The plot of this story could have been written for many a family where father dies; mother remarries and is beholden in ALL respects to pleasing her new husband (out of necessity) for the period. The story actually parallels that of my own father around WWI. Women were still woefully downtrodden and compelled to "dance" to the "tune" set by a man!
I'm surprised the movie was supposedly geared towards Lily Dale's 'story' when it fact, it had far more to do with the story between her mother and brother. The "ugly" stepfather in a very real way, believing its "his way or the highway" in his thinking on life, due to his own depraved upbringing in having to work for every single gratuity and to sustain.
I thought the acting was very good...Stockard Channing & Sam Sheppard are two favorites for their selection of very good roles that fit them well. It is a reminder to me of how much better women have it in this day and age and the last thing most of us would do? Would be to give up our children for the sake of "protocol" or dictatorship by another.
