Cabin in the Cotton (1932) is the story of the conflict between tenant sharecropping farmer Marvin Blake (Richard Barthelmess) and southern cotton planter Lane Norwood (Berton Churchill).

Marvin wishes to improve himself with a college education, but is advised to not forget his place in life. However, he becomes Norwood's bookkeeper and learns of the landowner's corruption. Marvin falls in love with the planter's wickedly sexy and seductive daughter Madge (Bette Davis), but loses her when he tries to bring compromise between the workers and management.

The film is not well known except for the delivery of Madge's Southern-accented line [later quoted in Get Shorty (1995)]:

I'd like to kiss ya, but I jest washed ma hair.