Around 1900, the Nolan family was struggling to survive in New York City. The mother, “Katie” (played by Dorothy Maguire), attempted to guide her young and easily influenced daughter, "Francie" (Peggy Ann Garner), and son, “Neeley” (Ted Donaldson), while their father—a kind but alcoholic performer (James Dunn)—found it difficult to hold down a job and often turned to drink. Adding to the mix was the spirited aunt “Sissy” (Joan Blondell), who had a habit of marrying men she called "Bill," regardless of whether that was actually their name, something Katie worried was a bad influence on her children. As another baby became imminent, tensions rose for everyone in the family, especially the kids who were already resourceful at earning small amounts of money and whose education might have to end early. A devastating event shook the family, pushing loyalties to the breaking point and forcing them to re-evaluate their situation. The film is often quite humorous, drawing on a sense of Irish working-class values that highlight the importance of family and expressing love for one another. It amusingly and touchingly portrays the differences between mother and daughter, with strong performances from Garner as the inquisitive young girl and Donaldson as her mischievous brother, which helped to prevent the film from becoming overly emotional or sentimental.

Source on TMDB