Apparently based on a real case, according to the Trivia, this court trial film has some big hollywood names -- George Brent, Guy Kibbee, Mona Barrie, and even Margaret Hamilton (a couple years before Wizard of Oz !) Josephine Hutchins is Ruth Harkins, violently abused by her father. it's a little uneven, but does its best to tell the story of a daughter, determined to make her own way and marry who she wants to marry. it's pretty good. purports to show the ways of the appalachian mountain folk. Directed by Michael Curtiz, who made some pretty big films in his day, and won the oscar for Casablanca.