In a small English coal town, aspiring artist Paul Morel (Dean Stockwell) sets out to break free of the difficult mining life that has hardened his father, Walter (Trevor Howard), and killed his brother. His wishes appear to come true when local art lover Henry Hadlock (Ernest Thesiger) offers to send him to art school in London. However, Paul's deep love for his kind but possessive mother, Gertrude (Wendy Hiller), threatens to keep him from abandoning his old life.