These Wilder Years

Plot

Detroit business tycoon Steve Bradford (Cagney) tells his board of directors without explanation that he is taking a leave of absence. He travels to his small hometown, where it turns out that his goal is to find a son he put up for adoption 20 years before.

Steve turns to Ann Dempster (Stanwyck), who runs an orphanage, explaining how he has achieved success in life, but feels a void left by his absent and unknown son. Ann explains that she is ethically required to conceal the identity of foster children and parents. Steve tries charming her, cajoling, even bribing, to no avail, then brings in his lawyer, James Rayburn, to seek other ways of finding the boy.

Although he has befriended Ann, he betrays her with a charge of fraud, resulting in a courtroom hearing that could cost her both her vocation and reputation. A furious Ann digs up records that prove how Steve specifically expressed no wish to ever see his child 20 years before.

At the orphanage, meantime, he strikes up an acquaintance with a young lady, Suzie, expecting a baby, abandoned by the child's father. Steve takes a personal interest in the girl, particularly after she is involved in an auto accident and needs surgery that she fears could endanger the baby.

With the case dismissed, and Steve overcome with guilt goes bowling where he is approached by a young man who turns out to be his missing son, claiming he'd been following the progress of the trial. They have a heart to heart and part with no plans to be in each other's lives. Steve believes that this seemingly coincidental meeting was privately arranged by Ann out of the goodness of her heart which turns out to be true. Steve adopts Suzie so she doesn't have to give up her child. Suzie names her son after him.

Cast

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $572,000 in the US and Canada and $305,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $600,000.