Wealthy shoe manufacturer John Reeves (George Arliss) relishes a challenge, whether it's beating his competitors in business or helping a couple of spoiled rich kids find purpose in life. Years ago, Reeves lost the girl he loved to a manufacturing rival. Now, after both the girl and the rival have died, he runs into their daughter (Bette Davis) and son and realizes the wild-living youngsters are headed for trouble. Incognito, he joins the failing business they've inherited and soon becomes indispensible as both a canny manager and a substitute father.