Father and daughter living in France move to England after the former commits embezzlement. She disguises herself as a man in order to impose more respect from people (I hope memory serves me right here). In their new country they get mixed up with a con man and smuggler, and the three become traveling showmen. They meet a rich artist and his friends.
A very unconventional film. More than one reviewer describes it as "ahead of its time", yet there are picaresque elements in it which date back to the sixteenth century. It's easy to see why it flopped, too, since its plot is slightly absurdist and wanders from comic events to tragic ones without noticeable change of register. The key plot element turns out be to the romantic afflictions of the heroine, but this is not your typical romantic comedy, by any means. Hepburn suits the part, and is made to look like Parker Lewis Can't Lose's title character.
This is critic Dale Thomajan's fifth entry on his 1935 top ten list.
Rating: 83 (third entry on my favorites list for 1935)
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