10 Classic Films Critics Originally Hated

Arthur Penn's blood-soaked chronicle of The Great Depression's most infamous couple left jaws on the floor everywhere upon release. The film inspired fierce debate, with many critics slamming it with accusations of glorifying criminality whilst chastising its graphic violence (it was the peak of cinematic brutality by 1967 standards).

A sleeper hit, positive word of mouth among audiences prompted several major critics to eat their own words and write newer, nicer reviews. The New York Times cranked this up a notch by firing Bosley Crowther, one of the film's most vocal detractors, over the film, believing he made the whole paper look out of touch.

A game changing chapter in US cinematic history, Bonnie and Clyde blew violence on screen out of the water. In turn, it inspired the generations to come to be more unflinching in their approach to on screen savagery. In the years since its release, it's been lauded as a counter-cultural favourite and the beginning of the American New Wave in cinema. Its mercilessly bloody finale remains an iconic moment today, regardless of how much it upset critics in its day.