Alice Adams

In the mid-1930s, the Adams family struggles with poverty and illness. The father is an invalid who still works as a clerk, kept on salary by Mr. Lamb despite his long illness. The mother resents the lack of ambition, and their son Walter is a chronic gambler who can't keep a job.

Walter's gambling debts loom over the family as he can't hold a steady job. He hides his financial troubles, creating tension at home. The family fears that Walter's behavior will bring public shame.

Alice goes to a dance sponsored by the wealthy Mildred Palmer with no date of her own. Her brother Walter accompanies her, escorting her into high society's orbit. She tries to project confidence beyond her means, aiming to impress the guests.

At the dance, Alice meets Arthur Russell, a wealthy suitor who is charmed by her despite her poverty. He treats her with kindness, encouraging the possibility of a future beyond their social station. The encounter plants the seeds of a romance that ignores money.

Alice's mother pressures her husband to quit his factory job and invest their life savings into a glue venture. The plan promises social ascent but risks destroying the family stability. The father, though frail, hesitantly agrees for the sake of ambition.

Mr. Lamb reacts to the glue venture by ostracizing the Adams family from his social circle. He suspects Adams stole the glue formula and seeks to ruin him. The town's opinion of the Adams grows harsher as rumors spread.

Alice invites Russell to the Adams home for a fancy dinner to prove their prosperity. The family pretends to eat caviar and refined dishes, but the ruse collapses under the family’s poverty and lack of etiquette. Mr. Adams unintentionally exposes Alice's lies, humiliating her in front of Russell.

Walter arrives with bad financial news and reveals that he borrowed money from Mr. Lamb for his gambling debts. He confesses a reckless plan to help a 'friend' in trouble, implicating the family in the scheme. The revelation intensifies the family's precarious situation.

Mr. Adams decides to mortgage or take a loan against his new glue factory to cover Walter's gambling debts. He risks the factory's future to keep his son from jail and to maintain the family's social ambitions. The decision marks a desperate pivot toward immediate family loyalty.

Mr. Lamb arrives at the Adams home, accusing Adams of stealing his glue formula and promising to ruin him. The threat casts a shadow over the fledgling factory's future. The confrontation tests whether business rivalries will destroy personal relationships.

Alice confesses that her parents took the glue formula to secure a better life for her, acknowledging the lies behind their facade. Lamb agrees to forgive and decides not to prosecute Walter. The family begins to understand the consequences of their social climbing.

Alice walks to the porch where Russell waits. He confesses his love for her despite their social differences and family problems.