The Chaperone is a 2018 period drama film, directed by Michael Engler, with a screenplay by Julian Fellowes, from the novel by Laura Moriarty.

It stars Elizabeth McGovern, Haley Lu Richardson, Miranda Otto, Blythe Danner, Campbell Scott, Géza Röhrig and Victoria Hill.

In 1922 teen Louise Brooks, invited to study dance at the Denishawn school in NYC, must find a chaperone to go.

Fellow Wichita, KS resident, middle-aged Norma Carlisle, volunteers after watching her recital.

Norma dreams about her childhood train trip from NYC when she met her adoptive family in Kansas.

The young dancers at Denishawn school are reminded they mustn't drink or smoke, to be always perceived as pure and untarnished.

Meanwhile, Norma finds her old nun-run orphanage seeking her birth mother's contact info, but is turned away.

He explains over tea that he lost custody of his daughter Greta when her mother died while he was briefly imprisoned after WWI.

Norma finds a letter from Mary O'Dell in the file, requesting updates of her daughter, which includes a MA address.

Norma's perception of NYC has changed, now accustomed to the hustle and bustle, she suspects Wichita will seem dull on her return.

Miss Ruth reminds Norma the offer is contingent upon Denishawn's positive aesthetic code.

In the morning, the hungover girl wants to call in sick, but Norma won't let her blow her shot.

In February 2013, it was announced Elizabeth McGovern would star in the film, with Simon Curtis directing from a screenplay by Julian Fellowes, based upon the novel by Laura Moriarty, with McGovern, Curtis, Eli Selden, and Adam Shulman producing under their Anonymous Content banner.

[4][5] Victoria Hill, Greg Clark, Luca Scalisi, Rose Ganguzza, Kelly Carmichael and Gary Hamilton also served as producers on the film.

The site's critical consensus reads, "The Chaperone is inspired by a potentially interesting real-life story, but loses its sharpest and timeliest angles in the telling.