Stella and Stephen struggle to stay happy as their class differences become a problem, and when they inevitably separate, Laurel is caught in the middle of the divorce. To give Laurel the best chance in life, Stella must make a huge and very painful sacrifice. This is a fascinating character portrait of a woman striving to improve her place in the world and making some poor choices along the way. Many critics are convinced that Stanwyck should have earned an Oscar for what is arguably her finest performance.