In 1936 London, mature showgirl Julia Packett (Greer Garson) leads a precarious life. She pretends to be contemplating suicide in order to finagle some money out of a male friend in order to pay her bills. Then, she receives a wedding invitation from her daughter Susan (Elizabeth Taylor). As a young woman, Julia had married wealthy William Packett (Walter Pidgeon). However, after fourteen months of marriage, his disapproving mother (Lucile Watson) had managed to break them up. Julia returned to show business, but left her infant daughter with her husband, so that the child could be raised in more secure circumstances.