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The best thing about this movie is the late Victorian costumes. Other than that, it's not all that much. Jean Kent, in the title role, does better with her singing than her acting, which is pretty overacted here. The rest of the cast was less than memorable as far as performances go.

I think this would have been better as a serious drama, about class differences, marrying for money/social position, discarding a suitor for lack of prospects, adjusting to a world very different from your own background, and wondering if you made the right decision. As it was, the movie tries to do this within the format of a musical comedy, and it just doesn't work.

James Donald, as Lord Digby, the man Trottie chooses and Andrew Crawford as Sid, the one she rejects, are both adequate in their roles, but that's all. Neither of them seems to really care all that much about Trottie, and the "happily ever after" just doesn't ring true. (And that wasn't an intentional pun, still I'm rather impressed with myself!)

I'm less impressed with this movie and advise you to skip it.

This was a love story tempered with reality, or should it be called a story of real life with a little romance thrown in? Either way, you get a story that's neither upbeat nor a downer, but rather one of class distinction, moral ambiguities, dreams in the face of reality, and those who have the guts to make those dreams come true.

This movie's also a soap opera, with secret lives behind respectable facades, illicit affairs, illegitimacy, fights, murder, dueling, true love vs. Family duty, enough to keep you entertained.

You also get some good acting by Phyllis Calvert in the title role, Stuart Granger as the hero of the story and James Mason playing the role he plays so well, that of the villain. Who can forget him answering the question of the woman (Fanny's former employer and also her adulterous stepmother, played by Margaretta Scott) who threw away her comfortable life for him when she asks if he feels any love for her at all? He looks into her eyes, kisses her hand and says, "No." That's James, alright!

The ending is a bit hokey but what the heck?

This one's worth checking out!