Four Mothers

Year: 1941

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: William Keighley

RomanceDrama

Four Daughters… Four Wives… and now Four married sisters face motherhood, financial, marital and family issues together.

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Four Mothers (1941) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Four Mothers (1941), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

In this final installment of Warner Brothers’ Four Daughters series, the Lemp family faces a crushing setback when their investment in son-in-law Ben Crowley’s [Frank McHugh] out-of-state realty project is wiped out by a hurricane. With cash flow blocked and the town wary of new ventures, Ben proposes they localize and develop their own property to sell. But the hurricane’s aftermath leaves financing scarce, forcing the Lemps to reconsider their plans. Adam Lemp [Claude Rains], the family patriarch, makes a shocking move: he sells the house where he raised his daughters, hoping to salvage their finances. The buyer intends to raze the old house to make way for an apartment building, a plan that hits home for the sisters.

To raise the necessary capital, Felix Deitz [Jeffrey Lynn], the son-in-law, travels to Chicago to conduct an orchestra, seeking opportunities that could lift the family out of trouble. Meanwhile, Kay Lemp [Rosemary Lane], the only Lemp daughter who has no children, grows frustrated as husband Dr. Clint Forrest, Jr. [Eddie Albert] spends more time at work, and his lab research at the town’s smelting plant raises concerns about Pneumoconiosis.

Kay heads to Chicago to seek a radio job, but the big city offers no relief for either her or Felix, and both return home. After moving into an apartment with his sister Aunt Etta [May Robson], Adam is invited to conduct at the Beethoven Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, a prestigious honor that could restore the Lemp name.

The family travels to Los Angeles to watch him perform, and then they return home for the opening of Lemp Acres, Ben’s new property development. Upon Adam’s arrival, he rekindles the town’s respect; the townspeople even finance moving his old house to Lemp Acres, restoring the community’s familiar rhythm.

In the end, the four daughters — Ann Lemp Deitz [Priscilla Lane], Kay Lemp, Thea Lemp Crowley [Lola Lane], and Emma Lemp Talbot [Gale Page] — hold a musical practice, and Kay discovers she is pregnant, signaling a hopeful future for the family.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 12:15

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These narratives typically begin with a stable family situation disrupted by an external financial threat. The plot follows the family as they grapple with the reality of their situation, make difficult decisions (like selling possessions or relocating), and ultimately find strength and a new beginning through their unwavering support for one another. The conflict is often societal or economic, with interpersonal strife secondary to the collective goal of survival.

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The narrative pattern involves introducing a core family and then systematically exploring the lives of its members. Each character has their own arc—be it marital strain, financial worry, or a personal ambition—but these stories are resolved not in isolation, but through the support and influence of the family group. The pacing is steady, allowing time to develop each relationship, and culminates in a collective, positive resolution that reinforces the family's enduring connection.

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