Bonnie and Clyde director Arthur Penn dies

His daughter, Molly Penn, said he died at his Manhattan home of congestive heart failure.

Penn established himself directing Tony-award winning Broadway shows such as The Miracle Worker and All the Way Home. He began to carve out a career in film in the 1960s with his work, inspired by the decade's political and social upheaval.

He also made The Missouri Breaks, starring Marlon Brando and Night Moves with Gene Hackman.

However, the 1967 hit movie Bonnie and Clyde is the film he will be most remembered for.

The hugely influential film, based on the true story of the famed outlaws of the 1930s - Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow - starred Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.

The film flopped initially but was re-released in 1968. It divided critics and fans over its violent content, although it was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best director and Estelle Parsons won the prize for best supporting actress.

In a documentary called A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies, Penn commented on the level of violence that he included in the film.

"I thought that if were going to show this, we should show it," he said. "We should show what it looks like when somebody gets shot."

Penn was known for allowing actors to improvise and getting a wide range of expression from them in return.

Although he was nominated for a further two Oscars in his career, for Alice's Restaurant and The Miracle Worker, he never won.