Monday, March 28, 2011

A Loomis Fargo heist movie? Please make it so

The latest issue of GQ magazine has an interview with the great Danny McBride, star of locally-made cult classic "The Foot Fist Way" and HBO's "Eastbound and Down," co-star of the new movie "Your Highness," and graduate of the N.C. School of the Arts.

The interview's not online far as I can tell, but one quote near the end made me really happy. The interviewer asked McBride what he might do next:

"He mentions a movie he and (writing partner) Jody Hill wrote a year after 'The Foot Fist Way,' based on a 1997 robbery of a bank in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'These rednecks robbed Loomis Fargo for over $17 million,' McBride says. 'And they would have gotten away with it, except they stayed in the town they were living in. They literally moved from trailers into the richest neighborhoods in town, lived like kings, bought their wives t-- jobs. Jody wants to make it like a southern 'Godfather.'"

The Loomis Fargo heist is the craziest story I've ever covered, and the one that felt the most like a movie. If you're not familiar with it, this Wikipedia article has the basics, although as always with Wikipedia, buyer beware on some of the facts. If that tweaks your interest, my former colleague Jeff Diamant wrote a great book about the whole thing.

The memory that stands out the most for me came when the suspects were first hauled into court. One of them was the man who was supposedly hired to kill David Ghantt, the Loomis Fargo employee who actually stole the money. When the guy walked by me I noticed something strange about him, but I couldn't quite believe my eyes. At a break I went up to one of the marshals.

"Um, could you check something for me?" I said.

"What is it?"

"I think that tall guy had a tattoo on his neck of a Klansman riding a horse."

"Aw, come on."

He went into the holding area to check. He came back out with both eyebrows as high as they could go.

"You're right," he said. "God almighty."

That would be some amazing movie.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job Tommy. Glad to see someone at the CO is on top of things. Great article in GQ about Danny and its awesome to see some NC influence in Hollywood.

"Fundamentals are the crutch for the talentless."

-- Kenny Powers

Anonymous said...

“I’m not going to stop yelling because that would mean, I lost the fight!”

Kenny Powers

Wiley Coyote said...

...and just yesterday the Observer was posting comments about a man who wants to think big and bring major league baseball to Charlotte, while all the "uptown crowd" calls him crazy.

The Loomis Fargo heist was the all time "Dumb Crook" moves and will show Charlotte in its true, southern, redneck light.

All we need is for Clint Eastwood to direct and star in it along with Clyde the orangutan.

Glad you can't wait on this one Tommy...

Unknown said...

Tommy -

Just a thought - but the Loomis Fargo heist and its aftermath has already been memorialized by Mark de Castrique - a local playwright of some note, and performed several times locally.

Danny - copywright??

EuroCat said...

Speaking of which, Wiley, remember that the Loomis Fargo gang adorned their pricey new digs in Gastonia with classy works of art such as "velvet Elvis" pictures.

I guess they must all be out of prison by now (or at least have internet access in the joint), because, judging by the exquisite taste in art and culture demonstrated by commenters on any "public art" or "rail transit" story on the CO's website, these Einsteins are all posting here.

Roy from Ranlo said...

Send a treatment to the Coen brothers. And be sure to include Steve Buscemi and Gary Busuy in the cast.

Anonymous said...

There's no copyright issue, 12:47.

News events and history get told and re-told and told again.

The copyright, if any, is in the way the story is told, or the perspective. Not the events themselves. For example, Mark de Castrique may have told this story in 3d person where someone else might tell it in 1st person.

Anonymous said...

Euro Cat and Wiley Coyote. Since you cannot bear the gaudiness of the art scene here in NC, please take advantage of the still-excellent highway system to pack your crap and head north.

JG Streuber said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Larry said...

I think this movie would only serve to embarrass the city so close to the DNC coming here and show Loomis Fargo as a cut rate operation.

Where could we invest in it?

Anonymous said...

You posted it, THEY reply. Personally, I think it's a great idea! Keep it up :)

Anonymous said...

Sorry NC boyz, This has Coens written all over it!

Anonymous said...

Just what we need..."Deliverance: Gaston County." Yet another movie to add to the stereotype of Southern folk being ignorant, uneducated rednecks.

Anonymous said...

This sounds awesome!

Anonymous said...

Unfathomable stupidity never gets old.

Anonymous said...

Saddly, this movie will never be made because governments and hollywood don't like movies that portray people pulling off successful bank robberies. Even though the Loomis bandits got caught, it still glorifys the lifestyle of crime and shows that if even for a brief time, crime does indeed pay very well. With the economy the way it is, making this movie would lead to several copy cat robberies.

Anonymous said...

I thought this movie was made years ago...and I was searching for the name of it when I ran across your blog. I can't believe there is no such movie!! I was all ready to watch it on Netflix! *Pout*

Anonymous said...

Kelly Campbell is unfortunately my Aunt she is my daddy's sister. She still lives just up the road from me and prison did not do her any good she is still a horrible person most of all to her family. Long story short if this movie happens lets all make sure she don't get a dime from it that woman is not a good person

Anonymous said...

I took 25,ooo,ooo.oo 14 yeaars ago
you would never know about it.
Why its plain stupid to flaunt your
money in anyones face.Weather its
old money,new money or stolenmoney.
You dont move from a 24,000.00 mobile home to a 635,000.00 mansion
in a affluent gated community. Then
tell a lot of men you played for 2
popular teams Dallas Cowboys,&
Green Bay Packers.

Daily Insight said...

he memory that stands out the most for me came when the suspects were first hauled into court



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