Plot

In the early 20th century, devout Reverend Charles Fortescue returns to England from his missionary work in Africa and, despite plans to marry his childhood sweetheart, receives a most unusual assignment: minister to the local prostitutes.

In 1905, after 10 years of missionary work in Africa, the Reverend Charles Fortescue (Sir Michael Palin) is recalled to England, where his Bishop gives him his new assignment, to minister to London's prostitutes. Charles hopes Deborah Fitzbanks (Phoebe Nicholls), his fiancée, will object and give him an excuse to say no to the Bishop. But she is so imperturbably innocent that she totally fails to understand what he is being asked to do, and urges him to do his best. Wealthy Lady Isabel Ames (Dame Maggie Smith) is expected to fund the work, but once she makes it clear to Charles that there will be no contribution unless he shares her bed.—James Barrett <jbarrett@sbastk.ess.sunysb.edu>

After an extended stay in Africa, British missionary Charles Fortescue returns to his hometown of London at the beginning of the 20th century. His long-time fiancée Deborah is waiting for him there--and so is a new mission from the Bishop: Fortescue is to set up a shelter for prostitutes in a disreputable part of London and lead the ladies there onto the right path of faith. Fortescue is reluctant to take on this task, but gradually he runs out of arguments. Deborah is no help to him; she pressurizes him to continue to do his best in his new ministry for his church. Financial support for the missionary work among London's sex workers comes from the wealthy Lady Ames, who becomes increasingly fond of Charles Fortescue. For him, the temptations and pressures become ever more intense and the situation all the more dramatic when it becomes clear how far Lady Ames believes she must go to be free for him.—Arte