A model in an expensive clothing shop quarrels with another model, and an expensive gown is ruined. In order to pay for it, she asks her father, an artist, for the money. In order to get the money, the father gets mixed up with art thieves

The impoverished Harlow family of New England is forced to take in summer boarders. Teenaged niece Tressie welcomes the change and promptly falls in love with a wealthy young guest named Norman Minot. Although Norman returns Tressie’s affection, he is driven away by a fortune-hunting mother who wants him to marry her daughter. Robert Kitteridge, a scheming artist friend of Norman's, takes Tressie on a sailboat outing, during which they narrowly escape death when their boat is rammed by a steamship. After being put ashore the next morning in Boston, MA, Robert takes Tressie to his studio and attempts to seduce her.

Molly, a glamorous clothing model in New York, though yearning for a life of luxury, spurns the advances of her boss's son in favor of a shipping clerk, late of the backwoods.

After the death of her benefactress, Mrs. Beresford, Alice Lambert is evicted by Ruth, Mrs. Beresford's jealous niece; and in despair Alice seeks employment as a model. Her refusal to accept the attentions of Monsieur Armand ends in her dismissal

A disgraced son of a mine owner discovers a plot among the workers to defraud his father.

Young Irish physician Peter Blood is exiled as a slave to Barbados, where he and his friend Jeremy are purchased by Colonel Bishop at the behest of his niece Arabella. With other slaves he captures a Spanish galleon and becomes the terror of the Caribbean privateers until offered a commission in the English Navy. He defeats the French at Port Royal, and as a reward he is named governor of Jamaica and marries Arabella.

Assistant to freight express agent Dave Haskell in the town of Pitt's Junction, Jim Kelly develops strong biceps lifting egg crates onto the daily train. Jim soon falls in love with Dave's lovely daughter Kitty, who, he worries, is interested in city slicker Perry Woods. When Woods steals $2,000 from the station safe, Jim, thinking that Dave took the money, confesses the crime and leaves for Chicago.

Sylvester Tibble is a clerk in his uncle's restaurant. Sylvester dreams of becoming a famous dancer and tries to inject a little of the jazz life into his uncle's old-fashioned establishment. When dancer Junie Budd shows up at the restaurant, Sylvester sees a chance to make his dream come true.

The Jewish Aaronson family lives in simple neighborhoods in the ghetto of a big city. Esther spreads the sun with her smile and when her mother goes blind and is taken to hospital, she takes on the role of head of the family.

Felix O'Day lives to fulfill but one desire: to impose revenge on Austin Bennett, the man who stole his wife Barbara and caused his father's death.