Rich Man, Poor Man

A portrait of linked lives in turn-of-the-century New York, tracking residents of a crowded boarding house and members of a newly connected family as ambition, money, and social appearances create strain and opportunity. A timid, solitary clerk grapples with insecurity while a younger lodger negotiates romance and city life; a newly received young woman learns who among her relatives will welcome or oppose her, finding unexpected allies in a kindly grandfather and a friend. Courtroom business, social events, and private confidences expose pride and vulnerability, forcing each character to make choices that clarify loyalties and alter standing.