Charlie,ayoungaristocratinturnofthecenturyEngland,meetsaboynamedFrankontheroadtoPortsmouth.WhatCharliedoesn'trealizeisthatFrankisactuallyFrances,who'sdonnedadisguisetoescapeworkingatabrothel.CharlietakesFrank/Francesintohishome,andwhenhediscovershertrueidentity,thetwobecomelovers.HesendshertoLondontobetrainedbyhismistressintheartofsex,butshelearnsmuchmoreaboutheridentityasawoman.Beforetheopeningcredits,explicitlyon-screenitreads:"BasedonthefamousVictorianeroticnovelbyananonymouswriter".