In the heart of Alabama during the 1900s, a family of ambitious and manipulative cotton magnates becomes entangled in a web of betrayal and greed that threatens to destroy their familial bonds. Regina Giddens, a shrewd woman who has been stripped of her fortune by her ailing husband, sees the arrival of her brother as the perfect ally to implement her plan: to build a thriving enterprise that will lift her out of her misery.
With the help of her cold and calculating brother, Oscar, and her weak-willed husband, Regina orchestrates a series of intrigues involving her naïve son, Leo, and her closest friend, Birdie, who is trapped in an oppressive marriage. Regina's ambition knows no bounds, and gradually, the cruelty underlying her pursuit of success is revealed. Amid a family worn down by selfishness and distrust, tensions rise as betrayal and conflict emerge, testing the familial ties in a profound moral dilemma.
With a script filled with sharp dialogue and intense performances, this classic drama explores the struggle between personal ambition and family loyalty. The shadow of betrayal looms as each character confronts the consequences of their choices, leading to an unexpected climax that will change their lives forever.