Junior Miss

We are introduced to Judy and Lois Graves, two imaginative sisters living with their mother Grace and father Harry in a New York City apartment. Their friend Fuffy Adams frequently visits, and the girls interpret the adults’ behavior through film plots. The setup establishes their playful, cinema-inspired view of family life before Christmas.

Judy learns that Grace has a brother, Uncle Willis, who has been absent for years. She fantasizes a jail-time backstory to explain the absence, blending fantasy with reality. In truth, Willis is a recovering alcoholic who has spent the last four years in rehab.

That same night, Fuffy brings a handsome boy named Haskell Cummings who is meant to be Judy's escort to the upcoming school dance. Haskell's arrival shifts Judy's attention away from Willis and toward romance. The girls' social circle begins to tighten around a promising date.

Back in the apartment, J. B. Curtis visits with his pretty daughter Ellen and his secretary. After seeing a kiss, Judy imagines her father is attracted to Ellen and tells Fuffy that Harry and Ellen are romantically involved. The misunderstanding highlights Judy's tendency to read plots into ordinary affection.

The next day Uncle Willis makes a surprise visit, and Judy imagines he would be the perfect match for Ellen. She continues weaving theories about adult relationships around her family. Her matchmaking imagination adds more complications to the unfolding drama.

Right after Christmas Day, Judy secretly arranges for Willis and Ellen to meet at the Rockefeller Center ice-skating rink, and they soon become a couple. Willis and Ellen drift into romance away from the adults' awareness. The winter holiday setting frames the pair's budding relationship.

Harry's boss is troubled as Ellen is often absent from the office, sneaking away to meet Willis. Judy can't keep the secret any longer and tells Curtis that Ellen is seeing Willis, hinting at Willis's past. Curtis reacts with fear and anger, setting up the looming confrontation.

Willis and Ellen arrive during the argument and announce they have married. Curtis fires Harry for defending Willis and his family. The revelation tears at the family’s balance and forces a drastic change in their plans.

Grace and the children decide to live with Grace's mother in Kansas City until Harry finds another job. They also offer the newlyweds a place to stay so they can start on their own. The family shifts its center away from New York as part of the fallout.

Curtis makes an unannounced visit in search of his daughter, and Ellen and Willis are hidden away for the moment. The tension spikes as the adults navigate this unexpected intrusion. The moment tests the new arrangements and loyalties.

As Judy's school dance approaches, Haskell arrives to collect Judy. Curtis hears the name and believes it is Haskell Cummings Sr., the influential client he and Harry have been pursuing. The mistaken identity briefly stalls Judy's plans before the family dynamics shift again.

Realizing Curtis is mistaken, Harry accepts the offer to be a partner at Curtis's firm and signals willingness to hire Willis as well. Ellen reconciles with her father, and Curtis is surprised to see the young Haskell enter the apartment. Judy appears in a ball dress, and she and Haskell leave for the dance, closing the day with a hopeful social finale.