在这部长恨歌剧情/爱情/音乐片中,泰沙（琼·芳登 Joan Fontaine 饰）和姐妹们居住在非常偏远的山脚下，一群单纯可爱的姑娘们过着离群索居世外桃源般的生活。一天，一个名叫路易斯（查尔斯·博耶 Charles Boyer 饰）的音乐家在偶然之中闯入了泰沙的生活之中，被前者的才华深深吸引的泰沙不可自持的深深爱上了路易斯。
没过多久，泰沙的父亲去世了，照顾泰沙的责任落到了她的小姑弗洛伦斯（亚历克西斯·史密斯 Alexis Smith 饰）的身上。泰沙非常悲伤的察觉到，路易斯和弗洛伦斯之间产生了爱意。之后，泰沙和她的姐妹们被送进了教会学校念书，不愿意放弃自己这份情感的泰沙偷偷的从学校里溜了出来。
Fourteen-year-old Tessa is hopelessly in love with handsome composer Lewis Dodd, a family friend. Lewis adores Tessa, but has never shown any romantic feelings toward her. When Tessa's father dies, Lewis contacts her late mother's wealthy family so they'll take care of Tessa and her sisters. Lewis becomes taken with Tessa's haughty cousin Florence and the two soon marry and head off for Florence's estate in England. Meanwhile, Florence sends Tessa and her sister Paula off to finishing school. The girls run away from school and Tessa moves in with Florence and Louis. Florence soon becomes consumed with jealousy over the bond between her husband and Tessa.
