The first was The Trial of Mary Dugan which gave Rand the idea to write a play featuring a trial .
The Trial of Mary Dugan is a 1927 melodrama about a showgirl prosecuted for killing her wealthy lover .
The first was The Trial of Mary Dugan , a 1927 melodrama about a showgirl prosecuted for killing her wealthy lover , which gave Rand the idea to write a play featuring a trial .