Lady for a Day

Lady For A Day is an Academy Award nominated film directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "Madame La Gimp" by Damon Runyon. Capra later remade it under the title Pocketful of Miracles.

The film is about a poor woman called "Apple Annie", who sent her daughter abroad, and sends most of the money she makes (by selling apples or hustling) to help her daughter grow up well. She also made her daughter think she was well-born and that Annie is living an upper class lifestyle.

But then her daughter is engaged to a Spanish count, who wishes to meet her. The truth would ruin the match and humiliate everyone. Fortunately, a mobster has been buying her apples for years, as a good luck charm. He agrees to help her out in return. Unfortunately, maintaining the charade is not so simple.

Story and films provide examples of:

 * Despair Event Horizon: Annie's reaction to her daughter coming home.
 * Hollywood Costuming: Miracles had contemporary clothing, not 1930s clothing.
 * Mock Millionaire
 * Pretty in Mink
 * Princess for a Day: Trope Namer
 * A Simple Plan