20,000 construction jobs or 5,000 construction jobs. I can tell you that whatever that number is, it beats the opposition, which is at zero." Yes. Exactly. And given the choice between being punched or kicked in the face, being punched beats the opposition. Fantastic.

As if all this weren’t enough, Patrick insisted on pressing his case, rather than laying low for a little while, by sending a sharply worded pro-gambling letter to each of the state’s legislators. Getting mad and hitting "reply to all" - that’s the way to stay out of the papers, and to keep your critics off your back. Sure it is.

So, with Patrick locked in a spiraling back and forth with House casino critics, this letter was then followed up with what initially appeared to be a third grader’s book report, but was later revealed to be a brochure from the governor and his economic development secretary, Dan O’Connell.

Loaded with incongruous clip art, impressive leaps of logic, half-truths and downright sloppy research, the brochure is one of the most dubious – not to mention unintentionally hilarious – public documents to see the light of day in quite some time. Print this thing out, take it on your lunch break, and try to read it without having milk squirt out your nose. We dare you. And forget about all this transparent desperation opening up the governor to attacks from the speaker. If whatever you're doing allows the state GOP - the political equivalent of the '62 Mets - to land potshots on you about slick "phony economics," things are not going well.

The administration pamphlet’s argument that the legislature must act now (punctuated by a comically large clock, natch) because of the inevitability of a Mashpee Wampanoag casino in Middleborough is especially, uh, interesting, given that, in the days before the pamphlet’s distribution, O’Connell had a rather eventful meeting with the Mashpee. They told him that they would not be abandoning federal channels to a casino for the state’s proposed casino licensing auction. Tribe spokesman Scott Ferson has previously said the tribe will not bid on one of Patrick’s casino licenses.

What does this mean? Rather than hamstringing the Mashpee, rapid legislative approval of Patrick’s casino bill would actually ease the tribe’s path to a federal, tax-free casino, because the legalization of Class III gambling would give the tribe the sovereign right to run all sorts of Vegas-style games. As things stand now, the Mashpee are in the position of threatening to round up $1 billion in financing for a bingo slots complex with a highly uncertain future: It might very well revert to a normal bingo hall if the feds follow through on recent threats to make bingo slots illegal. Nothing like negotiating from a position of strength.

As if all that’s not enough, on Thursday, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce unveiled a casino report that, by in large, confirmed the governor’s arguments on the revenue side, but that categorically declined to quantify any negative economic impacts from expanded gambling. What we're left with is a cost-benefit analysis with no costs. Which is totally useful.

It’s also notable that the report’s authors do rely on research from less-than-uninterested sources, including Harrah’s and Clyde Barrow, but if those sources are good enough for the governor, they’re certainly good enough for the Chamber. Expect both sides to hug the report and claim victory.

Ugh. That’s enough for now. Other stuff happened this week on the Hill, too – Senate President Therese Murray unveiled a sweeping health care reform-reform proposal, the T put its budget on its credit card, and the highway department ran over a scrum of weeping veterans. None of those things have anything to do with craps, so this week, they don’t matter much. Maybe next week. Maybe.

Wire services contributed to this report.

Patrick's people see no problem with the timeline at work here, nor with the credentials of the firm looking over the gov's numbers; Sue Tucker begs to disagree.

But for my money, all you need to know about Spectrum is that Clyde Barrow likes their resume - they're "one of the most notable private sector gaming analysts in the Northeast," the guy who virtually made the Patrick administration's pro-gaming case for them tells the Herald.

Something tells me Dan Bosley won't be happy with these guys.

UPDATE: From Bosley: "I don't know how anyone could call [theirs] an unbiased viewpoint. I don't think they've ever done a report that says you shouldn't do gambling. But we'll take a look at it."

1) The badge he/she carries...

2) The willingness of the general public to look the other way when those who are sworn to uphold the law intentionally pervert and break the law in order to both create and incarcerate criminals...

Case in Point:

Bonnie and Clyde didn’t die resisting arrest but perished in a hail of bullets fired by law enforcement predators, commonly known as the Texas Rangers, who lacked the necessary courage to face their prey openly...

Based on the documentary: 18 Months of Mayhem, January 2008  

June 17 1933, convicted bank robber, Frank Nash was on his way back to prison after he escaped. He never made it. Gunmen shot down Nash at the Kansas City Union Station, along with four officers and 2 others were injured.  Newspapers called it the Kansas City Massacre.  It was just the beginning of an 18 month crime spree.   The government appeared helpless to stem the tide of crime or the depression.  Law enforcement was local, town and county, with few state agencies and no Federal law enforcement. President Franklin D. Roosevelt turned to an understaffed unit of the government, the Federal Bureau of Investigations. 

J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the FBI and he staffed the bureau with agents who had little or no law enforcement experience. John Dillinger was an experienced criminal by the time he walked into a bank in Daleville, Indiana on July 17, 1933.  He was a high school drop out and military deserter when he robbed a shopkeeper.  He received 10 years in prison and he used the time to fine tune his criminal skills. He learned to case a bank for days or weeks, gathering information on security rounds, vault systems and escape routes.  Dillinger robbed small town banks, putting many out of business.   

Oklahoma City July 22, 1933, Charles Hirshel was kidnapped by George Barnes, AKA Machine Gun Kelly.  Barnes was a college educated, middle class man who got involved in boot legging during the depression.  He and his wife, Katherine, collected $200,000 for Charles Hirshel just 8 days later.  Katherine’s mother was arrested in connection with the crime, so Katherine tried to make a deal to exchange George for her mother.  Even though the deal was refused, the FBI had a lead on the couple’s whereabouts. They were captured in Memphis, on September 26, 1933. 

On September 22 in Dayton Ohio police moved in on a tip to apprehend Dillinger and he was taken in without a fight.  On October 12, he was busted out of jail by friends from prison. The men took police issue weapons and bullet proof vests from the police station.  Dillinger settled in Chicago, going to nightclubs and spending money lavishly.  He continued to rob banks in surrounding towns to finance his lifestyle. 

Masses of people were out of work and homeless. Farmers fled to the West, their farms seized by banks, their crops destroyed by drought.  The public began to romanticize the criminals and Dillinger made a point of keeping the people on his side, tearing up deeds and giving patrons cash from the robbery.  Movie heroes of the day were gangsters.  In January 1934, the nation got its first look at John Dillinger in movie theater news reels. He became a rock star of the era.  He had a likeable demeanor and played to the cameras. Dillinger was taken into custody again, but like Houdini, he was master escape artist.  He was on the cover of every newspaper in America.  Hoover and his national police force became a laughing stock and enhanced Dillinger’s legendary status.  Hoover issued a kill order for Dillinger.   

Without his gang, Dillinger began robbing banks with Baby Face Nelson. George Baby Face Nelson robbed banks, using a Thompson Sub Machine Gun and he didn’t hesitate to use it.   He was born Lester Gillis and spent most of his life institutionalized.  He earned an illegal living, moving moonshine and mugging people on the street.   

The FBI’s Chicago office became the largest field office, headed by Agent Melvin Purvis.  Receiving a tip that Dillinger was Wisconsin, a dozen agents were assembled and sent to apprehend him.  Three innocent bystanders were shot by overzealous agents, which alerted Dillinger and Nelson to the FBI’s presence.  After a brief shoot out, the criminals escaped.   Gangsters tried to remove their fingerprints with acid or attempt to reconstruct their faces to hide their identities.  Dillinger had surgery, and felt confident appearing in public, despite being named Public Enemy Number One and having a $15,000 reward issued for his capture.  

 Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were notorious partners in crime.  The two robbed mom and pop establishments, killing six men along the way. Clyde had spent hard time in prison and he vowed he would never go back. On July 19, 1933, in Platte City, Missouri, Bonnie and Clyde were armed with assault rifles and plenty of ammunition during a stand off with police.  They were able to escape. A local farmer spotted the gang days later in Iowa and notified law enforcement of the gang’s whereabouts.  Once again, the high fire power allows to the gang to escape capture.  

Bonnie and Clyde took on legendary status when photos of the two were leaked to the press. Tired of running, Bonnie and Clyde settled down, hoping for a new start.  Instead, a former gang member set a trap for Bonnie and Clyde in exchange for parole.  The two were killed in an ambush on May 23, 1934. 

 Dillinger was shot execution style on July 22, 1934, by an agent coming out of a movie theater.  His death marked the end of the 18 month crime spree that swept through the nation.  The FBI became a recognized force in America. Only Machine Kelly wasn’t killed by law enforcement. 

Melvin Purvis resigned from the FBI after Dillinger’s death.        

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Bonnie & Clyde's Hideout is a nice little website devoted to the original, erm, Bonnie & Clyde, now celebrating 10 years on the internetz!

Featuring lots of pictures and info on other interesting shizzle relating to Dustbowl crime and life in Depression-era Midwest America, plus compares the real story to the likes of the Arthur Penn film.

Gotta love the embedded midi banjo music too 8)

And for more Bonnie & Clyde goodness, check out Serge & Brigitte:

On the downside, here's post-shootout footage of the late Bonnie & Clyde:

Bonnie & Clyde's Hideout
Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow on Wikipedia
Bonnie And Clyde on Wikipedia
Bonnie And Clyde on IMDb
Bonnie And Clyde on Joox (DivX) Arthur Penn's 1967 film streamed