A bookish co-ed is pranked into attending a formal dance, but her stepsister refuses to help her prepare. With support from a cook and her cousin, she gets a dress, but after learning it’s a joke, she initially declines—until a charming opera star offers to escort her, leading to surprising revelations.
Costume
That transformation dress deserves its own credit.
Acting
Edith Fellows sells every humiliation with wide-eyed dignity.
Director
Edward Dmytryk
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Edward Dmytryk would soon pivot to film noir classics like Crossfire—this musical is basically his origin story unicorn.
Based on a 1903 novel, this 1940 adaptation awkwardly updates co-ed culture while keeping Victorian moral frameworks intact.
US
