It'stheoff-seasonatthelonelyBeauregardHotelinBournemoth,andonlythelong-termtenantsarestillinresidence.LifeattheBeauregardisstirredup,however,whenthebeautifulAnnShanklandarrivestoseeheralcoholicex-husband,JohnMalcolm,whoissecretlyengagedtoPatCooper,thewomanwhorunsthehotel.Meanwhile,snobbishMrsRailton-BelldiscoversthatthekindlyifratherdodderingMajorPollockisnotwhatheappearstobe.Thenewsisparticularlyshockingforherfraildaughter,Sibyl,whoissecretlyinlovewiththeMajor.