ɪt wʌz vˈɛɹi lˈuːsli bˈeɪst ɔnðə ɹˈiːəl stˈoːɹi ʌv mˈɑː bˈɑːɹkɚ, hˌuː ɪz dᵻpˈɪktᵻd æz ɐ kɚɹˈʌpt, mˈɛntəlidɪstˈɜːbd mˈʌðɚ hˌuː ɛŋkˈɜːɹɪdʒᵻz ænd ˈɔːɹɡənˌaɪzᵻz ðə kɹˌɪmɪnˈælᵻɾi ʌv hɜː fˈoːɹ ɐdˈʌlt sˈʌnz ɪn dᵻpɹˈɛʃənˈiəɹə sˈʌðɚn juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts.
It was very loosely based on the real story of Ma Barker, who is depicted as a corrupt, mentally-disturbed mother who encourages and organizes the criminality of her four adult sons in Depression-era southern United States.