[3] In 1959 Los Angeles, jingle writer Manny Singer is a recent widower with a young daughter, Molly, who is not coping well with the death of her mother Annie and refuses to speak.

Manny decides to hire a housekeeper and nanny to help fill the void of his wife's absence as he returns to work.

The first housekeeper Manny hires quickly quits, and soon afterward Corrina Washington, an African-American woman, interviews for the position.

A frightened Molly returns to a whites-only school where she is bullied for adding Corrina to her family picture.

That night, Molly awakes from a nightmare, Corrina and Manny run to her side but she is scared and angry.

A terrified Molly begs Corrina to let her stay home from school and she secretly agrees.

Their private celebration is interrupted by a visit from Jenny, which Corrina takes as a cue that she is not meant to stay.

That night, Corrina and Manny talk about their spouses and share a moonlight dance and kiss that is witnessed by Molly.

After the funeral, he goes to visit Corrina at her house to tell her of Harry's death and to properly apologize.

Roger Ebert confessed that he enjoyed it but wrote: ...seems almost as shy as the characters about the charged issues of race and romance.