Returning, in memory, to her childhood in 1910 San Francisco, novelist Katrin Hanson (Barbara Bel Geddes) thinks of the importance of her mother Marta's (Dunne) role in the life of the family of Norwegian immigrants. As she deals with the children's problems and aspirations, such as brother Nels' (Steve Brown) schooling, Katrin's writing ambitions, young Dagmar's (June Hedin) illness, and a thousand other daily dramas, Marta manages to make all feel equally loved. She's also able to deal with eccentrics like the blustery family patriarch, Uncle Chris Halvorsen (Oscar Homolka), the family's highly literary non-paying tenant Jonanthan Hyde (Cedric Hardwicke), and spinster Aunt Trina (Ellen Corby), who is almost afraid to announce her forthcoming wedding. A final gesture of Marta's generosity at Katrin's graduation is symbolic of the spirit that is her legacy.