Pamela (Katharine Hepburn) and Flora are the Thistlewaite sisters living under their controlling unloving father in the patriarchal system of Victorian England. They are both excited to be set up with husbands. Pamela's man Gerald cannot marry her due to his situation. Tragedy strikes Flora. Pamela struggles alone with a love child in a man's world.
Katharine Hepburn became box office poison with this as her third flop in a row. I do wonder if her righteous feminism has anything to do with the bad press. The story is one of melodramatic tragic romance. More could have been done with the romantic storyline but that would detract from the independent woman angle. There is a bit of rushed feel to some of the plotting. It's adapted from a novel and that can sometimes rush a story. After all, the movie spans a lifetime. It has one really fun scene with a donkey. Otherwise, this is a fine melodrama.
Katharine Hepburn became box office poison with this as her third flop in a row. I do wonder if her righteous feminism has anything to do with the bad press. The story is one of melodramatic tragic romance. More could have been done with the romantic storyline but that would detract from the independent woman angle. There is a bit of rushed feel to some of the plotting. It's adapted from a novel and that can sometimes rush a story. After all, the movie spans a lifetime. It has one really fun scene with a donkey. Otherwise, this is a fine melodrama.