Emotionally aloof Soames Forsyte, a well-to-do solicitor becomes enamored at first sight of Irene Heron, but she turns down his marriage proposal,

Irene consents to marry Soameswith the proviso that he will make her happy. When it is apparent that she is not, he hires Bisonney to design them a unique country house.

Realiazing he has lost Irene, a vengeful Soames sets out to ruin Bosinney's architectural career by charging him with mismanagement.

Soames forces himself on wife Irene just before his lawsuit with Bossiney comes to court with tragic consequences.

Many years have passed since Irene left him and Soames has now decided that he wants a divorce. He's met an attractive young woman, Annette Lamotte, who with her mother runs a restaurant in Soho. He calls on Young Jolyon, who is trustee of the legacy his father left her, to ask if she could provide him with grounds for divorce. She assures Jolyon that there has been no one in her life, a message he relays to Soames who refuses to believe it. He even visits Irene but unable to find grounds for divorce, he decides that he wants her back. All he manages to do is frighten...

Soames sends Jolyon to Irene in order to secure a divorce so he can remarry a French girl,, but the cousins have a falling out,t and it ends badly,