20 Most Controversial Movies Of All Time
11. Bonnie And Clyde
The idea of glamorizing violence is thrown around a lot today, but Bonnie and Clyde might be the first major, mainstream example of this concept being played out in front of audiences. Portrayed by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, the titular bank robbers/murderers were undeniably attractive, and the fact that their crime spree went hand in hand with their young, rapturous love certainly did play into the hands of those that argued that the movie was painting a rosy, glamorous picture of murder and outlaw life.
But then there's the films ending, which features both Bonnie and Clyde being mercilessly riddled with bullets in what was (for the time) one of the most violent moments in the history of American cinema. This seems to show the dark side of Bonnie and Clyde's lifestyle, providing them with the punishment they've been reaping the whole time.
The debate over whether or not (or to what extent) Beatty's film romanticizes a life of crime is open to interpretation, but either way, the film has become one of the enduring classics of the New Hollywood era in American film.