Kate 'Ma' Barker (Shelley Winters) was abused by her family when she was young. She vows to have boys who only supports her. It's 1925. While the Klan is marching in Washington, she and her four boys are raising hell in the rural south. It's rapes, incest, murders, and robbing over the years. They kidnap Sam Adams Pendlebury (Pat Hingle).
This has newcomer Robert De Niro and veteran actors like Shelley Winters. This may be a small budget affair from Roger Corman but the production value looks good. At the very least, the actors are big time doing good work. The subject matter is pushing the envelope. Other than killing Rembrandt, most of the more disturbing stuff happens off screen especially the rapes and incest. There is a big gun fight at the end. These characters have no redeeming value. They have no rooting interest. I wouldn't say that it's fun but it is a matter of fascination. This is a series of bad acts until the shock of them wears out and it's left with a grim march into the woods. The final shootout does have a feel of an exhibition. I'm like one of those picnickers. The problem may be that the dying is done poorly other than shooting yourself in the face. Some better gore would also help. The obvious comparison is Bonnie and Clyde. It definitely has some similarities but not the incest.
This has newcomer Robert De Niro and veteran actors like Shelley Winters. This may be a small budget affair from Roger Corman but the production value looks good. At the very least, the actors are big time doing good work. The subject matter is pushing the envelope. Other than killing Rembrandt, most of the more disturbing stuff happens off screen especially the rapes and incest. There is a big gun fight at the end. These characters have no redeeming value. They have no rooting interest. I wouldn't say that it's fun but it is a matter of fascination. This is a series of bad acts until the shock of them wears out and it's left with a grim march into the woods. The final shootout does have a feel of an exhibition. I'm like one of those picnickers. The problem may be that the dying is done poorly other than shooting yourself in the face. Some better gore would also help. The obvious comparison is Bonnie and Clyde. It definitely has some similarities but not the incest.