The film follows Bertha Thompson and Bill Shelly, who are two train robbers and lovers. When Bertha gets involved in a murder case during the time in South American, the two have to start their fugitive days.
Scorsese's second film is one of his weakest, a violent impersonal work that feels like an extension of such rural crime-gangsters features as the exploitation flick Bloody Mama or the arty and better one Bonnie and Clyde.
While there is a striking similarity [to Bonnie and Clyde] in general content, background, fine color photography and even the use of hillbilly music, the new, more modest film stands curiously on its own.
Lots of violence, typical of the Corman exploitation mill, but the film still shows the budding talent of Scorsese in his use of moving-camera and period detail.
Scorsese hadn't developed a personal vision yet, but a few moments during the heat of battle reveal a lively, playful camera. Not to mention the on-target performances by Hershey and her co-stars David Carradine, Barry Primus and Bernie Casey.
[Martin] Scorsese was anxious to show his chops on a real Hollywood feature and does so admirably (if impersonally) with rough-and-ready style on a mix of true story and exploitation drama.
