- A frumpy spinster blossoms under therapy and becomes an elegant, independent woman.
- Boston spinster Charlotte has had her life controlled entirely by her wealthy mother, Mrs. Henry Vale. Feeling despondent, she's convinced to spend time in a sanitarium. Soon she is transformed into a sophisticated, confident woman. On a cruise to South America, Charlotte meets and begins an affair with Jerry Durrance, a married architect. Six months later, she returns home and confronts her mother with her independence. One day, after a brief argument, her mother has a heart attack and dies. Charlotte inherits the Vale fortune but feels guilty of her mother's death. She returns to the sanitarium, where she befriends a depressed young adolescent, Tina. The young girl's depression was brought on by being rejected by her mother--Charlotte's former lover Jerry's wife. Charlotte takes Tina home to Boston with her.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Charlotte Vale has never been out from under the domination of her matronly mother until she enters a sanitarium. Transformed into an elegant, independent woman, Charlotte begins to blossom as an individual. On a cruise to South America, she meets and falls in love for the first time with a man named Jerry--who turns out to be married. Upon her return, Charlotte confronts her mother, who dies of a heart attack. Guilt-ridden and despondent, Charlotte returns to the sanitarium, where she meets Tina. a depressed young woman who begins to find happiness with her new friend Charlotte. The connection they share is more than friendship: Tina is Jerry's daughter. Through her friendship with Charlotte, Tina finds happiness, and the pair go back to Charlotte's home in Boston. When Jerry sees how happy his daughter is, he leaves her with Charlotte. What about marriage for Charlotte and Jerry? "Don't ask for the moon when we have the stars."—Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
- The love story of middle-aged spinster Charlotte Vale, who suffers a nervous breakdown because of her domineering mother and is finally freed after a brief love affair with Jerry, a man she meets while on a cruise after spending time in a sanitarium. They never marry, but through a miracle of chance she ends up looking after his daughter for a time.—Michael Stutz <stutz@dsl.org>
- Charlotte Vale is a dumpy, overweight spinster, never out of the sight of her domineering mother, the widowed matriarch of a wealthy Boston family. Charlotte has four older brothers and is always described by Mrs. Vale as an ugly duckling.
Charlotte is high-strung and deeply depressed, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, due to the constant squashing of her thoughts by her mother. There is a little spark of independence, though--she secretly smokes and expresses some creativity by carving ivory boxes.
Then a psychiatrist, Dr. Jaquith, is invited to tea by her sister-in-law Lisa Vale. He tells Charlotte that he can help her, that he can show her which path to take at the fork in the road.
After an ugly scene with her niece June Vale, who is Lisa's daughter but displays Mrs. Vale's cruelty, Charlotte finally accepts Dr. Jaquith's offer and goes to the mountain retreat where he works. The hospital offers the attention and crucial building up of her self-esteem. She changes from a mouse to an attractive figure of social grace and appeal.
On a holiday cruise, Charlotte tries out her new persona, the test run that Dr. Jaquith encouraged to evaluate her level of recovery. She grows comfortable with her new image, no longer awkward in company but aloof enough to be interesting.
A French gentleman, Jerry Durance, becomes fascinated with her and soon is so in love with her that he can barely think of being without her. Charlotte loves him too, but knows that their affair must never be known, for Jerry is married, but unhappily tied to a wife who is cold, selfish and a hypochondriac. Yet he loves his children and his emotionally troubled youngest daughter, Tina.
They part ways, at last, much to the agony of Jerry and the silent desperation of Charlotte.
She returns to her home in Boston, and becomes involved with Elliot Livingston. But she doesn't love him and soon the engagement is over. Even worse, after an argument with Charlotte, Mrs. Vale has another heart attack and dies.
Charlotte returns to the clinic for a break, emotionally overwrought. She meets a young girl who is very shy and not overtly pretty. Soon she discovers it is Tina, the daughter of Jerry.
Charlotte takes Tina under her wing, believing in the ugly duckling and knowing that she can become a swan. After all, Tina is exactly how Charlotte was.
How can she cope with seeing Jerry again, though? And know that Tina will never truly be her daughter, her flesh and blood.
Charlotte develops a maternal bond with Tina and hopes only for Jerry's love. Even though he can never leave his wife. But to Charlotte, Tina is a piece of him; together they can love her.
And she believes that they have the stars together now, they mustn't ask for the moon.
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