THE NEWTON BOYS

THE NEWTON BOYS is a rousing true story of America’s most successful bank robbers, who from 1919 to 1924 robbed over 80 banks from Texas to Canada. Featuring a bravado cast, authentic sets and costumes, great music and keen direction from Texas native Richard Linklater, the movie is a fine piece of historical drama giving an inside look at how these brothers were able to continue their wrong doing for so long and how they got off relatively easy once they were captured. It is neither an endorsement of crime, nor does it take opportunities to demonstrate violence. Indeed, the Willis brothers boasted that they never killed a man in the course of their robbing.

Leading the brothers is Matthew McConaughey as the eldest brother, Willis. Tired of picking cotton and hurt because a potential father-in-law rejects him because he is an ex-convict, Willis rallies his brothers to rob banks. An old friend and companion, Brentwood Glasscock (Dwight Yoakam), teaches Willis how to evenly pour nitroglycerin, fuse it and stand back safely while an explosion rips off a bank safe’s square door. Willis and his brothers, former farm hand, Jess (Ethan Hawke), and little brother, Joe (Skeet Elrich), decide that the cover of night is the best time to perform their work.

Later, they team up with brother Dock Newton (Vincent D’Onofrio) also recently released from prison. Together, they travel across America, keeping one step ahead of the law. In Nebraska, Willis comes upon a pretty cigar store clerk named Louise Brown (Julianna Margulies). Willis tells Louise he is a Texas oil man. For a while she believes him, until evidence suggests that he leads a life of crime. She tries to persuade Willis to stop robbing banks, but he tells her that they have only one more job to do: in Toronto. There, Willis gets greedy, and the boys slug it out with bank security officers in the middle of the street. Shots are fired, but nobody gets hurt. Willis decides he made a stupid move and quits robbing banks altogether for a while, until his oil business goes bust.

Once more, Willis rallies his brothers to rob a train near Chicago. Were it to succeed, the heist would get them three million dollars, but things go awry. A brother is shot and wounded. One by one, the authorities pick up the boys. Due to Willis’ cunning and charm, the boys only receive a few years in jail. All of them live to a ripe old age.

Willis Newton once said, “We wasn’t gunfighters, and we wasn’t thugs like Bonnie and Clyde. All we wanted was the money. We was just businessmen like doctors and lawyers and storekeepers. Robbin’ banks and trains was our business.” This quotation gives a clue as to why these fellows seemed endearing. In fact, if they had to tie up a person or involve other people, they behaved courteously and with manners. A great deal of the entertainment in this movie is watching how these men acted kindly as they stole thousands of dollars. Although they were unrepentant and antinomian until their dying day, the Newton Boys displayed some regard for religion, including giving money to the Salvation Army and recognizing prayer.

Technically, the movie is brilliant. Well directed and acted, with keen art direction, the movie is a great piece of historical drama. Director Richard Linklater, who has made a career of very talky independent movies, here becomes a major player on the Hollywood scene. The movie closes with actual footage of Willis and Joe as old men explaining their careers as bank robbers. Joe talks to Johnny Carson on THE TONIGHT SHOW, and Willis talks to writer Claude Stanush. This footage provides a charming bonus to the already engaging story. Solid storytelling without much violence, sex or nudity, it is only flawed by an excessive number of obscenities and profanities − and, of course, the fact that it glorifies criminals.