Merry Andrew

Andrew Larabee teaches at a school run by his traditional father, who disapproves of his unconventional methods. Despite his popularity with the students, Andrew hopes to earn his father's respect through archaeology and scholarly success.

During school holidays, Andrew bikes to ancient ruins in Sussex and believes a Pan statue left by a Roman legion can be found. He hopes the discovery will enable him to publish his work and marry his fiancée Letitia Fairchild, who wants him promoted before their wedding.

At the site, Andrew encounters the Gallini traveling circus, which has been ordered to pack up by the local police because the land now belongs to Lord Elmwood. The five Gallini brothers and their cousin Selena mistake Andrew for a contractor, and he allows them to stay, halting their departure.

Lord Elmwood arrives and threatens to remove both Andrew and the circus. Andrew hints at a past he shares with Elmwood, using this to temper the pressure; Elmwood agrees to give them a week before construction starts.

Andrew discovers a tunnel at the site and digs upward, bursting into the middle of the circus' lion act. His adeptness with animals impresses Selena, who notes he is a born entertainer and begins teaching him to juggle.

With Antonio suffering laryngitis, Andrew is pressed to replace him at the matinee. He is fitted into padding and a life jacket with whistles, smoke, and flares, which go off during his speech and inadvertently reveal him as a natural clown.

After the performance, Selena grows jealous of Andrew's closeness to Letitia and follows him back into the tunnel. They dig further until a cave-in traps them overnight.

The next morning, Angelina the chimpanzee pulls on a rope that shifts a stake and collapses the ground, revealing Andrew and Selena. Antonio and his sons confront Andrew and insist they wed on the following Saturday to preserve family honor.

Angelina finds the Pan statue and hides it in her cage. Andrew convinces Selena his obligations at school take precedence, returns home, and discovers his father has promoted him while Letitia is prepared to marry him.

On the night before the wedding, Selena brings Andrew the Pan statue that Angelina had given her, deepening their bond and complicating the impending marriage. The gesture underscores the growing tension between love, duty, and ambition.

The class has earned a treat for their last test, but the boys head to the Gallini Circus instead. On the wedding day, Andrew is chased by the Gallini brothers as the two families converge. He finally clears the air and admits his love for Selena.

After the wedding, Andrew and Dudley exit the church arm-in-arm with Letitia while Matthew offers his blessing, noting a family tradition of jesters. Andrew leaves with Selena and the Gallini family, starting a joyful new chapter.