The effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds

An embittered widow lives with her teenage daughters in a ramshackle house where she makes a living by nursing an elderly invalid. Alternately charming and abrasive, Beatrice is selfish like her elder daughter, Ruth, who suffers from convulsions. The younger daughter, Matilda, is an eccentric outcast who earns respect by winning top honors at school for her science fair project.