Veronica's character is a turn of the Century (1900) doctor's wife who has been unable to have children. The couple has one adopted daughter but she has always wanted more children. Julie Harris's character is the family's cook and close companion to their daughter. Her grandaughter is the family's maid. When a visiting friend of Veronica's Character arrives for a visit both she and the maid are attracted to him. When he seems to prefer the younger woman (the maid) the other woman is very jealous and when the maid becomes pregnant by him the older woman vows to make that child her own. 本片场景设在一九一零年的爱阿华州，一名一直被家人过度保护的十四岁小女孩，在发觉到母亲异常的举止之后，开始怀疑起自己的身世背景… 安娜Anna总是被夹在她专制的母亲爱妲Etta、扶养她长大的女佣菲兰Phelan之间，丝毫没有喘息的空间。菲兰和她的孙女爱薇娜Edwina则负责起这一家大小的事务，这一家人正忙著准备迎接从前老师的儿子－哈理斯Halius的到来。 哈理斯是一位年轻而充满魅力的青年，很快地，安娜和爱薇娜纷纷爱上了他…..过没多久，哈理斯就离开了，这时爱薇娜才发现她怀了他的小孩。由于爱薇娜不愿意说出孩子的父亲是谁，爱妲一气之下将她和她的母亲赶了出去，并将爱薇娜生下的小孩占为己有。 在一旁看著的安娜于心不忍，决定开始帮助爱薇娜探望她的小孩，也因为这样反叛的举动，她看到了她的家庭和这个小镇丑陋的一面…