Badlands
1973
****
Director: Terrence Malick
Cast: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates, Ramon Bieri, Alan Vint, Gary Littlejohn, John Carter, Bryan Montgomery, Gail Threlkeld, Charles Fitzpatrick, Howard Ragsdale, Dona Baldwin
In the late 1950s, Kit, an aimless young man, and 15-year-old Holly fall in love. After Kit kills Holly's father, the couple are forced to flee, hiding in forests and remote areas while continuing to commit crimes. Terrence Malick's directorial debut is a romantic crime drama which contains many of the elements we associate with his work, including beautiful visuals, soft narration, and a depiction of nature. The screenplay was loosely inspired by the real-life murder spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate in 1958. Unlike Bonnie and Clyde, which romanticises outlaw lovers, Malick's impressive film reveals the emptiness and violence beneath the relationship. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek both give excellent early performances.
