In the small midwestern town of Kings Row, five children grow up together in the 1890s: Parris Mitchell, Robert Cummings, a polite, clever boy who lives with his grandmother; Cassandra Tower, Betty Field, a pretty blonde daughter of the enigmatic Dr. Alexander Tower and a mother seen only through the upstairs window; the orphaned but wealthy and fun-loving Drake McHugh, Ronald Reagan, best friends with Parris; Louise Gordon, Nancy Coleman, daughter of the town physician Dr. Henry Gordon; and the tomboy Randy Monaghan, Ann Sheridan, whose father Tom is a railroad worker.
Parris is both friends with and drawn to Cassandra, whom the other children avoid because her family is “strange.” They play together regularly, the boys forming a tight bond while Randy steps in from time to time. When Dr. Tower takes Cassie out of school and she is confined at home, Parris does not see her for many years.
He finally meets her again when Cassie opens the door for him to begin his medical studies under Dr. Tower’s tutelage. However, she is very hesitant and says almost nothing. The next morning, Parris’ best friend, Drake, declares his intention to marry Louise, who loves him as well despite her father’s disapproval. Louise refuses to defy her parents and will not marry him. As Parris continues his studies with Dr. Tower, he and Cassie begin a secret romance, meeting in places like Drake’s house. Yet he and Dr. Tower maintain a good relationship too. Dr. Tower has piqued Parris’ interest in psychiatry, which he intends to study in Vienna. Parris’ grandmother falls ill and dies as he is about to depart overseas for medical school. Parris longs to marry Cassie after his training, and one night Cassie comes desperately to him, begging to go with him; when he hesitates, she runs back home.
The next morning, Drake learns that Dr. Tower has poisoned Cassie and shot himself, leaving his entire estate to Parris. Parris finds Dr. Tower’s notebook, which reveals that he killed Cassie because he believed she might go insane like her mother and wanted to spare Parris the trouble of marrying her, just as Tower’s life had been ruined by marrying Cassie’s mother.
While Parris is in Vienna, Drake begins to court Randy. Drake’s trust fund is stolen by a dishonest bank president, forcing him into a menial railroad job. His legs are injured in an accident and amputated by Dr. Gordon. Drake and Randy marry, but he remains embittered by his loss and refuses to leave his bed. Parris stays in touch with Randy through letters, advising how she can best support Drake emotionally. He even helps them move into the Towers’ estate and, together with Randy, they dream of borrowing money to start a business building houses for working families. Parris returns from Vienna to Kings Row to see Drake.
Yet tension surfaces when Parris suggests they build a home in their own development away from the railroad tracks and the sounds that plague Drake; Drake responds with hysteria and makes Randy swear never to leave him. When Parris learns that Dr. Gordon has died, leaving the town with no doctor, he chooses to stay in Kings Row. Louise then reveals that her father amputated Drake’s legs out of hatred for Drake and as a way to “punish wickedness,” preventing him from marrying her. Parris contemplates whether to withhold the truth from Drake, fearing it could derail his fragile recovery, and even ponders confining Louise to a mental institution to protect the town.
As they walk, Parris seems to glimpse an apparition of Cassie by the pond—the place they once visited. Elise Sandor, Elate by this development, has moved into his childhood home with her father, Mr. Sandor. Parris grows close to Elise and discusses the problem with Louise. Elise persuades him to treat Drake like any other patient rather than his best friend, and Parris frees Louise to reveal all she knows, explaining what happened and why. Drake’s reaction is laughter and defiance, reviving his will to live. Now clear of guilt and reborn as a budding psychiatrist, Parris hurries back to his former home and into Elise’s arms.
