Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with a screenplay by Anita Loos that was based on a story by Ralph Wheelwright, this slightly above average biographical drama is noteworthy as the first film to pair Greer Garson with Walter Pidgeon; they made eight movies together!
Garson earned her second Best Actress Academy Award nomination playing Edna Kahly Gladney, who assisted homeless children with finding homes and fought the Texas legislature to remove the label 'illegitimate' from birth certificates. Pidgeon plays 'Sam' Gladney, an entrepreneurial businessman who'd charmed the Wisconsin born former Miss Kahly away from her fiancé (John Eldredge) and courted her through the mail for a year while establishing himself in the Texas wheat industry. He returns to Green Bay to marry Edna with her father's (Samuel Hinds) approval. Fay Holden plays Mrs. Kahly.
Felix Bressart plays a pediatrician, Dr. Max Breslar, who delivers the Gladney's first and only child and becomes a family friend and confidant. Marsha Hunt plays Edna's adopted sister Charlotte at the beginning of the story. When faced for the first time with the stain of illegitimacy per her would-be in-laws (Kathleen Howard and George Lessey), Charlotte commits suicide, an act which (along with the death of her own son, some 7 years later) would powerfully affect and influence Edna's future actions. William Henry played Charlotte's fiancé.
Henry O'Neill makes a brief appearance as Judge Hartford, who recuses himself in a civil case involving a greedy ex-father (Marc Lawrence) so that Edna can attend the legislative session that's to decide on the illegitimacy issue. Clinton Rosemond plays the Gladney's longtime servant Zeke; Theresa Harris plays their maid Cleo.
After the Gladneys settle in Texas, and the tragic death of their 5 year old son (Richard Nichols), Sam and Max convince Edna to stop trying to forget the tragedy and direct her energy from parties to the needs of parenting. Though she resists adopting a needy foundling girl, Edna opens a home to care for the children of twenty mothers who must work during the day. Unfortunately, a downturn in the wheat industry forces the couple to the brink of bankruptcy. Soon, however, Edna discovers some unwanted children and opens another facility to care for these homeless orphans; she funds her cause by going door-to-door for donations and eventually travels the state of Texas, gratefully collecting enough nickels and dimes to support it - her Texas Children's Home and Aid Society.
Sam dies but Edna, with help from Max, works on. Pat Barker plays Tony, an orphan who serves as a surrogate son of sorts for Edna. One day, a young woman named Helen (Mary Taylor), who's found herself in a situation (of stigma) similar to Charlotte's, opens Edna's eyes to the need to strike the word 'illegitimate' from the state's birth records. Her fight carries her to the Texas legislature (Harry Hayden, Selmer Jackson, Clarence Kolb, Emory Parnell, Douglas Wood, and Will Wright are among those who appear uncredited as Senators), where she's successful.
One last tear-jerking sequence plays out at Christmas-time when a couple, who'd recently lost their own child (Byron Shores and Fay Helm, uncredited), wants to adopt Tony; Edna, initially, resists despite Max's advice and counsel.
The film was nominated for Best Picture by the Academy; its Color Art Direction-Interior Decoration won the Oscar and its Color Cinematography was Oscar nominated.
Garson earned her second Best Actress Academy Award nomination playing Edna Kahly Gladney, who assisted homeless children with finding homes and fought the Texas legislature to remove the label 'illegitimate' from birth certificates. Pidgeon plays 'Sam' Gladney, an entrepreneurial businessman who'd charmed the Wisconsin born former Miss Kahly away from her fiancé (John Eldredge) and courted her through the mail for a year while establishing himself in the Texas wheat industry. He returns to Green Bay to marry Edna with her father's (Samuel Hinds) approval. Fay Holden plays Mrs. Kahly.
Felix Bressart plays a pediatrician, Dr. Max Breslar, who delivers the Gladney's first and only child and becomes a family friend and confidant. Marsha Hunt plays Edna's adopted sister Charlotte at the beginning of the story. When faced for the first time with the stain of illegitimacy per her would-be in-laws (Kathleen Howard and George Lessey), Charlotte commits suicide, an act which (along with the death of her own son, some 7 years later) would powerfully affect and influence Edna's future actions. William Henry played Charlotte's fiancé.
Henry O'Neill makes a brief appearance as Judge Hartford, who recuses himself in a civil case involving a greedy ex-father (Marc Lawrence) so that Edna can attend the legislative session that's to decide on the illegitimacy issue. Clinton Rosemond plays the Gladney's longtime servant Zeke; Theresa Harris plays their maid Cleo.
After the Gladneys settle in Texas, and the tragic death of their 5 year old son (Richard Nichols), Sam and Max convince Edna to stop trying to forget the tragedy and direct her energy from parties to the needs of parenting. Though she resists adopting a needy foundling girl, Edna opens a home to care for the children of twenty mothers who must work during the day. Unfortunately, a downturn in the wheat industry forces the couple to the brink of bankruptcy. Soon, however, Edna discovers some unwanted children and opens another facility to care for these homeless orphans; she funds her cause by going door-to-door for donations and eventually travels the state of Texas, gratefully collecting enough nickels and dimes to support it - her Texas Children's Home and Aid Society.
Sam dies but Edna, with help from Max, works on. Pat Barker plays Tony, an orphan who serves as a surrogate son of sorts for Edna. One day, a young woman named Helen (Mary Taylor), who's found herself in a situation (of stigma) similar to Charlotte's, opens Edna's eyes to the need to strike the word 'illegitimate' from the state's birth records. Her fight carries her to the Texas legislature (Harry Hayden, Selmer Jackson, Clarence Kolb, Emory Parnell, Douglas Wood, and Will Wright are among those who appear uncredited as Senators), where she's successful.
One last tear-jerking sequence plays out at Christmas-time when a couple, who'd recently lost their own child (Byron Shores and Fay Helm, uncredited), wants to adopt Tony; Edna, initially, resists despite Max's advice and counsel.
The film was nominated for Best Picture by the Academy; its Color Art Direction-Interior Decoration won the Oscar and its Color Cinematography was Oscar nominated.