Helen Winter (Jeanette MacDonald) is a widow and former singer who has also endured the death of her son and takes refuge in a rural Georgia town, along with her dog, Lassie. Helen and Lassie both become close to an amiable local orphan named Jerry (Claude Jarman Jr.), who seems to frequently find himself in perilous situations. When Jerry gets caught in a blazing building, it's up to Lassie to save the boy, making Helen realize how important both of them are to her.