It's the off-season at the lonely Beauregard Hotel in Bournemoth, and only the long-term tenants are still in residence. Life is stirred up, however, when the beautiful Ann Shankland arrives to see her alcoholic ex-husband, John Malcolm, who is secretly engaged to Pat Cooper, the woman who runs the hotel. Meanwhile, snobbish Mrs Railton-Bell discovers that the kindly if rather doddering Major Pollock, played by David Niven, who won an Oscar for his performance, a retired officer who likes to find out more...

In 1840s New York Catherine lives with her physician father Dr Sloper. When Morris Townsend, a handsome but penniless young man, comes along and woos and wins his daughter's heart, Dr Sloper is sure that he is only after her considerable inheritance, and opposing their marriage he whisks her away to Europe. After Catherine returns to New York, the young lovers plan to elope but will Dr Sloper's threat to disinherit his daughter finally force Morris to show the money grabbing colours her fathe find out more...