The three sisters married the most important historical figures – Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek and K'ung Hsiang-hsi – in the founding of the Republic of China, making their family the focal point of every major decision made in modern Chinese history.

The family patriarch, Charlie Soong, sends his three daughters abroad to study at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, United States.

After the Xinhai Revolution overthrows the Qing dynasty in 1911, Sun Yat-sen becomes the Republic of China's first provisional president and leader of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party).

The widowed Soong Ching-ling often quarrels with the family, accusing Chiang Kai-shek and his followers of persecuting the Communists and hindering the process of Chinese reunification.

A reason for this may be that filming took place in Beijing, where the Chinese government imposed rules on the portrayal of controversial figures such as Chiang Kai-shek.

In fact, director Mabel Cheung has stated that in the 14 minutes that were cut from the final release, there were scenes of romance between Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling.

Other pivotal moments include the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, the Kuomintang's Northern Expedition in 1926–27 against the Beiyang government and other warlords, and the 1931 Mukden Incident which marked the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Scenes of bloodshed were toned down to appeal to a mass audience for educational purposes, and the film avoids describing the violence associated with that era.

Key figures from the Communist Party such as Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Zhou Enlai do not make any appearances in the film, even though historically they played significant roles in the Xi'an Incident.