前往国外深造的王子查尔斯（迈克·怀尔登 Michael Wilding 饰）即将回国，为了迎接他的归来，国王决定举办一个春日庆典，查尔斯将在参加庆典的女孩中挑选一位幸运的姑娘，成为自己的妻子。就在举国上下都沉浸在节日的气氛中时，一位名叫艾拉（莱斯利·卡伦 Leslie Caron 饰）的女孩却显得闷闷不乐。艾拉从小就失去了母亲，继母和两个姐姐对她非常的刻薄，将家里的所有重活累活都丢给艾拉去做，因此艾拉常年都是灰头土脸的状态。 为了排遣心中的郁闷，艾拉给自己制造了一个名为“幽谷”的世外桃源，这里有山有水风景十分的优美，只有在这里，艾拉能够放下内心的防备，好好的放松一下心情。这一天，当艾拉再度来到幽谷时震惊的发现，查尔斯王子竟然误入其中。
Plot Summary:In a small pleasant European village, there is one unhappy person: Ella. She is despised by everyone, and mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Out feeling miserable one day, Ella meets a handsome young man, who falls for her. He is really Prince Charles, the son of the Duke, but he tells her he is the son of the cook, and invites her to a great ball at the Duke's castle. A strange woman who lives in the mountains by herself befriends Ella, and dresses her up so she can attend the ball. She goes, and is a great success, but must run out at midnight. In her haste, she drops a single glass slipper. The Prince uses the slipper to find her.
