Glorified, glamorized fact-based tale of Ma Barker and her boys, who robbed banks and generally terrorized the Midwest in the 1930s and were eventually gunned down by G-man Melvin Purvis.Glorified, glamorized fact-based tale of Ma Barker and her boys, who robbed banks and generally terrorized the Midwest in the 1930s and were eventually gunned down by G-man Melvin Purvis.Glorified, glamorized fact-based tale of Ma Barker and her boys, who robbed banks and generally terrorized the Midwest in the 1930s and were eventually gunned down by G-man Melvin Purvis.
Photos
- Herman Barker
- (as Joseph Lindsey)
- Lloyd Barker
- (as Joseph Dain)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOn two different occasions, the film utilizes stock footage of exteriors for establishing shots. The first: When Arthur Dunlop (Eric Roberts) is drinking in the bar and spills info on the kidnapping, the exterior shows it to be the "Pitty Pat Club" which was featured in the movie "Harlem Nights". Second: When Melvin Purvis finds Arthur "Dock" Barker (James Marsden) and arrests him, the exterior shot shows a street corner building beneath some elevated tracks with a curved corner. This exterior is from "The Untouchables" (1987). It was in the scene where the little girl goes into the saloon before it blows up.
- GoofsThe final shootout between Ma Barker and Melvin Purvis is captioned to have occurred in Lake "Wier" when in fact the location is near Lake Weir.
- Quotes
Kate "Ma" Barker: You said, "Dead by Christmas." Is that the kind of chance you're talking about?
Melvin Purvis: You can't believe everything you read in the papers. I'm the F.B.I., not a bounty hunter.
Herman Barker: No difference.
- Alternate versionsIn the suicide scene, it was originally written that Herman Barker's whole head would explode, but director, Mark L. Lester, decided it was too gory for just one scene, and changed it to the back of his neck exploding instead.
- ConnectionsEdited from The Untouchables (1987)
I wouldn't go as far to say it was gratuitous or gory but the gunshot impacts are realistically graphic and the carmae rarely, if at all, shys away from them. What also made this film fun to watch was the portrayal of the early FBI. Again, I don't know if its accurate or not but it was very entertaining to watch the FBI guys do their thing because they were treating there job like a game (albiet a very serious one): the FBI vs. The various gangsters (The main FBi guy got a cigar for every one he either brought in or killed). All in all it is a very entertaining movie that does deal with a real family of robbers and killers that has god quality (and a good amount) of action. Speaking of action, you also get to see Alyssa Milano as a whore for a nice chunk of the film and she is always easy on the eyes and she does the part well.
- illeatyourdog
- Jun 13, 2004
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