The Little Princess

Captain Crewe departs for the Second Boer War, leaving Sara behind under Miss Minchin's care. Miss Minchin uses Crewe's money to grant Sara a fancy private room at the school, setting up a life of privilege. Sara worries about her father but tries to focus on riding lessons and the school routine.

During riding lessons at the school, Sara helps arrange meetings between Miss Rose and Mr. Geoffrey. Geoffrey volunteers to fight in the war and asks Miss Rose to marry him before leaving. Sara arranges a tea with Miss Minchin to accommodate the couple, but Miss Minchin catches them together and forbids proper goodbyes.

Sara learns that Mafeking has fallen free, raising hopes that her father might return soon. The news strengthens her belief that life could return to normal, even as she endures school life under Miss Minchin. The emotional tension centers on waiting for a father who may still be alive.

On Sara's birthday, Miss Minchin hosts a lavish party at the request of Sara's father. Captain Crewe's solicitor arrives with the grim news that Crewe has died and that his real estate—the basis of his wealth—has been confiscated. The party ends abruptly as the harsh reality intrudes on Sara's celebration.

With no wealth to sustain her, Sara becomes a servant at the school she once attended. She finds some solace in Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's servant, and a supportive friendship with Miss Minchin's brother Bertie. Meanwhile, Miss Minchin confiscates a letter from Geoffrey to Rose and fires Rose from the school.

Miss Minchin intervenes with Geoffrey's grandfather, who vows never to speak to Geoffrey again over the alleged scandal. The tension between propriety and personal loyalty deepens Sara's sense of injustice. Sara continues to endure the harsher regime of the school.

As she sinks deeper into her duties, Sara grows hungrier and more exhausted. She begins sneaking off to veterans' hospitals, convinced that her father is alive somewhere and may be reached through these forays. These journeys reveal her resilience in the face of deprivation.

A thread of solace runs through a performance of the song 'Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road' with Bertie. The moment provides a brief respite from hardship and underscores Sara's determination to endure. It also highlights the small joys she clings to amidst tragedy.

Sara argues with Miss Minchin over her belief that her father is alive, triggering Minchin's anger. Lavinia taunts Sara, and Sara retaliates by dumping ashes on her. In punishment, Miss Minchin discovers 'stolen' blankets and food and locks Sara in the attic, calling the police.

Sara escapes from the attic and runs toward the hospital, with Miss Minchin in hot pursuit. Her escape marks a desperate bid to find her father and reclaim some measure of dignity. The chase shifts the focus toward the hospital where the pivotal revelations will unfold.

The hospital prepares to transfer a newly arrived unknown patient who can only say 'Sara' repeatedly. It is Captain Crewe, miraculously alive. Sara bursts in during a Queen Victoria visit and gains permission to search for her father.

During her search, Sara encounters Geoffrey and Rose, who are wounded, and then discovers her father in the waiting room. Initially unresponsive, Captain Crewe is stirred by Sara's cries and begins to come back to himself. The reunion is both dramatic and deeply emotional.

A staff member proclaims that Sara has found her father, prompting Miss Minchin to exclaim that Captain Crewe is alive. Sara helps her father to stand as the Queen departs, sharing a hopeful, quiet smile for the future. The film closes on this restored family bond and the promise of healing.