The Truth of Ma Barker's Intellect for Planning Crimes and Her Overall Involvement with Important Procedures of the Always Expanding Depression Era Gang where the "Family" were Members has been Debatable from the Outset.
She and Her Brood's Persona was Allegedly Fabricated by J. Edgar and His Gang at the F. B. I to Demystify the "Mother" Angle and make a "Pistol Packin' Mama" the Lurid Headline that Stuck.
Disputed by "Brainiac" Alvin Karpis, also Considered a Leader Among the "Gangland" of His Era, in Interviews.
He and other Members of the Organized Crime Group who were "In the Know" say the "Ma" had Trouble "Organizing Breakfast", let alone, Planning a Heist.
This Movie's Entertainment Value is High with Lurene Tuttle Giving a Compelling and Forceful Performance and along with some Heightened Violent Displays for its Era make this an Underrated, Engaging "Peek-In" on one of Headliners.
She, like No Other Mobster of Infamy, had that "Mother Angle", an Irresistible Story Component Slant from the Media, that Sells the Stuff of Legend to a Willing and Gullible Public.
This Film is a Mixture of Many of the "Myths" about Ma but also gets a Lot of Things Right. Like Her Ending in a Shootout with the Feds Along-Side Her Youngest and Favorite Fred Barker.
This is a Good Gangster Exploitation of the Popular and Colorful Radio and Newspaper Blitz that made House-Hold Names of Ma Barker and Her Ilk.