The once-great Lorrimore family faces bankruptcy unless older son Brighton marries wealthy Edith Gilbert. When Brighton instead returns from a trip with his new wife Phyllis, she receives a cool reception from his family. Phyllis wants Brighton to pursue his dream of being a writer, but Mrs. Lorrimore sees to it that he gets a high-pressure job that he's totally incapable of handling. She also arranges for Phyllis to spend a lot of time with Brighton's boss in order to advance Brighton's career.