 Marian Medford Woodstock (Ruth Warrick) gave up a chance twenty years ago to compete for the Miss U.S.A beauty title in order to marry Jeffrey Woodstock (John Ridgely). She hopes to realize her past ambitions for fame and fortune through her daughter Kay (Lola Albright), whom she persuades to enter a local beauty contest. Kay wins and is interviewed by reporter Gil McRoberts (Robert Hutton), who advises her to get married and settle down. Jeffrey is very upset with his wife s and daughter s passion for beauty contests and, when Kay enters the national contest, he informs Marian that she must choose between him and her chase after empty honors for Kay.