Twenty-something Laura Reynolds is a free spirit who questions social conventions, laws and regulations. A struggling artist, she lives in a secluded beach-side cabin in Big Sur with her nine year old illegitimate son, Danny, on who she has instilled her values. Because of this questioning of convention, Laura has decided to home school Danny. Also because of this questioning of the law, Danny runs into some legal problems, and as such is court ordered to be sent to San Simeon, a Christian school in Monterey. This order is against Laura's wishes. The school's headmaster is Dr. Rev. Edward Hewitt, who tries to convince Laura that San Simeon is not the prison she probably believes it to be. Married for twenty-one years to his faithful wife Claire, Edward has become more a fund-raiser at all cost (for a new chapel) rather than an educator or priest. Despite their differences, Laura and Edward begin to fall for each other. Both but especially Edward have to reconcile their feelings for each other to their beliefs, which they learn are closer to each other than what may appear on the surface. Their feelings also bring to the forefront what each really wants in life beyond their current lot. 解释春风无限恨，沉香亭北倚阑干。伯顿夫妇的盛世美颜。落俗套的故事和演技。 小Danny Reynolds 和她的母亲Laura 在加州Big Sur地区过着田园般的生活。Laura 在家教Danny。在Danny射击一只小鹿之后，当局把他带到了当地的孤儿院/学校学习和生活。这让这名未婚的精神错乱。起先，学校管理人主教牧师Hewitt博士认为无拘无束的Laura缺乏道德，并毫无救赎的价值。最终他们却相爱并且开始了一段非法的风流韵事。 本片插曲“the shadow of your smile”曾获第38届学院奖插曲奖和1966年金球奖最佳插曲奖提名，同时影片还获得了本届金球奖的原创配乐奖提名。
