During the run up to D-Day (1944), widowed Martha Dacre tries to keep house and home together for her two daughters and two servicemen billeted on her, including Geoffrey, a naval officer who was a friend of her deceased husband.

Using occasional footage of actual events and with frequent reference to contemporary newspaper and wireless reports, the story moves forward from D-Day to VE-Day, the 1945 general election and on to 1948 when the film was made.

[9] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Cecil Parker is the kindly Commander, Ursula Jeans the mother and general confidant, Joan Hopkins the affectionate elder daughter, supported by a reasonably adequate cast.

The wonderful Thora Hird contributes a superbly droll bit as a Yorkshire servant and Joan Hopkins, Lana Morris, Digby Wolfe, Derek Bond and John Stone add solid characterizations as the children and sons-in-law.

"[5] Variety wrote: "It's difficult to determine the motives which prompted Paul Soskin to make The Weaker Sex because it possesses very little in story values, and devotes a large part of its footage to recalling the war days without saying anything new. ...

As Mrs. Dacre, Ursula Jeans has a part which she handles with utmost ease; Cecil Parker is nicely cast as the naval officer whom she marries, and Lana Morris makes a satisfying starring debut as one of the Wrens.

"[12] Sky Movies wrote, "the best reviews of the period were saved for Thora Hird as Mrs Gage [sic], the 'daily' with a dry sense of humour", and concluded, "good, solid drama told convincingly – if a trifle over-sentimental today.