Part 1 introduces Abel Rosnovski, a Polish immigrant determined to make good, and William Kane, a Boston Brahmin being groomed to rule a banking empire.

Flourishing despite the Depression, Abel allies himself with the scheming David Osborne to topple Kane, who has other boardroom fights on his hands.

After 25 years, an ironic twist in the bitter feud between Kane and Abel estranges the financier from his son and the hotelier from his daughter.