A previous adaptation of Ballet Shoes was produced in serial format by the BBC in 1975 and directed by Timothy Combe.

A practical young orphan, Sylvia Brown, and her stern nurse Nana come to live at her Great Uncle Matthew's house in London, England after her parents die tragically.

Great Uncle Matthew, a paleontologist, is reluctant to take in his niece, but relents as he is her only living relative.

He comes to be called Gum, and he is often away collecting fossils, but he sends Sylvia letters and presents, and she grows to love him.

In 1923, Gum adopts a third baby, Posy, who arrives with her mother's ballet shoes and necklaces for the three girls.

During The Great Depression, Pauline and Petrova attend school at Cromwell House, but Sylvia cannot afford to send Posy.

To earn money, she takes in four boarders: Theo Dane, an impractical dance teacher; John Simpson, who works with cars; and Dr. Smith and Dr. Jakes, who are retired professors.

Pauline, Petrova, and Posy are inspired by the professors to "put their names in the history books" by giving service to their country.

She loans Gum's necklaces to Mr. Simpson for money to buy a frock, and will pay him back with her wages.

[5] Emma Watson, Richard Griffiths and Gemma Jones have all starred in films in the Harry Potter franchise, playing Hermione Granger, Uncle Vernon Dursley and Madam Poppy Pomfrey respectively.

[7] Louise Keller of Urban Cinefile notes that this is Emma Watson's first role other than that of Hermione,[8] though her voice would later be heard in The Tale of Despereaux.

[10] The film had a limited release in U.S. theaters on 26 August 2008;[11] this can be seen as part of Screenvision's initiative to expand its venue.

[12] According to a press release on Screenvision's website, KOCH Vision bought the North American Home Entertainment rights from Granada International and partnered with Screenvision; KOCH Vision President Michael Rosenberg said that the theatrical run would help promote the DVD.

[17] Wayne Myers of The Oneida Daily Dispatch called it an "embraceable film of the sort that emerges more frequently from elsewhere nowadays than Hollywood", and praised the performances of Paige, Watson, Boynton and Nicol.

[18] Brian Orndorf wrote that Emilia Fox as Sylvia "forms the spine of the story" and that Goldbacher "is cautious to silently weave the performance throughout the film to undercut any saccharine temptations.

[20] Gina Catanzarite, in a review for Parents' Choice, suggested that there may be too much plot material for the film's relatively short running time.