Gangster Film

Thieves Like Us (1974) 

A number of directors tried their hand at making unconventional gangster films after the success of Bonnie and Clyde in 1967.  Altman’s entry in this field, Thieves Like Us, is a matter-of-fact treatment of the lives of criminals.  His characters are not well-off city folk but impoverished rural southerners.  Even the lovers at the center of the plot, Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall, do not have the look of typical romantic leads.  Altman’s unique touches include depicting poverty with beautiful cinematography and using radio broadcasts from the times as commentary on the action.

Photograph from the set of Thieves Like Us.