The film was refused a UK cinema certificate in 1961 by the BBFC and has yet to receive a release.
Original star Miriam Hopkins left the production after one day of shooting, necessitating the hiring of journeyman character actress Lurene Tuttle within 24 hours.
The film is a highly fictionalized account of the life of Kate Barker--aka "Ma Barker"--and her four sons, whose Barker-Karpis criminal gang terrorized the South and Midwest in the 1930s with a string of kidnappings, robberies and murders. She was killed in a shootout with police and FBI agents in Florida in 1936.
The character of "Dr. Guelffe" is based on Joseph P. Moran; the wealthy banker character, "Mr. Khortney," is based on Edward Bremer.
Portions of the bank robbery (with Machine Gun Kelly) are originally from the TV series "Gang Busters", and were also used in "Guns Don't Argue".