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.
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.