Durante una visita a Londres para la coronación del rey Jorge V, el gran duque de Carpathia conoce a Elsie, una bella corista a la que invita a cenar a su embajada. La velada no sale tal y como estaba prevista, debido a varias interrupciones inesperadas. Sin embargo, al día siguiente, ambos se darán cuenta de que ha surgido entre ellos un sentimiento muy especial. Basándose en una obra de teatro del dramaturgo inglés Terence Rattigan, Laurence Olivier dirigió esta película que podría entenderse como una variación de "La Cenicienta".
U.S. Embassy employee Lee Cochrane and his wife, Sue, receive a shock when they discover that their 18-month-old son, Simon, has disappeared in London. He was last seen with their nanny, and the couple seemingly have no leads that might help police Detective Craig in his investigation. The media sensationalizes the incident, causing an unnecessary distraction as the couple prepares to confront the culprit face-to-face.
Around the turn of the century, in England, alcoholic Uncle Willie is the bane of his family, of which his brother-in-law is the family spokesman. It is decided to let Uncle Willie buy a bicycle shop in order to impress Virginia van Stuyden, an American heiress in love with Frank. This pleases Uncle Willie's young nephew, Charles. Complications arise when stuffy lord, Sir George Probus, at whose home Virginia is staying, becomes shocked when she attends a carnival.
