A Stolen Life 1946

Kate Bosworth is a sincere, demure artist who misses the last boat to a windswept New England island, hoping to reunite with her twin sister Patricia Bosworth and her cousin Freddie Linley. She persuades Bill Emerson to give her a ride home in his boat, and what begins as a practical voyage gradually gives way to an unexpectedly tender connection between them. While Kate works on a portrait of Eben Folger, the weathered lighthouse keeper, her feelings deepen into love.

Back on shore, her sister Patricia—a flamboyant, magnet-for-trouble figure—tries to engineer a match by disguising herself as Kate when she first meets Bill. The ruse works long enough to set Pat on a course toward marriage, leaving Kate to wrestle with jealousy and heartbreak. Pat then pursues him on a trip out of town, and when they return, they announce their intention to marry.

A heartbroken Kate concentrates on her art, even as she encounters the blunt but gifted artist Karnock, whose bold temperament clashes with hers as she rejects his romantic overtures.

Bill heads to Chile, giving Kate the chance to spend time with the sister she has not seen since the previous marriage. On a sailing outing, a sudden storm sweeps Pat overboard and she drowns; in the struggle to save her, Kate inadvertently seizes the wedding ring. She passes out and is washed ashore in the boat. When she comes to, she is mistaken for Pat.

With Bill about to return, Kate makes the difficult choice to assume her late sister’s identity. To her surprise, Bill’s anger at Pat for her affairs complicates the path to marriage. Cousin Freddie has guessed the truth and urges Kate to reveal who she really is. When she finally does, Bill realizes that Kate is the one he truly loves.