Public Enemies (1996 film)
Public Enemies | |
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Directed by | Mark L. Lester |
Written by | C. Courtney Joyner |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Misha Suslov |
Music by | Christopher Franke |
Distributed by | Trimark Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
Language | English |
Public Enemies is a 1996 film directed by Mark L. Lester. The movie, which centers on the 1930s figure Ma Barker and her criminal sons, was filmed in Guthrie, Oklahoma.[1] The film was released on direct-to-video in the United States in November 1996.
Plot
[edit]Sexually abused by her brothers, Kate Barker runs away to become involved in bootlegging. She marries decent George Barker and gives birth to four sons, Herman, Arthur ("Doc"), Lloyd and Freddie. However, when George's law-abiding ways fail to provide for the family, "Ma" encourages her sons to commit crimes. Soon they become notorious criminals. FBI leader, J Edgar Hoover puts agent Melvin Purvis on the case. Meanwhile Alvin Karpis joins the gang. An attempted robbery leaves one Barker son, Herman, dead, and another Freddie, captured. Arthur Dunlop, a corrupt prison guard, helps Freddie escape and becomes Ma's lover. Dunlop plans a kidnapping that will net them $100,000, but it nearly goes wrong because of his incompetence. The gang kill him. They also kill another incompetent associate, a mob-doctor who messes up an attempt at plastic surgery. By this time Purvis is onto them. Lloyd and Arthur are arrested in Chicago, and Ma and Freddie are killed in a shootout in Florida.
Cast
[edit]- Theresa Russell as Ma Barker
- Eric Roberts as Arthur Dunlop
- Alyssa Milano as Amaryllis
- James Marsden as Doc Barker
- Richard Eden – George Barker
- Joe Dain as Lloyd Barker
- Gavin Harrison as Freddie Barker
- Joseph Lindsey as Herman Barker
- Brian Peck as J. Edgar Hoover
- Dan Cortese as Melvin Purvis
- Grant Cramer as Samuel P. Cowley
- Frank Stallone as Alvin Karpis
- Rex Linn as Al Spencer
- Leah Best as Young Ma Barker
References
[edit]- ^ "Public Enemies: Review". TV Guide. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013.
External links
[edit]
- 1996 films
- 1996 crime films
- 1996 direct-to-video films
- 1990s English-language films
- American crime films
- Films about Ma Barker
- Films directed by Mark L. Lester
- Films scored by Christopher Franke
- Films set in the 1930s
- Films shot in Oklahoma
- 1990s American films
- English-language crime films
- Biographical film stubs
- 1990s crime film stubs
- 1990s American film stubs