Ma Barker's Killer Brood

This movie is based on a true story about a really tough woman named Katherine 'Ma' Barker. During the great depression, she was unsatisfied with her decent and honest husband's pathetic earnings, so she taught her four sons to become thieves and steal around their neighbourhood. She taught them to be 'tough', and not 'sissies'. Her major advice to them was 'never get caught.'When their horrified father tried to stop their activities, Ma Barker kicked him right out. Soon, afterwards, Ma Barker and her sons were made to leave town due to the mounting suspicions of theft.

As time went on, the boys grew and so did their illegal activities. They were no longer mischievous little kids stealing things with their nimble fingers when people were not looking. They were full-grown man carrying out a robbery carefully plotted(and co-operated) by their gangster mother, ivolving gunshots and running people over with their cars. They were vicious killers, and the only one in the gang who seemed upset by what they were doing was the son called Herman, who seemed to be the weak-minded one in there. But he dared not object to his tough mother, and he tagged along unwillingly.

Soon Ma Barker and her brood turned to kidnapping. They kidnapped a banker and demanded for a ransom. After this, the FBI was hot on their trial based on the limited information the banker had supplied (he was blindfolded the entire time of the kidnapping). The Barker brood occasionally changed their appearance to decieve people around, even turning to plastic surgery.

But a while after, son Doc Barker was trailed and caught by the FBI while away from the Florida hideout they resided in. And soon, the FBI agents were surrounding the hideout, ordering Ma Barker and her son Lloyd to come out. Ma Barker was determined to put out a fight, but her son was all into surrendering. Ma Barker of course forced him to pick up his gun and not be such a coward. The son was shot down by the agents. Ma Barker, roaring her revenge, bravely stepped out of the house and shot at everything within her gun's reach until she took some gunshots to her chest and died.

Characteristics

The financial difficulties turned some people very tough. They no longer had any time for thinking about morals. They were willing to do just about anything just to feel money in their hands. Honest folks may bow their heads meekly and say, 'These are tough times. We are in great depression. But things might take a turn for the better.' But some determined people would say 'Only the strong survive. We are fighting to get what we need.'

A proper education didn't mean anything anymore. There was Mr. Barker, who was proud of the fact that he had a good education, and his wife Ma Barker snorted, "And what is your great education getting you? You're weak and useless!"

Family was considered a top priority. Even in the case of vicious criminals. The Barker gang was a family who would never betray one another. The boys respected and loved their mother and followed her every advice. She on her part, if not the typical caring mother, always looked out for them and was convinced she was doing it for her son's well-being. And also, the brother called Herman was unhappy with life as a criminal, but he would never desert his family.

My Opinion

I love this movie! A gang led by a woman! So this definitely appeals to a feminist like me. I admire strong women, so I definitely like Ma Barker even though she's supposed to be a public enemy. She had more guts than all her four sons put together. Oh, by the way, Ajarn, is Ma Barker perhaps the subject in Boney M's hit "Ma Baker"? I've been re-listening to the lyrics of that song, and I think the stories the song and the movie tell are really similar.