Princess Caraboo

Based on a true story, this decorative social satire relates the case of a beautiful vagabond picked up near Bristol in 1817, who claims to be Princess Caraboo, escaped from a slave ship. Roundly mocked as an impostor, she winds up in court, but her composure commands respect and a wealthy woman takes her in. While insecure Mrs Worrall (Hughes) detects true quality, her husband (Broadbent) is more sceptical, but once dreams of lucrative trade beckon, he's as ready as his wife to parade their enigmatic guest. Caraboo lives it up in Regency society, but the servants, convinced that 'one of them' is pulling a fast one, plot to unmask her. Phoebe Cates's intriguing Caraboo transcends all tests. Called on to convince an ethnographer, she flunks badly, but he leaves in tears, touched by her grace. An everyday story of social-climbing and neo-classicism, this is a winner.