"An American Crime" is based on real events that took place in Indiana--IN in 1965. The filming of the film is mainly based on court records at the time.
The screenwriting work of "An American Crime" was written by Tommy O Haver himself and completed with Ellen Turner. The tension of the film comes from the authenticity of the script. Therefore, it is not only the audience who are strongly affected by the case, but also the audience. All actors involved in the creation.
The film's creators say they don't see the film, which exposes the dark side of humanity, as entertainment. "We're more concerned with the facts that are now associated with such child abuse cases," said Henry Winterstein, executive director of First Look Studios, the company behind the film. This child abuse case made everyone angry because of Gertrude's cruel, callous, ruthless, bestial abuse and torture of Sylvia. Leroy K. New, the prosecutor who tried the case at the time, said in an interview, "This is the most horrific case ever decided in Indiana--IN ."
Tommy O'Have said that screenwriter Ellen Turner and he tried to explain to the audience through the script of the film how a person who has a good neighborhood relationship and is friendly to friends and neighbors' children can all subvert this and abnormal. Callous and cruel to commit atrocities on poor Sylvia. What they want to show is not just a simple accusation of the 'villains' that started the child abuse incident, but complex human nature.
