The Highwaymen tells the story of Frank Hamer (Kevin Costner) and Maney Gault (Woody Harrelson), who were former Texas Rangers that go after the notorious crime duo Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s. It is directed by John Lee Hancock and was picked up by Netflix in 2018 and filmed mostly in Louisiana and Texas.
Hamer and Gault are reluctant to get involved in the case at first, but once they realize that Bonnie and Clyde’s long crime spree is killing more and more people, including police officers and a 13-year-old boy, they change their minds. The lawmen follow Bonnie and Clyde through several states with the assistance of friends and family members of the couple.
In 1934, the lawmen finally come in contact with Bonnie and Clyde and demand that they raise their hands. Instead, the couple prepares to use their weapons on the cops, which results in them being ambushed. The bodies of Bonnie and Clyde were taken to Arcadia, Louisiana afterward.
The movie follows Hamer and Gault as they try to find Bonnie and Clyde and suffer setbacks along the way. During this timeframe, they surprisingly meet up with regular everyday people who are sympathetic to the cause of the crime duo. Nevertheless, they win in the end and Bonnie and Clyde are killed.
Here is a list of cast and characters for the movie The Highwaymen:
Kevin Costner (Frank Hamer)
At the urging of Texas governor Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, Frank Hamer comes out of retirement as an ex-Texas Ranger to hunt down Bonnie and Clyde. At first, he is hesitant, not just because he doesn’t want to start working again, but also because he doesn’t want to leave his wife Gladys home alone so much.
After a devastating shootout involving Bonnie and Clyde in Missouri, however, Hamer enlists the help of his former partner, Benjamin Maney Gault, to join him in this pursuit. Together, they are relentless in their attempts to hunt down the crime duo and bring them to justice, regardless of how it ends.
Woody Harrelson (Maney Gault)
Maney Gault is Frank Hamer’s ex-partner and joins him in an attempt to capture Bonnie and Clyde. Together, their adventures take them to Coffeyville, Kansas, believing the crime duo will stop there for supplies, but Bonnie and Clyde participate in a high-speed chase with the crime-fighters and escape.
Gault is threatened at one point by thugs who are sympathetic to the crime gang but he subdues them. He and Hamer even set up surveillance at Bonnie’s mother’s house, thinking they might show up there. Together, they travel quite a way to finally capture Bonnie and Clyde.
Kathy Bates (Miriam “Ma” Ferguson)
Miriam Ferguson, known as Ma Ferguson by most Texas residents, is the governor of the state and is convinced by Lee Simmons to hire ex-Texas Ranger Frank Hamer to go after Bonnie and Clyde. She considers the crime duo to be a stain on her state and agrees to lure Hamer out of retirement.
Just like most Texas governors, Ferguson is feisty and determined, which is why she ends up being successful in her attempts to hire both Hamer and Gault for this very important job.
John Carroll Lynch (Lee Simmons)
Lee Simmons is the Texas Department of Corrections’ Chief who persuades the governor of Texas, “Ma” Ferguson, to hire former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer to locate and capture the notorious Bonnie and Clyde.
As part of their attempts to capture the duo, Hamer and Gault persuade Simmons to furlough Wade McNabb, an associate of Bonnie and Clyde who is incarcerated. They do this in hopes that the crime duo will seek him out and make it easier for Hamer and Gault to capture them.
It is in part due to Simmons’ help that Hamer and Gault end up stopping Bonnie and Clyde’s notorious crime spree.
Thomas Mann (Deputy Ted Hinton)
While in Dallas, Hamer and Gault meet with the sheriff, who introduces them to Ted Hinton. Hinton is a childhood friend of both Bonnie and Clyde and can help identify the criminals onsight. When they find out that Bonnie is traveling with a rabbit, it is Hinton who suggests it is likely a present for a family member.
Hinton is also with Hamer and Gault when they insert themselves in the path of Bonnie and Clyde as they return to town, pretending their car has broken down so that the criminals stop and help them. This attempt, however, does not go as planned.
Dean Denton (Deputy Bob Alcorn)
Deputy Bob Alcorn is the sheriff of Dallas and along with Ted Hinton, helps Hamer and Gault stage a broken-down car scene when they realize that Bonnie and Clyde will be passing through the area. They enlist the help of a man named Ivy, who knows the criminals because he is the father of one of their gang members.
Deputy Alcorn is there when Bonnie and Clyde are gunned down by Hamer and Gault.
Kim Dickens (Gladys Hamer)
Gladys Hamer is the wife of Frank Hamer, the retired Texas Ranger who comes out of retirement to hunt down Bonnie and Clyde. At first, she is not crazy about the idea of Frank going back to work but eventually realizes it will be worth it if Bonnie and Clyde are stopped.
William Sadler (Henry Barrow)
Henry Barrow is Clyde Barrow’s father and wants to put an end to the duo’s crime spree. Hamer and Gault enlist his help to discover where Bonnie and Clyde might be at the moment. The role is not a huge one in the movie, but it is a very important one nonetheless, especially because Henry Barrow decides to help the lawmen find his son and his girlfriend.
W. Earl Brown (Ivy Methvin)
Ivy is the father of a gang member named Henry Methvin. When the lawmen search Ivy’s home, they find evidence that Bonnie and Clyde have recently been there, but Ivy does not want to help them unless they promise to protect his son Henry’s life.
When Ivy realizes that the Rangers are serious about protecting Henry’s life, he gives them the information they need, which is that Bonnie and Clyde will be arriving the following day. He also agrees to help them in their attempts to stage the broken-down car that will hopefully help the Rangers catch the crime duo.
Josh Caras (Wade McNabb)
Wade McNabb is an associate of Bonnie and Clyde but is currently in prison. The Department of Corrections’ chief, Lee Simmons, agrees to release McNabb so that he can help lure Bonnie and Clyde to town for the Rangers to capture them. Hamer interrogates McNabb at a bar.
But instead of helping the Rangers, McNabb warns the crime duo that the lawmen are after them. Hamer and Gault get concerned about McNabb and check on him at his home, only to find that McNabb has been beaten to death.
Emily Brobst (Bonnie Parker)
One-half of the famous Parker-Barrow gang, Bonnie Parker lived from October 1, 1910 to May 23, 1934.
Edward Bossert (Clyde Barrow)
Clyde Barrow was the partner of Bonnie Parker and lived from March 24, 1909 to May 23, 1934. Together, Bonnie and Clyde killed a total of 13 people and were involved in numerous robberies and burglaries during the Great Depression and beyond.