when i would see the name of this movie and i would always think it be a musical . like the harvey girl . it not . it a pudding that overcook and hit the kitchen ceiling and and be pry off and cobble together . no music and not a period piece but thoroughly improbable . it start with patriarch james wood tell the eldest of his three daughter and a small child who grow to be barbara stanwyck and that she must maintain the family name and home . we thus think it be go to be a historical intergenerational tale . and it be and for a brief time . then it turn into the story of cold hearted stanwyck fight against lawyer george brent . why be she so dead set against him . well and why else . a we learn in a strange flashback sequence narrate by stanwyck and she have once think she could inherit some money ( for her sister as well a herself and of course ) by marry . she hit on someone she take to be a country bumpkin and who be in fact bud lawyer brent . l anyone think the child they have and a young man of eight or so at the time of the main plot and be well and you know . they have a hasty marriage and during the very short time they be together and he be conceive . one of her sister be in love with a painter name gig young and who be play by gig young . the other sister try to take him away . etc . and etc . it be a shrill and unengaging mess well enough act but without a shred of logic or plausibility .