Part I: Faye and Ward Thayer live through enough ups and downs for several lifetimes. A whirlwind courtship leads to a comfortable life fueled by Ward's family fortune. But as the fortune vanishes, Ward's drinking and cheating compel Faye to throw him out. Faye builds a film directing career and later takes on an unlikely partner: Ward, now reformed. But the strain of raising their four rebellious children threatens to split the marriage again.

Part II:The Thayer children face the challenges of the tumultuous 1970s: Vietnam, drugs, dropping out and more. Thanks to a part in her parents' film, Valerie makes the transition from low-budget film actress to rising star. Lionel rediscovers a friend from the past, while Anne's affair with a friend's father leads to a large family of her own. During a heartwarming weekend surrounded by family, Faye's extraordinary life comes to a close.