The film begins with Charles Laughton playing a busker (a street entertainer). During his spiel to try to encourage donations from the crowd, a horrid street urchin (Vivian Leigh) rushes up and snatches his money. Later, he catches up with her and once again she behaves VERY badly--stealing something from a rich guy (Rex Harrison). Laughton sees this and once again pursues her in order to get the man's stuff in order to return it. But, once again, she screams and behaves horribly--which causes the police to chase them. With this VERY inauspicious introduction, Leigh and Laughton soon would become friends as well as business partners. So, soon she has joined with Laughton and his friends and their new act goes over well--and their finances improve. A bit later, Leigh is recognized for her talents by Rex Harrison--who happens to be a a big-wig in the theatre circuit. He gives her a break and she hits the big-time. However, she STILL is the same selfish brat she was when the movie began and she badly mistreats poor Laughton. She does nothing to thank him, credit him for some of her ideas or does a thing to help him. In addition, when he proposes to him she rebuffs him and laughs at him! Nice lady, huh? You could see from this performance that she would make a dandy Scarlet O'Hara. However, in a twist near the end, she uncharacteristically shows a tender side towards her old mentor and friend--but it just didn't work for me, as that was NOT the sort of character she'd been playing throughout the film. This reminded me of the uncharacteristic and ridiculous change Bette Davis' character underwent at the end of "Jezebel". In both cases, it took a truly exceptional movie and knocked its impact down a peg or two.Without the unnecessary and unbelievable transformation, I'd have given this movie an 8 or 9. As it is, I think a 7 is fair. Worth watching but a poor ending. Early in the film, you'll see a minstrel at the coffee shop--my how times have changed!

I bought this film because I am in to old classic films.This film is an enjoyable period piece about a pickpocket that finds her way to stardom in the theater but realizes that she got there the wrong way.It really invokes the time and place it depicts.I thought Vivien Leigh was good but Charles Laughton really made the picture.His acting is really the highlight of this picture.His performance is very convincing and gives a real sense of how he would be on the stage.Rex Harrison really has a bit part to play as Liberty's lover and sponsor but he acts pretty well.There are a few musical numbers that I enjoyed."Spoiler", The scene between between Liberty and Charles in her bedroom was my favourite scene in the whole movie.Overall I enjoyed this film and would recommend it to anybody who is into early cinema .

Yes, it's a simple little film about simple, creative people swept up by the tides of a changing society, but don't overthink it. Watch it for the star performances: Laughton at the top of his game; Leigh young, powerful and smoking hot. Rex is right on the money, and the secondary characters are also mostly a hoot.Fun and tragic, cute and impressive, nostalgic without getting mired in the maudlin -- all in one little package. I wish someone in Hollywood would figure out how to pull together a film with those qualities nowadays.Added value to us Americans is the vicarious immersion into the British language, styles and customs of the 1930s. I found myself being captivated by the details -- the neckties and collar-less shirts; the layout of the boarding house; the trappings of the elite classes; the billboards of the time and the street-sweepers. Well done for any film to capture the essence of its time.

Vivian Leigh charms and beguiles as does Charles Laughton and Rex Harrison,all of them in their innocence and unaffected excellence. A needful but blithe and hopeful era in London, after the internecine slaughter of World War I and the unimaginable evil of World War II and the Holocaust. To experience these three and others in a blitheful , happy episode of innocent merriment will uplift thee.