Great Britain, United States

Deborah Kerr, John Mills, Jenny Seagrove and Barry Bostwick star in this magnificent saga of a young girl's tireless pursuit of love, happiness and the fortune that would wipe out forever the bitterness of her past. Emma Harte is 80 years old, head of an empire she has ruthlessly built that encompasses oil interests, mills and the biggest, most prestigious department store in the world. When she discovers that her own sons are plotting her downfall, she in turn secretly and sadly plans theirs. As she makes her moves, Emma (Deborah Kerr) remembers the young Emma (Jenny Seagrove), pregnant and abandoned by her rich lover, Edwin Fairley, who worked every waking hour to build a future and then a fortune for herself and her illegitimate child. Remembers Blackie O'Neill who befriended her, David Kallinski who loved her. Remembers, too, her first marriage... This is the first part of A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, a story every woman will love, again and again.