Smilin' Through (1932)

In the faded grandeur of 1915, Sir John Carteret, a man steeped in sorrow, cherishes the memory of his long-lost love, Moonyean Clare. Their love story was tragically cut short at the altar in 1868, leaving John with a gaping void that he believed would never be filled. However, a glimmer of hope is ignited when young Kathleen, the orphaned daughter of Moonyean's sister, enters his life. Entrusted with her custody when she was barely five, Sir John watches as Kathleen blossoms into a young woman, her uncanny resemblance to Moonyean tugging at his heartstrings. Kathleen, now the apple of Sir John's eye, finds herself pursued by the stiff and formal Willie Ainley. However, Kathleen's heart is stolen by the dashing American, Kenneth Wayne, a soldier passing through Britain on his way to join the wartime ranks in France. Kenneth, a product of a father he barely remembers, is unknowingly connected to Sir John's past. His father, Jeremy Wayne, was the harbinger of Moonyean's untimely demise, a fact that sends ripples of disapproval through Sir John when he learns of Kathleen and Kenneth's budding romance. Despite her devotion to her uncle, Kathleen finds it impossible to quell the flames of her love for Kenneth. However, the war that initially brought them together now threatens to tear them apart. When Kenneth returns from the battlefield, he is a changed man, crippled and haunted by the horrors of war. Determined not to burden Kathleen, he plans to retreat to America, concealing his condition. In this tangled web of love, loss, and redemption, the concept of eternal love is put to the test, blurring the lines between the mortal realm and the mysterious after-world. Will Sir John be able to overcome his past and bless the union of Kathleen and Kenneth? Or will the ghosts of the past continue to dictate the course of their lives, echoing the heartbreak of a love lost at the altar all those years ago? The tale of Smilin' Through is a riveting exploration of love's power to transcend time, grudges, and even death itself.

Smilin' Through is a drama movie featuring Norma Shearer.

It is possible to buy Smilin' Through on Amazon Video, Apple TV and DIRECTV.