Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Voice Beneath The Blitz
A young dancer is asked to entertain people sheltering during an air raid. Her hesitant performance reveals a singing voice that may offer a new future.
Key Events
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Blitz Music Hall Performance — The audience is invited to remain in the music hall during an air raid.
Location: London music hall
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Emergency Entertainment — A young dancer is invited to sing for the audience sheltering during the raid.
Location: London music hall
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A Voice Is Praised — The reluctant singer performs and receives praise for her singing voice.
Location: London music hall
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New Songs Take Shape — The singer and an aspiring songwriter work together on new big-band-style tunes.
Location: London
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Evacuation Encouraged — The singer encourages a young boy in the family to leave London through evacuation plans.
Location: London family home
Songs And Difficult Hearts
The singer collaborates with an aspiring songwriter while helping with evacuation plans. A returning soldier complicates her personal life by loving her friend instead.
Key Events
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Evacuation Encouraged — The singer encourages a young boy in the family to leave London through evacuation plans.
Location: London family home
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After the Rain Debut — The singer finally accepts the opportunity and debuts with the song After the Rain.
Location: London music hall
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Soldier Returns On Leave — An old school friend wearing a kilt returns on leave from the Scots Guards.
Location: London
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A Complicated Courtship — The returning soldier begins seeing the singer but reveals that he loves her friend.
Location: London
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Lovers Reunited — The singer helps reunite the returning soldier with the woman he loves.
Location: London
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Wedding Performance — The singer performs Ave Maria at the couple's wedding.
Location: Wedding venue
The Accidental Breakthrough
A jointly written demo reaches the BBC by accident. The broadcaster offers an opportunity, but the singer fights to ensure the songwriter is included.
Key Events
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Wedding Performance — The singer performs Ave Maria at the couple's wedding.
Location: Wedding venue
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Demo Recording — The singer and songwriter record a demo of a tune they wrote together.
Location: Recording studio
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Accidental Radio Broadcast — The demo is accidentally played on BBC radio, bringing the song to public attention.
Location: BBC radio station
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BBC Invitation — A letter invites the songwriter to the BBC, but the broadcaster is interested only in the singer.
Location: London
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Contract Demand — The singer insists that the songwriter also receive a contract, and the demand succeeds.
Location: BBC office
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Rapid Rise To Stardom — The singer quickly becomes a star through radio and public performances.
Location: London broadcasting venues
Broadcasts And Wartime Fear
The singer becomes a star and makes a St Andrew's Day broadcast. A dedication is followed by news that the soldier is missing in action.
Key Events
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Rapid Rise To Stardom — The singer quickly becomes a star through radio and public performances.
Location: London broadcasting venues
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St Andrews Broadcast — The star makes a special radio broadcast on St Andrew's Day.
Location: Radio studio
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Personal Dedication — During the broadcast, the singer dedicates the program to the returning soldier and says he is a father.
Location: Radio studio
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Missing In Action — The singer learns that the soldier missed the dedication while on patrol and is reported missing in action.
Location: London
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Wounded But Alive — The report changes when it is revealed that the soldier was wounded rather than killed.
Location: Military setting
Songs For The Service
The soldier is revealed to be wounded rather than lost. The singer and songwriter finish with an open-air concert for RAF crew.
Key Events
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Wounded But Alive — The report changes when it is revealed that the soldier was wounded rather than killed.
Location: Military setting
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Open Air RAF Concert — The singer and songwriter perform for several hundred RAF crew, including Sincerely Yours and We'll Meet Again.
Location: Open-air concert venue
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Hopeful Musical Finale — The film ends with the open-air performance and its message of wartime hope.
Location: Open-air concert venue
A young dancer trying to make it in London during World War II discovers that people like her singing voice, too. Although she's at first reluctant to sing, she finally does and becomes a star. She hooks up with a young musician who composes classical music and turns his nose up at this vulgar "popular" music, but she believes he can be a success at it and sets out to turn him around.