The hunt for Bonnie and Clyde is legendary. It occurred during a time called the “Lawless Thirties” when a new breed of criminal arrived on the scene with modern firearms and a willingness to use violence. Recently, the hunt has been dramatized in the Netflix movie “The Highwaymen.” It follows former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer, played by Kevin Costner, and B.M. “Manny” Gault, played by Woody Harrelson, with fairly accurate scenes that lead up to the demise of the two infamous and vicious criminals.
While certain scenes show the Barrow Gang performing horrendous crimes, the movie is about the men who brought them down. Even though the Texas Rangers had been disbanded at the time, Capt. Hamer accepted the difficult job to hunt them down as a Texas Highway Patrol officer, hence the name “The Highwaymen.”
Hamer studied the gang’s movements, eventually realizing travelled in large circles along the edges of five Midwestern states. They did so consistently, based around family visits. In fact, he determined the gang was due to visit Henry Methvin’s family in Bienville Parish, La. So, he used informants to determine when they would come and set up an ambush to end the chase. All this is shown in the movie, but before he headed out in pursuit, he had to gear up.
by BallisticMag.com