Overview
Sexually abused as a young girl, Kate "Ma" Barker grows into a violent and powerful woman by the 1930s. She lovingly dominates her grown sons and grooms them into a pack of tough crooks. The boys include the cruel Herman, who still shares a bed with Ma; Fred, an ex-con who fell in love with a fellow prisoner; and Lloyd, who gets high on whatever's handy. Together they form a deadly, bizarre family of Depression-era bandits.
Trailer
Crew
DirectorRoger Corman
WriterRobert Thom
Cast
Shelley Winters
'Ma' Kate Barker
Pat Hingle
Sam Adams Pendlebury
Don Stroud
Herman Barker
Diane Varsi
Mona Gibson
Bruce Dern
Kevin Dirkman
Clint Kimbrough
Arthur Barker
Robert De Niro
Lloyd Barker
Robert Walden
Fred Barker
Alex Nicol
George Barker
Pamela Dunlap
Rembrandt
Michael Fox
Dr. Roth
Scatman Crothers
Moses
Stacy Harris
Agent McClellan
Lisa Linsky
Young Kate (as Lisa Jill)
Steve Mitchell
Sheriff
Roy Idom
Ferry Boat Passenger
Drew Bonner
Bank Customer (uncredited)
Ted Eccles
Victim (uncredited)
Alan Haufrect
Prisoner (uncredited)
Gura Lashlee
Daddy (uncredited)
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Keywords
prisonsuiciderapesexual abusegangsterbased on true storydysfunctional familymurderbank robberyincestmachine gunfemale gangleadermother son relationshipfemale gangster
Details
TMDb Votes
103
Added May 14, 2026Updated Jun 4, 2026