On page 24 of his book, author Bryan Burrough says "..the cinematic Bonnie and Clyde were a screenwriter's creation." He went on to say "The movie characters had little in common with their real-life counterparts, lazy drifters who murdered nearly a dozen innocent men during and between holdups."



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Have you seen the movie "Bonnie and Clyde"? How did this book affect your perception of Texas' own Bonnie and Clyde?


You can read what Bryan Burrough said to JDR when we asked him about Bonnie and Clyde here.

I haven't seen the movie.

In the book, I felt the couple were quite a bit rougher than Dillinger.
Something similar to train robbers and such.

I've seen the movie a long time ago. My DH says they were lowlife thugs and I hate to agree with him but I do. BB's book took away the glamour of the movie showing them for what they were. Drifters.

Yes, I saw the movie and thought that B&Clyde were quite the dashing gangster couple! BBurrough's book was quite the eye opener. They really only achieved their fame through the movie as they weren't much in real life. As others have stated, just a couple of drifters that really didn't do much other than kill people. To be honest, after awhile I skipped through the B&Clyde sections of the book.

-Donna

I was pretty shocked really to read how young they really were. 23 and 21. OK I saw the movie a long time ago too. Going to paraphrase something Bryan wrote about them crime being sort of a game to them. Play acting with big guns and cigars. That's why I hunted up the pics I used in this thread. I was surprised to read that they robbed more gas stations and drugstores than banks. So yes, I came to learn what they really were.

Oh, now I see what you mean Karen. The Warner Brothers photo has them dressed up quite a bit nicer than they were in real life. Interesting. I never realized there would be such an image difference, and just sit back and enjoy the ride most of the time. Reality is quite a bit different than the movies! :shistle

The description of Bonnie and Clyde in the book is certainly not as romantic or exciting as the film-Beatty and Dunaway were on the "A" list at the time the film was released which glamorized an incurrate account of the pair. A previous post referred to them as lowlife thugs which is true but what fascinates me is their devotion to their family on page 348 Clyde argues that he will not escape to Mexico he considers spending time with his family as one of the main pleasures of his life. I found it very sad when Bonnie was talking with her mother about her final wishes when she knew she would be captured and killed by the police. I admire the way Mr. Burrough added these tidbits to illustrate the humanity of this tragic couple. :) Anne r

Anne, you brought a good point. I think not only B&Clyde but Dillinger and others were victims of the economic times and their circumstances. They began committing crimes and pretty much got away with it, so it seemed the career of choice. You're right Karen that they loved taking pics of themselves, so their egos were sure in play, too. Of course, Hoover and the FBI put and end to that, but I actually felt sorry for most of these characters. I'm not excusing their actions, but I can see how they became part of a life style that worked for them in some rather bleak times.

-Donna

I think once the FBI decided they had bigger fish to fry and legendary Texas Ranger Frank Hamer was brought in, it was just a matter of time before it was "death for Bonnie and Clyde".

I was moved by Bonnie's poetry, it was simple, but sincere. And it's interesting that she used the words, "when they kill us" when she was talking to her mother. Not "if" they kill us. Sad, really as Bryan points out she was really just a "bored housewife", attracted to the wrong man.

I did see the movie--sooo long ago. I think because Burrough put in the disclaimer early on in the book, and because the memory of the movie is so dim, it did not affect my perception of his portrayal of them in the book.
They were pretty much degenerate drifters and Bonnie especially is deplorable, for needing/seeking that lifestyle and for being completely dependent on Clyde. (As were most women of that era: dependent on men.) Sad.

I think that's what I saw as so sad, that her only hope seemed to be with someone my Grandmother would have called a "no account drifter." Well, actually that's the best thing she would have said about him.

Jumping in here, late as usual. LOL I finally finished the book (I had to reread and re-reread some of the chapters), and will try to answer some questions.

My opinion isn't really any different that what I've read so far. I think B&C wanted to be more famous than what they were. Had it not been for the movie, I wonder if anyone really would have even known their names.

Karen, you mentioned about Bonnie writing to her mom about "when they kill us". That was really the only thing that sparked a small amount of compassion from me. All in all, they were cold blooded killers who knew what they were doing. My compassion for them was short lived. No one put a gun to their heads to lead this kind of life.

I really appreciate Mr. Burrough showing us the true side of B&C, and everyone else in his book.

I have two people at work that are interested in reading PE. I'll be passing it on to them.

Yes Ellen, Bryan makes a really good point that Clyde was a cold blooded killer...there's no evidence that Bonnie ever killed anyone. However, she watched, she sat there. She didn't leave him....sad.

Here I am - a day late and a dollar short! Having Johnny running around your state is very distracting = )

I finished the book a week or so ago and really loved it. On B&C, I found the truth to be much more interesting than the 'legend'. I did see the hollywood version years ago.

a couple of things that realy stood out for me were:
1) their ages, just kids really.
2) How rugged they were! Perhaps that was a product of their ages. Bonnie's recovery from her burns was astounding to me. Clyde's brother taking that bullet to the head and continuing on to flee from the law. And B&C's ability to shrug it all off and just keep on going...

I love true-crime stories and this 'true' story's debunking of the myth really resonated with me. Very gritty, disturbing and real. Burrough's work is amazing.

I was amazed at the same things...their really young age and how tough they were. I remember my grandmother (a mom during the depression) used to describle people back then as being "tough old birds," she always said that we didn't know how hard live could be.

I'm agreeing with you too about Burrough's work, I think it's fantastic and sure kept my attention..page after page. I hated to see it end.

Me too. I always grieve the loss at the end of a good book. It's different this time though, I've never read a book while filming of the story was being done in my neighborhood, while at the same time meeting so many others with the same passion. Surreal...

Thanks for taking the time to respond, I know it's pretty crazy these days.

You're welcome!

Oh, if only someday I could have that same distraction! LOL

Ellen - I'm giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush :P

Funny the places you find yourself at odd times in your life. Who knew? I've never before ever tried to get an autograph, or meet a celebrity, or even think about a movie premiere.

I keep asking myself, "Who are you?" My house is a mess, dirty dishes, dead plants, tax papers everywhere I can't seem to find time to file...

Johnny is a different breed, I guess. Nice to have a place to share this goofy side of myself without shame!

We're all just family here! woohoo

Ellen 4.20.2008 @ 7:19a.m.

Ellen, I know exactly what you mean!! B)

OK, I can post over here now. Bonnie and Clyde just ate bullets...

I am 39...just the right age to have watched Warren and Faye as a small child many times with my mother who was in love with Warren back in the day. And I was fascinated with them. I remember being frustrated because I couldn't find anything at the library about Bonnie and Clyde to back up the movie, so the movie was really all I had to go on until cable TV and the History channel came along. Several years ago I caught something about them and my interest took off again, but Public Enemies really puts them in a new light. A terrifying human light. I think Clyde just wanted to be somebody, anybody and he didn't care how that happened. And I think given the circumstances of the time period, Bonnie went along for the ride. When Billie was arrested, Purvis' secretary made a comment about the poor Depression era girls just wanting (and I am botching up the paraphrasing, I should have marked it in my book) to be fed and maybe loved.

It made me choke up a litte because woman are still like this in society (not all!)
But the compromises and choices women make in order to feel valued....maybe I am going off on a tangent or not expressing myself well, but I have all these words inside that I can't get out.

I am really enjoying this book and am sad to be near the end. I am rationing myself.

I really enjoyed reading it too and was amazed at how sad I was when I finished it. Bonnie just wanted SOMETHING to happen in her life. But sadly, the something that happened, killed her.