The story is set in Vevay, Indiana in the 1930s and revolves around the titular character, Sooner, a girl of unknown parentage who is being raised by an elderly backwoods woman, Old Mam Hawes (Cloris Leachman), who earns a living making illegal moonshine. Hawes takes Sooner into town and attempts to collect foster care funds for raising Sooner, but this brings her worth as a guardian into question with the Sheriffs in the United States (Don Murray (actor)).