THE NEWTON BOYS
US, 1998, 113 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Mc Connaughey, Ethan Hawke, Skeet Ulrich, Vincent D’ Onofrio, Bo Hopkins, Dwight Yoakim, Luke Askew.
Directed by Richard Linklater.
The Newton Boys is more enjoyable than you might expect, a light-heartedly serious portrait (with, surprisingly almost no swearing) of brothers who robbed banks from 1919-1923 but never killed anyone. When two of the actual brothers come on in the final credits in 70s TV interviews, we realise that we have seen another piece of outlaw Americana, that amazing amoral code where robbers and law clash and there is always a case to be made for the robbers. More American outlaws.
This film was an unexpected treatment by Richard linklater who had began his career in the nineties with such films as slackers and dazed and confused period however, he also made before sunrise which gained him an international reputation. He was to complete a trilogy over almost 20 years with before sunset and before midnight. He worked with Ethan Hawke and in these three films as well as several others including tape. He also worked with Matthew Mc Conaughey in Bernie.
Linklater has built up a solid reputation with interesting films over 20 years.
1. All the interest in films about American outlaws? 19th century? The tradition? 20th century outlaws, the 1920s, changes into the 1930s?
2. The significance of the outlaws, robberies, motivations, poverty, against the law?
3. The film tradition over the decades, history, glorification, critique?
4. The significance of the final credits, Joe Newton and the interview with Johnny Carson, is reminiscences and judgment about what happened? Will is Newton and his interview, no repentance, not a violent but wanting the money, robbing from the banks who with thieves?
5. The films of Richard Linklater? His cast?
6. The opening credits, the list of characters, and the manner of silent films?
7. America in the aftermath of involvement in world war one? Beginnings of prohibition and bootlegging? Poor farmers? Texas, so many in prison? The farms? Hard to make ends meet?
8. The introduction to Jess and Joe, breaking in the horses? Willis his return from jail? The scenes with his mother? Ordinary Americans?
9. Lewis and his charm, encountering slim, the orphans singing in the street and his giving money? The contact with Dwight and his wife? Discussions, plans, the first robbery, awkward, getting away on the horses, pursued by the car, slim being court, the other two free?
10. Meeting to light, the further plans, involving his brothers, their arrival, Joe hesitant, Jess committed? The continued discussions about what they were doing, morality of them all? The bond between the brothers overcoming everything else? Jess and his arm the women? Willis and his noticing Louise?
11. Dwight and his extensive list, helped by his wife, the casing the banks? The agreement, the collage and range of the robberies, the map, are the so many states? Dwight and his explanation about nitroglycerin?
12. Resisting violence, shouting to get people away, the woman in the night setting the siren, the man and the dray…?
13. The success, newspaper headlines, Jess and his drinking, womanizing, Joe 80 scruples, the arrival of Doc, being in jail, his not recognizing Joe, his eagerness to join the robberies?
14. Louise, Willis and his charm, her son, going to the pictures, the bond between Willis and her son? The accusation, of robbing the cinema, Joe in the cell and his realization, getting out, Louise and no money in the room, Willis telling her the truth?
15. The change in safes and styles, Dwight and the greater difficulties?
16. Hopkins, discussions with the insurance manager, issues of the cash, the banks were raising the amount allegedly robbed, the insurance schemes? Corroborating Willis and his theories?
17. Years passing, using the money for oral, the big companies, the dry well, Willis and his giving up?
18. Sling and the Chicago connection? The messy robberies? Mary and slim, the bigger plans?
19. Willis, persuaded to go to Chicago, the train robbery, with Linda hats and Doc not wearing the hat and being shot by Dwight, getting the employees to carry the money to the car? The big hole?
20. Hopkins, the discussions with the manager, accusations? The aftermath of the robbery, Jess going to Mexico, Dwight and his wife, Willis and his arrest, the interrogations, the issues of the cash, released in solitude solitary?
21. Jess, carefree, burying the money, unable to find it, returning from Mexico, the bets and his arrest?
22. Joe, arrests, interrogation?
23. Dwight, arrested, interrogation?
24. Ask you, his dealings with Hopkins, hard and brutal interrogations, failing, Hopkins and his taking over, arranging the deals?
25. The court sequences, Jess and his performance, charming people, the information about what happened to the main characters, the manager and his heavy sentence?
26. The Newton boys, their sentences, Doc and and attempted robbery, their long lives, relationships, Willis and Louise together for 40 years? The only outlaws to have lived long lives?
