Boxcar Bertha

The Depression was one of the most important times in US history. It was arguably the catalyst for a number of events that would change the landscape of the country. People became desperate and desperate people do desperate things. The Depression gave birth to prohibition which, along with the desperation of the unemployed, in turn created a crime wave unlike any the country had seen. The rest, as they say, is history.
Boxcar Bertha is the story of a young woman (Barbara Hershey) who, with the death of her father, becomes a railroad traveler. She meets and falls in love with a railroad union man named Bill (David Carridine). They start robbing banks. If this sounds a bit like Bonnie and Clyde, well the stories are similar. In fact, you could call Boxcar Bertha, Bonnie and Clyde lite. Everything from the setting, the relationships, and the theme are similar. It's not a hell-raising good time that Bonnie and Clyde is and lacks the performances, but is nonetheless a functional film. It's more of a sexual discovery story of two young lovers than Bonnie and Clyde is, which is where it differentiates itself. The real excitement is watching a young Marty Scorsese at work. You can see elements of his style being ironed out, resulting in some brilliant moments.
Boxcar Bertha is an enjoyable flick to take in. There is a lot to analyze and take in. From it's comparisons to Bonnie and Clyde to watching the first Martin Scorsese studio picture, you get a good time.