Topics about far-right groups causing agitation have never strayed too far from public discourse. In today’s modern political and social climate, groups that operate behind the scenes and out in the open seem commonplace. Over four decades ago, a group known as The Order committed murder, armed robbery, and domestic terrorism in the name of white supremacy.
The Order, a 2024 film based on the terrorist group, gave audiences a glimpse into the terrifying world of America’s far-right movement. The Order was a part of a larger puzzle that included the sieges of Waco and Ruby Ridge and would culminate with the bombing of the Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. The true story that inspired The Order, which is currently streaming on Hulu, is even more captivating than the film itself.
The Order
4.5
/5
- Release Date
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December 5, 2024
- Runtime
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120 Minutes
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-
George Tchortov
Gary Yarbrough
What Is ‘The Order’ About?
The Order follows FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law), who finds himself on the trail of a white supremacist group who have bombed a synagogue and robbed a bank to help fund their activities. Husk finds an unlikely ally in Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan), a young police officer. The investigation undertaken by the pair puts them on the trail of Bob Matthews (Nicholas Hoult), the leader of The Order and the mastermind behind a string of incidents that range from murder to bombings. While The Order takes a few liberties, the amount of detail it covers is accurate and impressive.
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The True Story Behind ‘The Order’
To fully understand how a group like The Order came to be, it’s important to take a closer look at an event that occurred in 1959 with the formation of the American Nazi Party. Founded by George Lincoln Rockwell, the American Nazi Party was the first of many far-right white supremacist groups that would exist in the latter half of the 20th century. Two individuals who played permanent roles in the rise of the far-right movement, and would be inextricably tied to Bob Matthews and the creation of The Order, were Richard Butler and William Pierce.
William Pierce, who was the leader of the far-right movement known as The National Alliance, published what many consider a blueprint for domestic terrorism in 1978 called The Turner Diaries. The book, which chronicles an uprising of armed individuals who revolt against the government, came to further infamy in 1995 with the Oklahoma City Bombing. According to an article published by the Southern Poverty Law Center,
“The Turner Diaries reached its pinnacle of popularity in 1995, after it was widely reported that pages of the novel were found in a plastic baggie in McVeigh’s car shortly after the bombing that killed 168 people in Oklahoma City. McVeigh, who sold copies of his favorite novel at gun shows across the country, later said that while he didn’t subscribe to the book’s racism, he was inspired by its “pro-gun rights” message.”
The books’ vivid depictions of murder and the bombing of the FBI headquarters not only inspired McVeigh, but Bob Matthews as well, as The Order took their name from a terrorist cell in The Turner Diaries. The same article from The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Matthews’ and The Order’s connection to the book: “A neo-Nazi follower, Matthews organized a real-life group called The Order, based on Pierce’s fictional Order, which committed a series of armored car heists and plotted serious racist violence before ambushing and murdering Jewish radio talk show host Alan Berg in 1984.”
How Accurate Is ‘The Order’s Version of Events?
Alan Berg’s murder is a major plot point in The Order. The controversial talk show host was well-known for goading white supremacists on his program, and he would serve as the influence for the character of Barry Champlain in Oliver Stone’s Talk Radio. While William Pierce is absent from The Order, the founder of the Aryan Nations, Richard Butler, who at one time was closely tied to Bob Matthews, isn’t. The Order accurately depicts the reasons for the split between the two. While Butler preached white supremacy and far-right views, Matthews felt it was more decisive to take action, which would lead to the domestic terrorism undertaken by The Order.
The Order’s reign of terror eventually ended in a way that’s fairly accurately portrayed in the film. Tom Martinez (renamed Tony Torres in the film and portrayed by Matias Lucas), a member of The Order, cooperated with the FBI following his arrest for passing counterfeit money. Matthews would be killed in a shootout with the FBI in 1984, and most of the members of The Order were subsequently arrested and convicted. Despite small liberties being taken in The Order to establish a narrative more akin to a crime thriller, the film touches base on the outer fringe of society that continues to pose a threat.
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Where Can I Watch ‘The Order’?
The Order is based on the true story of one of the most dangerous domestic terror cells ever to exist. You can stream The Order on Hulu.
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