The Sleeping Prince was re-titled as The Prince and the Showgirl, staring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier in the title roles. Set in London, foreign royalty is gathering together for the crowning of King George V.
The title prince is accompanied by his son and mother in law. The 16 year old son is eager to take on responsibilities as reigning King from his father, who is acting regent until he comes of age. The family, loosely based on Romanian royalty is from the fictional Carpathia, a country in the Balkans. The Prince is given a political attaché named Northbrook to make his visit to London enjoyable. Northbrook takes the Prince Regent to a musical, where he becomes smitten with Marilyn Monroe playing the showgirl Elsie Marina.
Invited to dinner, Elsie is at first is less than impressed by the Rengent Prince. Distracted by responsibilities, he leaves her alone for much of dinner and she, encouraged to stay by Northbrook, drinks too much. When the Prince tries to make a pass at her, she rudely rebuffs him, saying she expected romance and gypsy violins. The Prince composes himself and brings in a violinist. Then just when Elsie is starting to swoon for him, the alcohol, she’d been sipping all night, catches up with her and she passes out.
Having spent the night at the Carpathian embassy, Elsie overhears the young King plotting to overthrow his father by making alliances with the Germans. Elsie goes to Grandma (the Queen mother) for advice and is asked to remain for the coronation in place of the her lady in waiting, who has taken ill. Elsie uses her time with the family to convince the young King to write up a contract and put off his political sabotage against his father in exchange for a general election. The Prince regent is impressed, and finds himself appreciating more than Elsie’s body. But first a reconciliation with his son, to whom he has failed to show real affection.
The film ends with the pair going their separate ways, vowing that in 18 months each will be free of professional obligations.
