Scarlett Johansson is vying with Gwyeneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon for the top spot on the list of most versatile actresses by adding her sultry voice to a remake of Serge Gainsbourg classic “Bonnie & Clyde.”
She’s teamed up with Gainsbourg’s son, Lulu Gainsbourg in the sexy new rendition as part of a tribute album called From Gainsbourg to Lulu.
The song and a video sampling were released today (Sept. 9). Scarlett does her best to emulate the singer on the original 1968 release, French sex siren Brigitte Bardot.
Gainsbourg, a French singer-songwriter and actor who died in 1991, wrote the song at the height of the craze over the 1967 movie “Bonnie & Clyde,” starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.
There’s a slight twist, however. Bardot and Gainsbourg sang in French. Lulu sings his part in Gallic, while Johansson sings in English.
Frankly, it gives the song a nice touch.
The song was based on a poem written by Bonnie Parker a few weeks before she and her outlaw lover, Clyde Barrow were shot in an ambush on May 23, 1934.
Entitled “The Trail’s End,” it begins with the famous opening stanza:
You’ve read the story of Jesse James
of how he lived and died.
If you’re still in need;
of something to read,
here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Johansson’s previous singing credits include a 2008 album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head.
She also teamed with Pete Yorn on the 2009 album, Break Up.
Neither launched her music career. In contrast, Paltrow did all of the singing on her 2010 movie “Country Strong.”
She starred with Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester, who also sang all her own songs. She won a Teen Choice award for Best Actress in a Drama.
Witherspoon won a Best Actress Oscar for her role as country singer June Carter in the Johnny Cash biopic, “Walk the Line.”
Whether this song moves Johansson up a notch remains to be seen. But she looks stunning in the video.
Scarlett is currently reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow from “Iron Man 2” in the Joss Whedon film “The Avengers,” which brings together four superheroes.
From Gainsbourg to Lulu will be released in November. Check out the video below and the original.
Product placement warning: The video reeks like a commercial for Moet & Chandon champagne.