What Is First a Girl About?
The premise of First a Girl in 247 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In rain‑slick 1930s London, an ambitious young singer leaves the monotony of a boutique job after a chance encounter in a crowded coffeehouse. The city’s bustling music‑hall scene and its glittering cafés provide a backdrop where dreams of the stage feel as close as the next cab ride, and the promise of a new identity whispers from the shadows of the stage curtains.
When her flamboyant friend suggests she try her hand at drag, she partners with a struggling actor who has already fashioned a celebrated female persona. Victor‑theater‑dreamer‑by‑day, he balances Shakespearean aspirations with a razor‑sharp music‑hall act called “Victoria.” Together they devise a daring performance in which Elizabeth steps onto the stage as a polished female impersonator, blending twinkling vocal talent with a witty, gender‑bending flair that immediately captures audience imagination.
The tone is a breezy mix of wit, romance, and musical sparkle, set against the glitter of high‑society theatres and the grit of backstage corridors. Amid the applause, a determined young admirer—Robert—becomes fascinated by the on‑stage persona, unaware of the true performer behind the silk and sequins. Their unspoken attraction adds a layer of tender tension, hinting at the delicate dance between artifice and authentic feeling.
The film’s style celebrates the joyous absurdity of performance while probing the fluid boundaries of identity. With lively numbers, snappy dialogue, and a light‑hearted yet thoughtful atmosphere, it invites viewers into a world where the act of becoming someone else can both launch a career and spark unexpected love.
What Happens in First a Girl?
The complete story of First a Girl, from the first scene to the last, in 701 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In 1930s London, Elizabeth, Jessie Matthews quits her dull job at a posh luxury fashion shop and, caught in a rainstorm, finds shelter in a crowded coffeehouse where she sits opposite Victor, a gifted yet struggling actor who dreams of Shakespeare but makes his living in a music-hall persona called “Victoria.” After a brief exchange, Victor hurries away to his boarding house to fetch a message inviting him to perform that evening, only to discover he has laryngitis brought on by the storm. Seeing a spark of opportunity, he hatched a bold plan: Elizabeth could step in, sing, and perform as a female impersonator. That night, Elizabeth’s debut is a sensational success, and promoter McLintock, Alfred Drayton, rushes backstage with a contract in his hand.
Thus begins a European tour under the showmanship of Elizabeth’s unlikely partner, with Victor acting as her manager and the stage name “Bill” riding on the fame of his own persona, the revered “Victoria.” The duo travels across continents, turning Elizabeth into a celebrated figure on stage while keeping the ruse alive: a man performing as a woman under Victor’s guidance. It isn’t long before they cross paths with high society when Princess Mironoff, Anna Lee, and her fiancé Robert, Griffith Jones, attend one of “Bill’s” performances. Robert is captivated by the onstage presence, only to be startled when the wig comes off, revealing Elizabeth’s cropped hair and unmistakable femininity. The moment is a delicate balance of attraction and embarrassment, and the princess and her future husband begin to toy with the idea of exposing the act in order to reveal Bill’s true gender.
Backstage, the party’s flirtations deepen. During a nightclub interlude, Victor works to charm the Princess with Shakespearean recitations while Robert talks privately with Bill as he wrestles with his feelings. Elizabeth must physically perform as a man—smoking a cigar and quaffing whiskey—to keep up the illusion. The reality grows thornier when a feminine hair comb is found under Bill’s chair, arousing suspicions that Bill might be a woman after all. Conspiring to uncover the truth, the Princess invites Elizabeth, Victor, and their new circle to travel with them to the South of France, where they hope to uncover the truth through a staged trip; the three “men” are forced to share a room at a guesthouse, and Elizabeth must navigate this pressure while maintaining her disguise.
At the villa Elizabeth has rented with Victor, she revels in the freedom of wearing women’s clothing again, and the mood turns sunlit and carefree as she swims. A sudden sea rescue by Robert, who saves her from drowning, breaks the tension; in a tight-fitting swimsuit, the truth of her gender is plainly visible, leaving Robert momentarily embarrassed as he retreats to the water. Yet the long-term effects of the deception press on: Elizabeth confesses to the Princess that she loves Robert, but Victor—ambitious and calculating—claims that he and Elizabeth are simply close friends. The love triangle becomes a source of drama, even as a nosy newspaper reporter begins to sniff out Bill’s true identity and threatens to reveal the deception to the world.
Victor steps in to deflect the danger by staging a dramatic counter-move: he appears as Bill, performing in drag to comic effect, turning the potential scandal into a spectacle that delights audiences and shields Elizabeth for the moment. The Princess, impressed by the showmanship and the possibility of a new Shakespearean stage, pledges funding to Victor’s dream of a proper theater, which adds a hopeful note to Elizabeth’s tangled life. Despite Elizabeth’s possession of a man’s passport for the moment, the path to a new life remains open when she is waved across the French border to begin a life with Robert.
In the end, the film threads a careful line between performance and identity, ambition and affection. Elizabeth’s journey from a shop clerk to a celebrated performer, and then toward a life with Robert, unfolds within a web of wit, romance, and melodrama. The bold choices made by Elizabeth and Victor—stepping into roles not their own, testing the boundaries of gendered performance, and negotiating romance amid public scrutiny—form the core of this story about art, deception, and the price of fame.
First a Girl Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Elizabeth quits her job and meets Victor in a storm” to “New life begins with Robert in France”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Elizabeth quits her job and meets Victor in a storm
In 1930s London, Elizabeth leaves her menial job at a luxury fashion shop to pursue a singing career. Caught in a heavy rainstorm, she ducked into a crowded coffeehouse where she sits opposite the actor Victor. Their chance encounter sets up a bold plan that will change Elizabeth's life when Victor reveals he has laryngitis and suggests she stand in as his female impersonator.
When:1930s, during a rainstorm Where:London, coffeehouse
- 2
Victor, sidelined by laryngitis, proposes Elizabeth as Bill
Victor accompanies Elizabeth to his boarding house, where he learns he has laryngitis and cannot perform that evening. He explains the idea: Elizabeth could take the stage as a female impersonator using his stage name Victoria. Elizabeth agrees to the risky scheme and becomes 'Bill', the new female persona.
When:that evening Where:London, Victor's boarding house
- 3
Elizabeth's first performance as Bill delights a crowd
That night, Elizabeth performs in drag as the female impersonator 'Bill' and garners a tremendous reception. The crowd roars, and the big-time promoter McLintock appears backstage intrigued by her talent. Sensing a star, McLintock offers Elizabeth a contract to perform across Europe.
When:that night Where:London music-hall
- 4
Elizabeth tours Europe with Victor as manager
With Victor managing and Elizabeth billed as 'Bill' using his own stage name 'Victoria', the pair embark on a European tour. Elizabeth performs as a glamorous male impersonator across multiple cities, while Victor handles contracts and publicity. The act signals a rising celebrity born from a risky deception.
When:after contract Where:Various European cities
- 5
Princess Mironoff and Robert attend Bill's performance
One evening during the tour, Princess Mironoff and her fiancé Robert attend a Bill performance and are intrigued by the onstage persona. Robert becomes attracted to Bill, but his interest turns awkward when Bill removes the wig and reveals cropped hair. The moment heightens tension about Bill's true gender.
When:during tour Where:European city venue
- 6
Disguise under pressure after the show
Backstage at a nightclub, Elizabeth must maintain the masculine facade by smoking a cigar and drinking strong whiskey to reinforce the illusion. Victor meanwhile continues to charm the princess with Shakespeare recitations as Robert chats with 'Bill'. Elizabeth struggles to uphold the disguise amid growing scrutiny.
When:after the show Where:Nightclub, Europe
- 7
Hair evidence and the plan to travel to the South of France
The Princess finds a feminine hair comb under 'Bill's' chair, confirming suspicions that Bill may be a woman. She and Robert invite the two 'men' to join them on a trip to the South of France to force Bill to reveal his gender. Elizabeth and Victor accept, hoping to keep the ruse intact for now.
When:after hair comb discovery Where:On the road to the South of France
- 8
In the South of France villa, Elizabeth resumes wearing women's clothes
At the villa she shares with Victor, Elizabeth enjoys wearing women's clothes again and revels in the freedom of her true identity. During a seaside swim, Robert unexpectedly draws near and uses lifesaving techniques to pull her from the water, exposing her as a woman. He apologizes, and Elizabeth's femininity becomes impossible to deny.
When:during the stay Where:Villa in the South of France
- 9
Elizabeth confesses love for Robert; friendships tested
Elizabeth tells the Princess that she is in love with Robert, complicating the arrangement they promised. Victor must explain to everyone that he and Elizabeth are just good friends, hoping to preserve the scheme's stability. The romantic revelation tests loyalties and the future of the Shakespearean plan.
When:later that day Where:Villa, South of France
- 10
Newspaper threat and Victor's drag safeguard
A nosy newspaper reporter spots 'Bill' in women's clothing and threatens to expose the deception. Victor saves the day by stepping into the role himself, posing as 'Bill' in drag to comic effect and deflecting the threat. The performance buys time and preserves the arrangement for Elizabeth and Robert.
When:after confession Where:South of France villa
- 11
The Princess funds Shakespearean theater
The Princess pledges to back Victor's Shakespearean theater project, signaling official support for the plan's artistic future. Meanwhile, Elizabeth carries a man's passport and is waved across the French border to begin a life with Robert. The fragile deception edges toward a hopeful new chapter for Elizabeth.
When:end of journey Where:France and border crossing
- 12
New life begins with Robert in France
With the border cleared and plans in motion, Elizabeth leaves behind the gender masquerade to start a life with Robert in France. Victor's theatrical ambitions remain intact thanks to the Princess's backing. Elizabeth steps into a future as her true self, supported by friends who believed in her talent.
When:finale Where:France
Who Are the Main Characters in First a Girl?
5 characters, among them Elizabeth (Jessie Matthews), Victor (Sonnie Hale) and Princess Mironoff (Anna Lee): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- E(
Elizabeth (Jessie Matthews)
Played by Jessie Matthews
An aspiring singer who seizes a sudden chance to perform in disguise as a male impersonator. Resourceful and resilient, she navigates the complexities of gender presentation, fame, and romance to build a stage career. Her evolution from observer to confident performer drives the emotional core of the story.
- 🎯 Aspiring singer
- 🕴️ Performer
- 💃 Female impersonator
- V(
Victor (Sonnie Hale)
Played by Sonnie Hale
A practical, ambitious actor-manager who creates the Bill persona to launch Elizabeth's career. He orchestrates the ruse, balancing self-interest with a protective loyalty to Elizabeth. His flair for showmanship helps propel the duo into European venues and bigger opportunities.
- 🎭 Showman
- 🧭 Manipulator
- 🗣️ Manager
- PM
Princess Mironoff (Anna Lee)
Played by Anna Lee
An aristocratic European traveler whose attraction to Bill tests Elizabeth's disguise. She commands social influence and stages a plot to uncover the truth, while also offering support to a potential Shakespearean venture. Her presence heightens the film's themes of class, desire, and spectacle.
- 👑 Aristocrat
- 🕵️♀️ Perceptive
- 🧭 Social navigator
- R(
Robert (Griffith Jones)
Played by Griffith Jones
The Princess's fiancé who experiences conflicted attraction to Bill. He embodies the tension between masculine norms and genuine emotion, ultimately complicating the deception with his responses to Elizabeth's disguise. His reactions propel key turning points in the romance subplot.
- 💑 Romantic interest
- 🧭 Conflicted
- 🕴️ Traditionalist
- MM
Mr. McLintock (Alfred Drayton)
Played by Alfred Drayton
A hard-nosed promoter who offers Elizabeth a contract after her first successful performance. He represents the commercial engine of show business, pushing the disguise for profit and driving the narrative toward a professional breakthrough. His presence underscores the money-driven side of fame.
- 💼 Promoter
- 💬 Agent
- 🏷️ Negotiator
Where and When Is First a Girl Set?
First a Girl is set in London and South of France (1930s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1930s
Set in the early 1930s London scene, the film captures the era’s fashion-forward fame culture and live-performance circuits. It foregrounds street-level gigs, cabarets, and the glamour of stage life against a fragile pre-war backdrop. The time period shapes how characters chase opportunity, deal with censorship, and navigate social norms around gender and performance.
Where
London, South of France
The action is rooted in 1930s London, a buzzing hub of fashion, coffeehouses, and music halls where a performer can leap from the crowd to the stage. The narrative follows Elizabeth as she navigates bustling theatres, crowded coffeehouses, and a network of promoters and impresarios. The story then shifts to the South of France, where a villa and aristocratic leisure backdrop heighten the stakes of the disguise and romance.
- 🏙️ London
- 🎭 Entertainment
- 🗺️ Travel
What Are the Themes of First a Girl?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Love vs. Persona and Ambition & Exploitation.
-
01
Identity
Disguise and performance drive the plot as Elizabeth steps into Bill's persona to seize a life-changing opportunity. The film explores how identity is crafted, worn, and questioned on stage and off. Each reveal tests loyalty, ambition, and what it means to be true to oneself when the mask is the only path to success. The tension between inner self and public persona is a constant pull throughout the narrative.
-
02
Love vs. Persona
Romantic attractions are complicated by deception, with Elizabeth's feelings and Robert's attraction to Bill entangled in performance. The story probes whether love can survive intimacy built on a masquerade. It also examines how gender presentation shapes desire and social expectation. The romance navigates loyalty, attraction, and the cost of revealing the truth.
-
03
Ambition & Exploitation
Entrenched in show business, the characters pursue fame and opportunity, often at others' expense. The promoter McLintock embodies the commercial drive that profits from a created persona. The film highlights the moral ambiguities of staging someone else's identity for profit, and how ambition can both empower and entangle lives. Ultimately, ambition pushes Elizabeth toward a new life, even as she grapples with the truth.
What Kind of Film Is First a Girl?
Light in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A witty and charming romantic comedy that playfully explores identity through a successful drag performance, filled with glamour, farcical situations, and a sunlit European romance.
- playful
- romantic
- witty
- energetic
- carefree
- glamorous
- cross dressing
- performance and identity
- backstage drama
- romantic deception
Quiz
How well do you remember First a Girl? Test yourself on the story.
