Stella Dallas

From a working class family, Stella Martin works to move up in the world, including wanting to marry into wealth. She sets her sights on Stephen Dallas, the advertising manager of the mill where her father and brother work. She knows that Stephen is at a vulnerable stage in his life, having been born into wealth, but dropping out of society without a penny after his father committed suicide because of bankruptcy. Stephen left behind a fiancee, Helen Dane, to who he still wanted to get married after making his mark in life. Now that he has done so, he learns that Helen is now married Mrs. Morrison. Putting on her best airs, Stella is able to captivate Stephen, the two who do get married. After a few years, they both realize that marriage to each other is not quite what either expected or wants. Although Stella told him pre-marriage that she wanted to learn from Stephen, she now feels that he is too controlling in trying to make her more refined in his and his society friends' eyes. They decide to separate despite now having a child, Laurel, who remains with Stella. Both parents love their daughter, Stella who redirects her energies to caring for her. As Laurel grows up into young womanhood, she remains loyal to both parents, who she truly does love. But Stella and Stephen may have different views of what is best for their collective lives, most specifically for Laurel, as Stephen reconnects with a now widowed Helen Morrison, and as Laurel finds her own society boy to who she wants to get married.