▁st arring ▁Jul ie ▁Andrew s . ▁The ▁screen play ▁by ▁William ▁Fair child ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁of ▁British ▁perform er ▁Ger tr ude ▁Lawrence . ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁film ▁opens ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁with ▁Lawrence ▁in ▁a ▁screen ing ▁room ▁watching ▁a ▁document ary ▁film ▁chron ic ling ▁her ▁life , ▁then ▁flash es ▁back ▁to ▁Cla ph am ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁when ▁she ▁leaves ▁home ▁to ▁join ▁her ▁v au dev ill ian ▁father ▁in ▁a ▁dil ap id ated ▁B ri xt on ▁music ▁hall . ▁Event ually ▁she ▁joins ▁the ▁ch orus ▁in ▁André ▁Charlot ' s ▁West ▁End ▁rev ue . ▁She ▁reun ites ▁with ▁close ▁child hood ▁friend ▁No ël ▁Cow ard ▁who ▁provides ▁w itt y ▁comment ary ▁on ▁G ert ie ' s ▁actions . ▁ ▁Charlot ▁becomes ▁anno yed ▁with ▁G ert ie ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁stand ▁out , ▁literally , ▁from ▁the ▁ch orus . ▁He ▁threat ens ▁to ▁fire ▁her , ▁but ▁stage ▁manager ▁Jack ▁R oper ▁inter cedes ▁and ▁gets ▁her ▁h ired ▁as ▁a ▁general ▁under stud y ▁to ▁the ▁leads . ▁ ▁She ▁mar ries ▁Jack , ▁but ▁it ▁becomes ▁clear ▁she ▁is ▁more ▁incl ined ▁to ▁perform ▁on stage ▁than ▁stay ▁home ▁and ▁play ▁wife . ▁While ▁pre gn ant , ▁she ▁ins ists ▁on ▁going ▁on ▁for ▁an ▁absent ▁star , ▁and ▁capt iv ates ▁the ▁audience ▁with ▁her ▁own ▁star - making ▁performance